In a statement posted to Instagram on Wednesday, Barrera said that He plans to “continue speaking for those who need it most and continue advocating for peace and security, for human rights and freedom.”
“Silence is not an option for me,” Barrera added.
On Tuesday, Spyglass Media announced that Barrera would not star in “Scream VII” due to social media posts deemed anti-Semitic by the production company.
“We have zero tolerance for anti-Semitism or hate speech in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion, or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech,” the company said in a statement. release.
Barrera had expressed his support for the Palestinian territories since last month, frequently sharing social media posts from other accounts denouncing Israel’s attacks on Gaza, as well as sharing his thoughts on the conflict. Barrera was also one of more than 200 artists who signed an open letter to President Biden in October requesting a ceasefire.
In his posts, Barrera has described Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide” and “ethnic cleansing.”
“Gaza is currently being treated like a concentration camp,” he wrote in a recent post.
Spyglass had yet to formally announce the cast for “Scream VII,” but Barrera, who starred in 2022’s “Scream” and this year’s “Scream V,” was widely expected to return. Also this week, Hollywood trade publications announced that Barrera’s co-star, Jenna Ortega, would not reprise her role in the franchise.
While Barrera’s fans had lobbied online for Ortega to withdraw from the film in a show of solidarity, Deadline reported that the actress’ exit was discussed before the actors’ strike, which began in July.
According to Variety, Ortega left due to conflicts with the filming schedule of the second season of his Netflix series. “Wednesday”, and had no relation to Barrera’s dismissal.
Now the franchise will move forward without the two actors credited with revitalizing it.
Opinions and feelings about the war between Israel and Gaza have caused some fractures in the entertainment industry. and some stars and influencers have faced professional consequences for their comments.
Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon was reportedly fired from United Talent Agency after comments she made at a pro-Palestinian rally in New York on Nov. 17, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
“There are many people who are afraid to be Jewish right now and are starting to taste what it feels like to be Muslim in this country, so often subject to violence,” Sarandon said at the rally.
Maha Dakhil, film director at Hollywood agency CAA, resigned from the company’s board of directors in October after sharing a post on Instagram that read: “What is more heartbreaking than witnessing a genocide? Witnessing the denial that a genocide is occurring.”
Dakhil’s comments sparked strong reactions, including from screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, who announced he was dropping her as an agent following her comments. “Maha is not anti-Semitic, she is just wrong,” Sorkin said in a statement to Variety.
In his Instagram comments on Wednesday, Barrera condemned “any hatred and prejudice of any kind against any group of people.”
“As a proud Latina and Mexican, I feel the responsibility of having a platform that allows me the privilege of being heard, and that is why I have tried to use it to raise awareness about issues that matter to me and lend my voice to those in need,” she wrote. .
“I believe that a group of people are NOT their leadership, and that no governing body should be above criticism,” Barrera added. He later continued sharing posts from pro-Palestinian accounts.
