Melissa Barrera Opens Up About ‘Shocking’ Scream Firing, Jenna Ortega’s Exit

While speaking with Rolling Stone at Sundance Film Festival — where she was promoting her new flick ‘Your Monster’ — the 33-year-old actress opened up about the controversial decision to can her from the series over social media posts about the Israel-Hamas conflict.

“I’m not the first person that’s happened to, but it was shocking. I don’t even know what to say,” she began to tell the publication.

“I think everything that happened was very transparent, on both sides, and I know who I am, and I know that what I said always came from a place of love and a place of humanity and a place of human rights and a place of freedom for people, which shouldn’t be controversial,” she said, “It shouldn’t be up for debate.”

Barrera went on to say that she is “very at peace” since the news broke, insisting that situations like this in life help her realize who she “can count on.” She added, “The people who know me in my family know the truth about me and where I stand, and I think most people in the world also do.”

After Barrera’s exit, her co-star Jenna Ortega also left the franchise, reportedly due to scheduling conflicts with Netflix’s Wednesday. However, some wondered whether Ortega’s decision to leave was done in solidarity with Berrera — something Rolling Stone asked.

“Listen, Jenna is a good egg. She’s a good person and we love each other. She would show up for me and I would show up for her no matter what,” said Barrera.

But despite how her time with the Scream franchise came to an end, Barrera told the Associated Press just days earlier at Sundance that she feels like she is “finally becoming who I’m supposed to be in life.”

“And the last few months have been an awakening of that and I’m just so grateful for everything that’s happened,” she added

Your Monster will run at Sundance’s Midnight section through January 28.