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Melissa Barrera Says ‘Silence Is Not an Option’ After ‘Scream VII’ Firing on November 23, 2023 at 4:43 am Us Weekly

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Melissa Barrera has broken her silence on being let go from Scream VII over her comments about the Israel-Hamas war.

“First and foremost I condemn Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia,” Barrera, 33, wrote via her Instagram Story on Wednesday, November 22. “I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people.”

The actress noted that “as a Latina, a proud Mexicana, I feel the responsibility of having a platform that allows me the privilege of being heard,” adding that she has tried to use her celebrity status as a way to “raise awareness about issues I care about and to lend my voice to those in need.”

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News broke on Tuesday, November 21, that Barrera — who starred as Samantha Carpenter in 2022’s Scream and 2023’s Scream 6 —  was let go from the next Scream film due to her comments about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. (The franchise lost its previous final girl, Neve Campbell, due to financial disputes ahead of Scream 6.)

Related: Everything to Know About ‘Scream VII’ After Multiple Stars Exit Franchise

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The Scream franchise won’t be the same after Melissa Barrera‘s firing and Jenna Ortega‘s departure ahead of the seventh film. Before the shocking dismissal, Scream became a horror staple spanning decades. The first film, which was released in 1996, focused on Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) as she faced off against numerous killers hiding their identity […]

“Every person on this earth- regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or socio-economic status- deserves equal human rights, dignity and, of course, freedom,” Barrera continued in her statement on Wednesday. “I believe a group of people are NOT their leadership, and that no governing body should be above criticism.”

Barrera concluded the post by sharing that she prays “day and night for no more deaths, for no more violence, and for peaceful co-existence.”

“I will continue to speak out for those that need it most and continue to advocate for peace and safety, for human rights and freedom,” she wrote. “Silence is not an option for me.”

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Related: Stars Who Were Fired From Jobs

From fast food to newspaper delivery, find out what gigs the stars loathed

After news broke that Barrera had been dropped from the film, Spyglass, the production company behind the new batch of Scream sequels, released a statement about the decision to let her go.

“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,” their statement to Variety read.

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Scream VII’s director, Christopher Landon, also responded to Barrera’s firing in a since-deleted Tweet on Tuesday, writing, “This is my statement: Everything sucks. Stop yelling. This was not my decision to make.”

Related: ‘Scream’ Cast: Where Are They Now?

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The horror genre hasn’t been the same since Ghostface asked Drew Barrymore that question in 1996. Three sequels and one TV spinoff later, the Scream franchise isn’t going anywhere. The first Scream film debuted in December, a month usually reserved for awards contenders and family-friendly holiday fare. Even so, it became a runaway hit, and […]

It was announced earlier on Wednesday that Jenna Ortega would also not be reprising her role as Tara Carpenter, Barrera’s younger sister, as the 21-year-old will be busy with her filming schedule for season 2 of Netflix’s Wednesday, according to Deadline.

Filming for the Tim Burton series kicks off in April 2024. According to the outlet, the cast is expected to remain overseas in Ireland until later that summer. Ortega is also in the midst of filming Beetlejuice 2 alongside Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder, which is slated for a May 2024 release.

Unique Nicole/FilmMagic Melissa Barrera has broken her silence on being let go from Scream VII over her comments about the Israel-Hamas war. “First and foremost I condemn Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia,” Barrera, 33, wrote via her Instagram Story on Wednesday, November 22. “I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people.” The 

​   Us Weekly Read More 

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What We Can Learn Inside 50 Cent’s Explosive Diddy Documentary: 5 Reasons You Should Watch

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50 Cent’s new Netflix docuseries about Sean “Diddy” Combs is more than a headline-grabbing exposé; it is a meticulous breakdown of how power, celebrity, and silence can collide in the entertainment industry.

Across its episodes, the series traces Diddy’s rise, the allegations that followed him for years, and the shocking footage and testimonies now forcing a wider cultural reckoning.

For viewers, it offers not just drama, but lessons about media literacy, accountability, and how society treats survivors when a superstar is involved.

Rapper 50 Cent pictured in Tup Tup Palace night club with owners James Jukes and Matt LoveDough, Newcastle, UK, 7th November 2015

1. It Chronicles Diddy’s Rise and Fall – And How Power Warps Reality

The docuseries follows Combs from hitmaker and business icon to a figure facing serious criminal conviction and public disgrace, mapping out decades of influence, branding, and behind-the-scenes behavior. Watching that arc shows how money, fame, and industry relationships can shield someone from scrutiny and delay accountability, even as disturbing accusations accumulate.

Rapper 50 Cent pictured in Tup Tup Palace night club with owners James Jukes and Matt LoveDough, Newcastle, UK, 7th November 2015

2. Never-Before-Seen Footage Shows How Narratives Are Managed

Exclusive footage of Diddy in private settings and in the tense days around his legal troubles reveals how carefully celebrity narratives are shaped, even in crisis.

Viewers can learn to question polished statements and recognize that what looks spontaneous in public is often the result of strategy, damage control, and legal calculation.

