"It was all kind of falling apart": Jenna Ortega breaks silence on why she left Scream 7 during the Melissa Barrera controversy

Jenna Ortega has finally revealed the reason behind her exit from Scream 7, clarifying that it had nothing to do with scheduling conflicts or pay disputes, as previously reported.

Speaking to The Cut in an interview published on April 7, 2025, the 22-year-old actress confirmed that her departure was linked to the firing of her Scream co-star Melissa Barrera and a broader unraveling behind the scenes of the franchise.

Jenna Ortega starred as Tara Carpenter in Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023). In November 2023, a day after Spyglass Media Group fired Melissa Barrera from Scream 7 over her social media posts regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict, Ortega's exit from the project was announced.

While the studio initially attributed her departure to a "scheduling conflict" with Wednesday season 2, Jenna Ortega now said that narrative was inaccurate.

"It had nothing to do with pay or scheduling... The Melissa stuff was happening, and it was all kind of falling apart. If Scream VII wasn't going to be with that team of directors and those people I fell in love with, then it didn't seem like the right move for me in my career at the time," Ortega told The Cut.

Spyglass removed Barrera from the film citing "zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form," after the actress posted on Instagram in support of Palestine, accusing Israel of "genocide and ethnic cleansing."

The studio's official statement, as reported by Variety on November 21, 2023, further stated that "false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech" were unacceptable.

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Jenna Ortega confirms her exit was tied to Melissa Barrera's firing

The behind-the-scenes unraveling did not end with Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega. Christopher Landon, initially tapped to direct Scream 7, also exited the project in December 2023. As reported by the Hollywood Reporter on December 23, 2023, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), Landon wrote:

"Everything s*cks. Stop yelling. This was not my decision to make."

In another post, he wrote:

It was a dream job that turned into a nightmare. And my heart did break for everyone involved. Everyone. But it’s time to move on."

Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, who directed the previous two Scream installments, were also not returning— another factor in Jenna Ortega's decision to leave. Barrera, for her part, told The Hollywood Reporter in February 2024 that Ortega had been "very supportive" during the controversy, adding, "We're sisters for life."

Since departing Scream 7, Jenna Ortega has continued to make big career moves. She is returning for Wednesday season 2 on Netflix, where she now also serves as an executive producer.

Recently, she starred in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which was released in September 2024 to commercial success. She also appeared in A24's Death of a Unicorn, an original project that reflects her new direction.

"I've happened to join a lot of franchises, which is so great to be a part of legacy. But for me, I'm really trying to prioritize new directors and original stories… An original script is exciting. If I can help get it made, I love to do that," she told The Cut.

Meanwhile, Scream 7 is moving ahead under the direction of franchise creator Kevin Williamson, who is returning to helm the seventh installment. Neve Campbell, who skipped Scream VI due to salary dispute, is also returning as Sidney Prescott.

Joel McHale will play her husband, Mark Evans. Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown — two of the franchise’s “core four” — are also returning, according to the Hollywood Reporter as of March 19, 2024.

Paramount has scheduled Scream 7 for theatrical release on February 27, 2026.