Matthew Lillard says he’s ‘ashamed’ over Melissa Barrera’s ‘Scream’ firing

Matthew Lillard says he is “ashamed” of returning to the “Scream” franchise after the firing of former co-star Melissa Barrera, telling fans at a Tuesday night Q&A for a 30th-anniversary screening of the original 1996 film that he regrets not standing up for her sooner, Entertainment Weekly reported.

Mr. Lillard reprised his role as killer Stu Macher in “Scream 7” this year, marking his first appearance in the franchise since his character was presumed dead in the original movie. He raised the subject after an audience member asked about the difficulty of speaking out on contentious political issues as a public figure.

Ms. Barrera was dropped from the franchise in November 2023 after sharing social media posts that accused Israel of “genocide and ethnic cleansing” during the Israel-Hamas war and claimed Western media presented a one-sided account. Production company Spyglass Media Group said at the time it had “zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form.”

Reflecting on his decision to return to the franchise afterward, Mr. Lillard told the crowd, “I’m on the wrong side of history for that.”

He said Hollywood should have spoken up for Ms. Barrera at the time, and that he counted himself among those who fell short. According to Mr. Lillard, her career opportunities dried up in the aftermath of the firing — a characterization that traces to his own account rather than independent confirmation of her job prospects. Mr. Lillard added that he had been too excited about rejoining the franchise to think through what she was going through, and that he did not turn down the role when it came his way.

Ms. Barrera’s departure set off a broader shake-up on “Scream 7.” Director Christopher Landon exited the project soon after, citing the fallout from her firing. Co-star Jenna Ortega also left; her exit was initially attributed to a scheduling conflict with her Netflix series “Wednesday,” but she later said that account was incomplete, telling an interviewer that her decision instead stemmed from the departure of the franchise’s prior directing team and the broader unraveling of the production following Ms. Barrera’s ouster. The film ultimately pivoted to center on Neve Campbell’s original “final girl,” Sidney Prescott, whose daughter, Tatum, played by Isabel May, is targeted by a new Ghostface killer in the Kevin Williamson-directed installment.

The film’s February premiere drew pro-Palestinian demonstrators outside the Paramount lot in Los Angeles, where Ms. Barrera appeared to respond to the protest on social media.

Ms. Barrera has continued to speak critically of the franchise since her firing. In a Variety interview earlier this year, she criticized former castmates, including Mr. Lillard, for returning to “Scream 7” after her departure.