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3. Survivors’ Stories Highlight Patterns of Abuse and Silence

Interviews with alleged victims, former staff, and industry insiders describe patterns of control, fear, and emotional or physical harm that were long whispered about but rarely aired in this detail. Their stories underline how difficult it is to speak out against a powerful figure, teaching viewers why many survivors delay disclosure and why consistent patterns across multiple accounts matter.

4. 50 Cent’s Approach Shows Storytelling as a Tool for Accountability

As executive producer, 50 Cent uses his reputation and platform to push a project that leans into uncomfortable truths rather than protecting industry relationships. The series demonstrates how documentary storytelling can challenge established power structures, elevate marginalized voices, and pressure institutions to respond when traditional systems have failed.

5. The Cultural Backlash Reveals How Society Handles Celebrity Accountability

Reactions to the doc—ranging from people calling it necessary and brave to others dismissing it as a vendetta or smear campaign—expose how emotionally invested audiences can be in defending or condemning a famous figure. Watching that debate unfold helps viewers see how fandom, nostalgia, and bias influence who is believed, and why conversations about “cancel culture” often mask deeper questions about justice and who is considered too powerful to fall.

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South Park’s Christmas Episode Delivers the Antichrist

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A new Christmas-themed episode of South Park is scheduled to air with a central plot in which Satan is depicted as preparing for the birth of an Antichrist figure. The premise extends a season-long narrative arc that has involved Satan, Donald Trump, and apocalyptic rhetoric, positioning this holiday episode as a culmination of those storylines rather than a stand‑alone concept.

Episode premise and season context

According to published synopses and entertainment coverage, the episode frames the Antichrist as part of a fictional storyline that blends religious symbolism with commentary on politics, media, and cultural fear. This follows earlier Season 28 episodes that introduced ideas about Trump fathering an Antichrist child and tech billionaire Peter Thiel obsessing over prophecy and end‑times narratives. The Christmas setting is presented as a contrast to the darker themes, reflecting the series’ pattern of pairing holiday imagery with controversial subject matter.

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Public and political reactions

Coverage notes that some figures connected to Donald Trump’s political orbit have criticized the season’s portrayal of Trump and his allies, describing the show as relying on shock tactics rather than substantive critique. Commentators highlight that these objections are directed more at the depiction of real political figures and the show’s tone than at the specific theology of the Antichrist storyline.

At the time of reporting, there have not been widely reported, detailed statements from major religious leaders focused solely on this Christmas episode, though religion-focused criticism of South Park in general has a long history.

Media and cultural commentary

Entertainment outlets such as The Hollywood Reporter, Entertainment Weekly, Forbes, Slate, and USA Today describe the Antichrist arc as part of South Park’s ongoing use of Trump-era and tech-world politics as material for satire.

These reports emphasize that the show’s treatment of the Antichrist, Satan, and prophecy is designed as exaggerated commentary rather than doctrinal argument, while also acknowledging that many viewers may see the storyline as offensive or excessive.

Viewer guidance and content advisory

South Park is rated TV‑MA and is intended for adult audiences due to strong language, explicit themes, and frequent use of religious and political satire. Viewers who are sensitive to depictions of Satan, the Antichrist, or parodies involving real political figures may find this episode particularly objectionable, while others may view it as consistent with the show’s long‑running approach to controversial topics. As with previous episodes, individual responses are likely to vary widely, and the episode is best understood as part of an ongoing satirical series rather than a factual or theological statement.

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Sydney Sweeney Finally Confronts the Plastic Surgery Rumors

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Sydney Sweeney has decided she is finished watching strangers on the internet treat her face like a forensic project. After years of side‑by‑side screenshots, “then vs now” TikToks, and long comment threads wondering what work she has supposedly had done, the actor is now addressing the plastic surgery rumors directly—and using them to say something larger about how women are looked at in Hollywood and online.

Sweeney at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival red carpet premiere of Christy

Growing Up on Camera vs. “Before and After” Culture

Sweeney points out that people are often mistaking normal changes for procedures: she grew up on camera, her roles now come with big‑budget glam teams, and her body has shifted as she has trained, aged, and worked nonstop. Yet every new red‑carpet photo gets folded into a narrative that assumes surgeons, not time, are responsible. Rather than walking through a checklist of what is “real,” she emphasizes how bizarre it is that internet detectives comb through pores, noses, and jawlines as if they are owed an explanation for every contour of a woman’s face.

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The Real Problem Isn’t Her Face

By speaking up, Sweeney is redirecting the conversation away from her features and toward the culture that obsesses over them.

She argues that the real issue isn’t whether an actress has had work done, but why audiences feel so entitled to dissect her body as public property in the first place.

For her, the constant speculation is less about curiosity and more about control—another way to tell women what they should look like and punish them when they do not fit. In calling out that dynamic, Sweeney isn’t just defending herself; she is forcing fans and followers to ask why tearing apart someone else’s appearance has become such a popular form of entertainment.


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