"Scream" actor Matthew Lillard said Tuesday that he felt "ashamed" for returning to the horror franchise after actress Melissa Barrera was fired over social media posts about Israel and the war in Gaza, telling fans during a 30th anniversary screening in Austin, Texas, that he believed he ended up on the "wrong side of history."
asserted
he → say → history
Lillard, who reprised his role as Stu Macher in the seventh installment, said his excitement about returning to the franchise overshadowed his concerns about how Barrera had been treated.
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Barrera → reprise → concerns
As reported by Entertainment Weekly, Lillard said, "I went back to do Scream, and I got called out.
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I → report → Scream
And I’m like, ‘Oh, f---. That’s brutal.’
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That → ’m → ?
"I feel bad about that.
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I → feel → that
I feel ashamed about that.
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I → feel → that
Because in that moment I was so excited to go back, I didn’t really think about Melissa and that journey.
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I → go → Melissa
"I’m embarrassed, that’s the truth…
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that → ’m → ?
I blew that.
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I → blow → that
I’m on the wrong side of history for that.
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I → ’m → that
I still like being in the movie [but] it may not have been the best idea," Lillard continued.
uncertain
Lillard → like → movie
Barrera was dropped from the franchise in November 2023 after publishing and sharing a series of posts criticizing Israel following Hamas' Oct. 7 terrorist attack.
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Barrera → drop → attack
In one post previously reported by Fox News Digital, Barrera accused Israel of committing "genocide" and "ethnic cleansing" in Gaza.
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Barrera → report → Gaza
"Gaza is currently being treated like a concentration camp," Barrera said.
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Barrera → treat → camp
People have [learned] nothing from our histories.
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People → learn → histories
And just like our histories, people are still silently watching it all happen.
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it → watch → histories
In another post, Barrera claimed Western news outlets were disproportionately presenting Israel's side of the conflict and told followers to draw their own conclusions about why.
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outlets → claim → why
"Because western media only shows the other side.
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media → show → side
Why they do that, I will let you deduce for yourself," Barrera said.
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Barrera → do → yourself
Spyglass denied at the time that Barrera was removed merely for supporting Palestinians, instead saying it viewed some of her rhetoric as antisemitic.
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it → deny → rhetoric
"Spyglass’ stance is unequivocally clear: We have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech," the company said.
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company → have → speech
Fox News Digital reached out to Spyglass Media for comment about Lillard's remarks.
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Digital → reach → remarks
Barrera subsequently rejected the suggestion that she was promoting antisemitism and defended her criticism of governments, Fox News Digital reported in May.
"I believe a group of people are not their leadership and that no governing body should be above criticism.
uncertain
body → reject → criticism
I pray day and night for no more deaths, for no more violence and for peaceful co-existence," Barrera said.
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Barrera → pray → existence
The controversy resurfaced earlier this year when Barrera criticized former cast-mates who returned to the franchise without her.
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who → resurface → her
When asked whether actors who went back for "Scream 7" were "scabby," Barrera agreed.
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Barrera → ask → Scream
I think they all are," Barrera said.
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Barrera → think → ?
"And they have to live with that."
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they → have → that
At Tuesday’s screening, Lillard directly defended Barrera’s position and criticized the lack of public support she received after her firing.
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she → defend → firing
"Melissa Barrera, who’s a beautiful actor, was fired for what she said after the whole Palestinian... what started happening in Israel," Lillard said.
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Lillard → ’ → Israel
"It’s really f-—– bulls--- and really hard, and she’s on the right side of history."
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she → ’ → history
"When that happened to Melissa, the whole world didn’t pipe up, but she was a year early on what the f---’s going on.
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f--- → happen → Melissa
But the whole world should have popped up and said, ‘She’s right.’
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She → pop → ?
And they didn’t.
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they → do → ?
And that’s brutal."
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that → ’ → ?
Despite the upheaval surrounding its development, "Scream 7" was released Feb. 27 and eventually crossed $200 million at the global box office, becoming the highest-grossing film in the franchise’s history, according to Paramount.
uncertain
Scream → surround → Paramount
The film shifted its focus back to Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott and brought back several franchise veterans, including Lillard.
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film → shift → Lillard
When reached for comment by Fox News Digital, Hollywood in Toto editor Christian Toto said of Lillard’s remarks: "Now that the Palestinian cause is spiking in his far-Left industry, he has regrets.
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he → reach → regrets
Months after the actress in question lost the role.
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actress → lose → role
Toto added, "Will he give all the money back?
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he → add → money
…and 2 more, not listed.
The Aporia
