Back in November of last year, “Scream” star Melissa Barrera was unceremoniously fired from the franchise after she posted some pro-Palestine comments on social media. Not only was she fired from a future “Scream” movie, but she was called anti-Semitic. At the time, there weren’t many people backing her up, and one of her co-stars, Jenna Ortega, remained silent after also leaving the project. Now, Ortega is speaking out.
In a new profile from Vanity Fair, Jenna Ortega was asked about her thoughts regarding Melissa Barrera being fired from the “Scream” franchise. It’s clear Ortega doesn’t agree with the decision, but she sees it as a symptom of a much bigger Hollywood problem.
“The business that we work in is so touchy-feely,” Ortega said. “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.”
She added, “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.”
Ortega reportedly left the “Scream” franchise due to scheduling conflicts, but it wasn’t related to the firing of Barrera. Thankfully, Barrera has been able to bounce back with roles in studio films. Ortega, on the other hand, has seen her career skyrocket over the past few years. She is currently filming Season 2 of “Wednesday,” which is the biggest TV hit in Netflix history. Ortega is also one of the leads in the new “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice,” which is hitting theaters next month.
As for the “Scream” franchise, it appears Neve Campbell is returning, and the next film will be written and directed by Kevin Williamson.