Matthew Lillard expresses shame at appearing in Scream 7 after actress fired for anti-Israel posts

American actor Matthew Lillard expressed shame for his involvement in Scream 7 during an Austin Q&A, following actress Melissa Barrera's dismissal from the film due to her pro-Palestinian social media posts. Lillard stated, "She's on the right side of history," and criticized the lack of support for her views, calling it "brutal." Barrera was fired in 2023 after sharing Instagram posts, including one that described Gaza as "currently being treated like a concentration camp." Spyglass, the production company, stated it has "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." Lillard also referenced similar controversy surrounding musician Ed Sheeran and rapper Macklemore.