Jenna Ortega has finally addressed the controversial firing of her former co-star Melissa Barrera from the upcoming seventh installment of the “Scream” franchise. Barrera, who starred alongside Ortega in the fifth and sixth “Scream” films, was dismissed in November following her social media posts supporting Palestinians amid the Israel-Gaza conflict, which were perceived as antisemitic.
In an interview with Vanity Fair published on Tuesday, Ortega expressed her views on the sensitive nature of the entertainment industry. “The business that we work in is so touchy-feely,” she remarked. “Everybody wants to be politically correct, but I feel like, in doing that, we lose a lot of our humanity and integrity, because it lacks honesty.”
Ortega continued, “I wish that we had a better sense of conversation. Imagine if everyone could say what they felt and not be judged for it and, if anything, it sparked some sort of debate, not an argument.” She then humorously added, “Am I describing world peace?”
More Read
In the days leading up to her firing, Barrera had taken to Instagram to describe Israel’s military actions in Gaza as a “genocide,” a term that even a United Nations special rapporteur later deemed “reasonable” for the conflict. Barrera’s post read, “Gaza is currently being treated like a concentration camp. Cornering everyone together, with nowhere to go, no electricity or water… People… are still silently watching it all happen. THIS IS GENOCIDE & ETHNIC CLEANSING.”
Spyglass Media Group, the production company behind the “Scream” films, explained Barrera’s firing by citing their zero-tolerance policy on antisemitism and “false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech.”
Despite her strong statements on Gaza, Barrera had also spoken against antisemitism following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. She emphasized on Instagram her desire for safety for both Palestinians and Jews and her hope for an end to the violence.
Interestingly, Ortega departed from “Scream 7” just a day after Barrera’s firing. However, sources told The Hollywood Reporter that her exit was unrelated to Barrera’s dismissal and was due to scheduling conflicts.
Reflecting on her situation, Barrera expressed no regrets and saw her firing as an opportunity for personal growth. “Honestly, I think I finally am becoming who I’m supposed to be in life, and the last few months have been a big awakening of that,” she told The Associated Press in January. “I’m just so grateful for everything that’s happened.”
Ortega’s comments and Barrera’s steadfast stance highlight the complexities and challenges of expressing political views within the Hollywood landscape.
