Matthew Lillard On Returning To 'Scream' After Melissa Barrera Firing
deadline.com • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Matthew Lillard expressed embarrassment for reprising his role as Stu Macher in Scream 7, acknowledging Melissa Barrera was "on the right side of history" after being fired for supporting Palestinians in 2023.
- Lillard criticized the lack of widespread support for Barrera, who was dismissed by Spyglass over her social media posts on the Israel-Hamas conflict, calling the situation "really bullshit and really hard."
- Barrera's firing sparked significant controversy, leading to protests during Scream 7's premiere and social media boycotts, with Spyglass citing a zero-tolerance policy against antisemitism and hate speech.
- The fallout from Barrera's ousting caused Jenna Ortega to leave the franchise and director Christopher Landon to quit due to death threats, severely impacting the production and direction of Scream 7.
- Lillard admitted he did not initially consider Barrera's situation when returning to the franchise, expressing shame and regret for not standing with her earlier.
