Lillard Regrets Scream 7 Return After Barrera Firing

Matthew Lillard, the actor who originated the role of Stu Macher in the 1996 horror film Scream, has publicly regretted his decision to return for Scream 7 after co-star Melissa Barrera was dismissed for her pro-Palestinian social media posts. During a QA session at a 30th anniversary screening of the original movie, Lillard expressed feelings of shame and embarrassment, stating he is "on the wrong side of history" for participating in the sequel. Lillard's comments were made in response to a fan's inquiry about the difficulties of addressing political issues as a public figure. He referenced Barrera's firing by Spyglass Media in November 2023, which followed her posts criticizing Israel during the Gaza conflict. Spyglass had stated it had "zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate." Lillard defended Barrera, saying she was fired for her views and is "on the right side of history," adding that the situation was "really fucking bullshit." Despite the controversy surrounding its production, Scream 7, released in February 2026, achieved commercial success, becoming the highest-grossing installment in the franchise with $214 million in worldwide box office revenue.