The arrival of Scream 7 was surrounded by considerable chatter and criticism. It was not surprising then that the controversy extended to the film’s premiere, too, where protesters showed up with placards. This comes two years after actress Melissa Barrera was fired by Spyglass Media Group over her social media posts about the Israel–Gaza conflict. 

The incident quickly sparked backlash from fans, with some even calling for a boycott of the upcoming film. Now, following the chaos at the premiere, the actress has once again shared a cryptic message on social media, seemingly hinting at the latest protests.

Following the protesters’ appearance at the premiere of Scream 7, Melissa Barrera took to her Instagram to write a simple message.

“I see you," she wrote and added a heart emoji.

Her fans believe that this message from the actress was meant to acknowledge her supporters amid the ongoing chaos. However, the post was cryptic and did not clearly explain what she intended to convey. Even so, the protest once again reignited the controversy surrounding her firing. 

Barrera appeared as Sam Carpenter in Scream 5 (2022) and Scream 6 (2023). The company’s decision to remove her from what would have been her third movie in the franchise was also criticized by Amin El Gamal, Chair of SAG-AFTRA’s National MENA Committee. Now, following Barrera’s exit, there were more shocking developments. 

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Her co-star Jenna Ortega, who plays Sam Carpenter’s sister, also stepped down from reprising her role. This was after the departure of more crucial members from the film. Much time after the exit, Ortega candidly shared the reason for leaving the project.

Jenna Ortega played the role of Tara Carpenter in both Scream 5 (2022) and Scream 6 (2023). However, she did not return to reprise her role for Scream 7. Speaking about her decision, the actress shared that the pay or scheduling was not the reason. 

“The Melissa stuff was happening, and it was all kind of falling apart,” she told The Cut.

Following Ortega, directors Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin also left the project. And that seemed to convince the actress to make a final decision.

“If Scream VII wasn’t going to be with that team of directors and those people I fell in love with, then it didn’t seem like the right move for me in my career at the time,” she further added.

While the controversy does not seem to end anytime soon, the Scream franchise will continue to move forward with possibly a Scream 8, too. Until then, all eyes will be on how Scream 7 fares on the big screen.

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What do you think about Melissa Barerra's latest message? Let us know in the comments.