Melissa Barrera is reflecting on what she considers the “darkest” year of her life after getting axed from the Scream franchise. In an interview with The Independent (U.K.), the actress opened up about being let go by Spyglass Media because she made Instagram Stories following Hamas’ attack on October 7 and the subsequent invasion of Gaza by Israel.
“It was the darkest and hardest year of my life, and I had to reevaluate everything. There were times where I felt like my life was over,” she revealed.
Melissa also revealed that after getting terminated from the Scream movies, she barely got any job offers or callbacks, saying “It was quiet for, like, 10 months. I was still getting offers for small things here and there — I’m not going to lie and say there was nothing — but [the message] was, like, ‘Oh, she probably doesn’t have work, she’ll say yes to anything.'”
Although Melissa felt defeated at first, she had come to terms that she was more than an actress.
“For the longest time, I gave myself value as a human because of my work. So when I saw it potentially ending, I was like, who even am I? And I realized that I’m so much more than just an actor – I’m a great sister, a great daughter, a great friend. And I’m very capable of finding success in something else if I wanted it.”
The script for Scream 7 is written by Guy Busick. Meanwhile, James Vanderbilt, William Sherak, and Paul Neinstein are producing the movie. Radio Silence will serve as the movie’s executive producer. The plot in Scream 7 will explore Sidney Prescott’s life, similar to Jamie Lee Curtis’ character in the 2018 Halloween film. The Kevin Williamson-directed film will hit theaters on February 27, 2026.
