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Matthew Lillard Regrets Returning to 'Scream 7' After Melissa Barrera's Firing
Confirmed
In Short: Matthew Lillard expressed shame for rejoining the 'Scream' franchise after actress Melissa Barrera was fired for criticizing Israel.
Matthew Lillard expressed shame for rejoining the 'Scream' franchise after actress Melissa Barrera was fired for criticizing Israel, according to reports from Entertainment Weekly. Lillard, who played the iconic role of Stu Macher in the original 1996 film and returned for the seventh installment, admitted during a Q&A session for the 30th anniversary screening of the first 'Scream' that he regrets his decision. 'I don’t know how else to do it,' Lillard said in a fan-recorded video, reflecting on his complex feelings.
Melissa Barrera was fired from 'Scream 7' in late 2023 for making pro-Palestine statements on social media, which the production company, Spyglass, branded as 'hate speech.' Lillard's comments come as he stars in Mike Flanagan's upcoming 'Carrie' television adaptation, premiering on Amazon Prime Video on October 7. The actor's candid remarks about his involvement in the franchise follow a week where another public figure faced criticism for 'tossing a colleague under the bus.
During the Q&A, Lillard also condemned Hollywood's response to Barrera, noting that 'the whole world didn’t pipe up' when she was fired. 'When that happened to Melissa, the whole world didn’t pipe up,' he said, highlighting the lack of support for the actress. Lillard's comments echo the broader conversation around free speech and the entertainment industry's handling of political statements from its members.
According to reports from Entertainment Weekly, Lillard's regret stems from the difficult political climate and the impact it had on Barrera's career. 'I still can’t quite believe that we asked Ruth, Matthew, Harriet, and Phoebe to narrate and that they all said yes!' said a production executive, referring to the upcoming Audible Original 'All She Wants for Christmas,' which stars Ruth Wilson, Matthew Rhys, Harriet Walters, and Phoebe Dynevor.
Matthew Lillard's admission of shame comes as he continues to navigate the complex landscape of the entertainment industry. His comments reflect a growing awareness among public figures about the consequences of their actions and the importance of speaking out on contentious issues.
What's confirmed
- Matthew Lillard expressed shame for rejoining the 'Scream' franchise after actress Melissa Barrera was fired for criticizing Israel, according to reports from Entertainment Weekly. Lillard, who played the iconic role of Stu Macher in the original 1996 film and returned for the seventh installment, admitted during a Q&A session for the 30th anniversary screening of the first 'Scream' that he regrets his decision. 'I don’t know how else to do it,' Lillard said in a fan-recorded video, reflecting on his complex feelings.
- Melissa Barrera was fired from 'Scream 7' in late 2023 for making pro-Palestine statements on social media, which the production company, Spyglass, branded as 'hate speech.' Lillard's comments come as he stars in Mike Flanagan's upcoming 'Carrie' television adaptation, premiering on Amazon Prime Video on October 7. The actor's candid remarks about his involvement in the franchise follow a week where another public figure faced criticism for 'tossing a colleague under the bus.
- During the Q&A, Lillard also condemned Hollywood's response to Barrera, noting that 'the whole world didn’t pipe up' when she was fired. 'When that happened to Melissa, the whole world didn’t pipe up,' he said, highlighting the lack of support for the actress. Lillard's comments echo the broader conversation around free speech and the entertainment industry's handling of political statements from its members.
- According to reports from Entertainment Weekly, Lillard's regret stems from the difficult political climate and the impact it had on Barrera's career. 'I still can’t quite believe that we asked Ruth, Matthew, Harriet, and Phoebe to narrate and that they all said yes!' said a production executive, referring to the upcoming Audible Original 'All She Wants for Christmas,' which stars Ruth Wilson, Matthew Rhys, Harriet Walters, and Phoebe Dynevor.
- Matthew Lillard's admission of shame comes as he continues to navigate the complex landscape of the entertainment industry. His comments reflect a growing awareness among public figures about the consequences of their actions and the importance of speaking out on contentious issues.
What's still developing
- As reported by Entertainment Weekly, at a Q&A for the original Wes Craven-directed slasher’s 30th anniversary, Lillard, who memorably played Stu Macher, [SPOILER for 30-year-old movie] one half of the villainous Ghostface killer, expressed candid regrets for choosing to return for the franchise’s seventh outing earlier this year.
- In a week where a certain other famous person we could mention has come under fire for tossing a colleague under the bus for speaking out about the bloodshed in Gaza, Scream star Matthew Lillard has taken the opposite tack—if perhaps a little too late to help.
- Watch: Highlights from the 2026 Emmy Awards, a star-studded and record-breaking night Welsh actor Matthew Rhys has made history at the Emmy Awards, becoming the first person to win two lead acting prizes in one night.
- In 2022, the Scream franchise relaunched with Barrera as the new lead of the meta horror franchise.
- Melissa later noted that job offers had dried up after being dropped from Scream 7, and Matthew argued that "the whole world didn't pipe up" when they should have.