Melissa Barrera is launching her own production company focused on supporting pro-Palestine voices in the entertainment industry, more than two years after she was fired from Scream 7 over social media posts about the Israel-Gaza war.
In an interview with Variety, the Mexican actress, 35, said the company will prioritise collaborations with creatives who publicly supported Palestine as well as those who defended her after her dismissal from the horror franchise. She said she is now “building a slate, producing and finding good companies to partner with”, adding: “I want to give opportunities to good people. Basically anyone pro-Palestine.
“I kept track of the people who vocally came out and said something to defend me at the time: Susan Sarandon, Tatiana Maslany, Hannah Einbinder, Poppy Liu. Obviously, Javier Bardem would be a dream to work with. He doesn’t need me to give him any opportunities. But yes, I have lists. I do believe in building a network of people who are like-minded. For me, this is chapter two.”
Barrera said the company marks a broader shift in her career after what she described as being effectively blacklisted in Hollywood following her removal from the Scream franchise in late 2023.
At the time, production company Spyglass Media said it had “zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate”, while Barrera rejected the accusations and maintained that she was criticising the Israeli government, not Jewish people.
Among posts that sparked the controversy, Barrera wrote: “Gaza is currently being treated like a concentration camp. Cornering everyone together, with nowhere to go, no electricity, no water … People have learnt nothing from our histories. And just like our histories, people are still silently watching it all happen,” further emphasising: “This is genocide and ethnic cleansing.”
In another post, she said: “As we all wake up to what is and has been happening in Gaza and see it for what it is, it is very important to also understand: just like all Palestinians are not Hamas, all Jewish people are not the Israeli government.
“Do not blame, or hate on, a whole group of people because of what some are doing,” she added. “I stand with all those caught in the crossfire. I pray for freedom and peace for you and your families.”
Barrera is among several Hollywood figures who have faced professional fallout after publicly speaking about Palestine. Fellow actress Sarandon was dropped by talent agency UTA over comments she made at a pro-Palestinian rally, while talent executive Maha Dakhil stepped down from leadership positions at CAA after sharing social media posts criticising Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Barrera's production company comes as more independent film groups and distributors have gained visibility for focusing on Palestinian stories, including Watermelon Pictures. The production and distribution company, launched to support Palestinian cinema and underrepresented voices, counts Alana Hadid, the older half-sister of models Bella and Gigi, as creative director.
