Melissa Barrera acknowledged demonstrators who protested outside the Los Angeles premiere of Scream 7 this week, after activists rallied against her removal from the film following her social media posts about the Israel-Hamas war.
A small group gathered just outside the Paramount Studios entrance near the Paramount Theatre during the Wednesday night event, waving Palestinian flags, beating drums and holding signs that included “Cancel Paramount+,” according to reporting from Entertainment Weekly. Barrera posted “I see you” with a heart emoji on Instagram Stories as the protest unfolded.
Director Kevin Williamson, asked about the demonstration on the red carpet, said he supported the right to protest, calling the moment difficult to address in that setting and describing the issue as “nuanced,” TheWrap reported.
Organizers said the action was backed by groups including Entertainment Labor for Palestine, CODEPINK LA and Jewish Voice for Peace-Los Angeles. In a statement carried by TheWrap, SAG-AFTRA National MENA Committee chair Amin El Gamal called Barrera’s firing “a weaponization of labor” and linked the dispute to what he described as bias against pro-Palestinian and Arab voices in Hollywood. A separate organizer statement from “Boycott Scream 7” said the campaign rejects “blacklisting and censorship” tied to advocacy for Palestinians.
Spyglass Media Group removed Barrera from Scream 7 in late 2023 after posts that some critics and the company said crossed into antisemitic rhetoric. Spyglass said at the time it had “zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form,” while Barrera publicly condemned antisemitism and said she was using her platform to speak about issues she cares about.
The fallout reshaped the project. Director Christopher Landon and co-star Jenna Ortega exited, and the film shifted back to franchise original Sidney Prescott, played by Neve Campbell. Two returning cast members, Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding, said at the premiere that they remain close with Barrera and Ortega.
