Matthew Lillard is publicly expressing regret over rejoining the Scream franchise following the 2023 firing of former co-star Melissa Barrera, who was dropped from the series after posting social media criticism of Israel's military campaign in Gaza.
Speaking at a Q&A following a screening of the original 1996 Scream film on September 15, Lillard, who returned as original killer Stu Macher in this year's Scream 7, said he now feels he was on the wrong side of history for taking the role. Barrera, who had led the franchise as Sam Carpenter in the 2022 reboot and Scream VI, was fired by producer Spyglass Media Group in November 2023 after sharing posts accusing Israel of genocide amid the Israel-Hamas war.
Spyglass said at the time it had zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form. Barrera pushed back on any suggestion that her comments amounted to antisemitism, condemning both antisemitism and Islamophobia while continuing to speak out. Her firing set off a broader shakeup on the film; co-star Jenna Ortega and director Christopher Landon both exited afterward, and the story was ultimately reworked around Neve Campbell's Sidney Prescott.
Reflecting on his own choice to return under those circumstances, Lillard was candid about his regret. 'Melissa Barrera, who's a beautiful actor, was fired for what she said after what started happening in Israel,' he said. 'It's really hard, and she's on the right side of history. When they start coming after your job, like, sometimes, things are worth it, right?'
Lillard admitted he didn't fully consider Barrera's situation when he agreed to return. 'I went back to do Scream, and I got called out. I feel bad about that. I feel ashamed about that. Because in that moment I was so excited to go back, I didn't really think about Melissa and that journey, and I didn't say no. I'm embarrassed; that's the truth.'