Pro-Palestinian protesters call for boycott at ‘Scream 7’ premiere years after Melissa Barrera’s firing

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On Wednesday night, people protested outside the premiere of “Scream 7” in Los Angeles, urging a boycott of the movie. The protest stemmed from the firing of Melissa Barrera, a star in the film series, over comments she made more than two years ago regarding the Israel-Hamas war.

I witnessed a powerful protest outside Paramount Studios today. Demonstrators were passionately waving Palestinian flags, drumming, and chanting a direct message to David Ellison, accusing him of backing genocide. It was led by groups like Entertainment Labor for Palestine, CodePink LA, and Jewish Voice for Peace-Los Angeles, and they made their voices very clear.

CodePink LA stated that the protest highlighted how the entertainment industry often suppresses pro-Palestinian viewpoints and downplays the violence happening in Gaza. Demonstrators gathered to publicize the boycott of ‘Scream 7’ and encourage people not to support the movie.

Kevin Williamson, the director of “Scream 7”, shared with Variety that he sympathizes with the protesters.

Many people are concerned about the negative things happening in the world and want to express their feelings, according to Williamson. While she’s not sure if canceling Paramount+ is the right way to make a statement, she believes everyone should trust their instincts and do what feels right for them.

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After the protest, Barrera posted, “I see you,” with a red heart on her Instagram story.

Melissa Barrera was fired from “Scream 7” by Spyglass Media Group after she posted on social media calling Israel’s actions in Gaza “genocide and ethnic cleansing.”

In 2023, a representative from Spyglass Media told Variety that the company has a firm and unwavering stance against antisemitism and all forms of hate speech. This includes false claims about genocide, the distortion of the Holocaust, ethnic cleansing, and any other language that clearly promotes hatred.

Jenna Ortega, who starred alongside Barrera, left the horror movie series the day Spyglass announced the latest installment. She later clarified to the Cut that her departure wasn’t due to salary or a busy schedule, despite earlier reports. Shortly after, the original director, Christopher Landon, also left the project.

Jenna Ortega explained to the Cut that the issues surrounding the ‘Melissa’ project, combined with changes happening with ‘Scream VII’, led to her decision to leave the film. She felt that without the original directors and team she’d grown close to, continuing with the movie wouldn’t have been the best step for her career.

Neve Campbell is back as the star, and the original creator of the ‘Scream’ series, Kevin Williamson, is directing the seventh film.

Paramount did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In September, Ortega and Barrera added their names to an open letter signed by over 5,000 film professionals, committing to boycott the Israeli film industry. The letter, organized by Film Workers for Palestine, stated they would not participate in any way with Israeli film organizations involved in actions against Palestinians that signatories believe constitute genocide and apartheid.

Following this, around 1,200 more people working in Hollywood signed a different letter, stating they did not support the boycott. This highlighted the strong disagreement within the entertainment industry regarding the conflict in Gaza.

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2026-02-27 01:31