I spoke out for peace: Melissa Barrera on losing roles after supporting Gaza

Actor Melissa Barrera recently sat down with Variety to discuss the fallout she faced after speaking out about Gaza and calling for peace following the October 7 attacks. Barrera revealed that sharing fundraising links and publicly supporting Palestine led to her removal from Scream 7 and her departure from WME.

At the time, the agency described her posts as “antisemitic” and accused her of “incitement of hate.”

The actor shared that nearly a year after the controversy, work opportunities had almost completely disappeared, leaving her in what she described as a dark period. Barrera said she feared she had lost the career she had dreamed about since childhood while growing up in Mexico.

Looking ahead, Barrera said she is now focused on launching her own production company and building projects with people who share her values. “I’m focused now on building a slate, producing, and finding good companies to partner with,” she said, adding that she wants to create opportunities for people she admires and respects.