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Melissa Barrera is opening up about the darkest year of her life after facing a major career setback for taking a stand for Gaza. In a candid interview with The Independent, the actor shared her journey of self-discovery following her firing from the Scream franchise.

A year ago, Barrera became known as a staunch advocate for Palestine. She actively called out Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his regime’s atrocities in Gaza.

“Gaza is currently being treated like a concentration camp,” she wrote in an Instagram story in October 2023. “This is genocide and ethnic cleansing.” In another post, she talked about the struggle to find news stories on Palestinian suffering. “Western media only shows the other side. Why they do that, I will let you deduce for yourself. We don’t need more hate. No Islamophobia. No antisemitism,” she wrote.

Spyglass, the studio behind the latest Scream films, immediately dropped Barrera from the franchise. “We have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate 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 following her removal.

Barrera released her own statement, saying she condemned “antisemitism and Islamophobia,” and hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people. “I believe a group of people are NOT their leadership, and that no governing body should be above criticism.”

Reflecting on that time, Barrera told the outlet, “It was the darkest and hardest year of my life, and I had to reevaluate everything. There were times when I felt like my life was over.”

For nearly 10 months after getting fired, the actor recalled how substantial job offers were scarce. While smaller roles trickled in, the overarching sentiment seemed to be that she was “desperate” for roles.

“It was quiet for, like, 10 months. I was still getting offers for small things here and there — I’m not going to lie and say there was nothing — but the message was, like, ‘Oh, she probably doesn’t have work, she’ll say yes to anything,’” Barrera explained.

“I would get [roles] that I wasn’t excited about, and I’ve never been a person that just wants to work for work’s sake. I give so much of myself to acting that if a part of me feels like it’s not worth it, I’m gonna be miserable,” she added.

The professional lull forced Barrera to reassess her personality beyond her acting career. “For the longest time, I gave myself value as a human because of my work. So when I saw it potentially ending, I was like, who even am I? And I realised that I’m so much more than just an actor — I’m a great sister, a great daughter, a great friend.”

Barrera expressed mixed emotions when reflecting on her time in the Scream franchise. “They gave me a lot in my career. I made really good friends. I have such loyal fans from those movies.” However, the firing and subsequent backlash remain a sore point. Fans also frequently bring up the controversy when they meet her, she said.

The series itself has shifted directions, with the seventh instalment starring Neve Campbell. Barrera also recalled getting sympathy for what happened to her from fans and how uncomfortable that made her, making her feel like she failed at something.

“They’re like, ‘What they did to you is so messed up, I’m so sorry that happened!’ And it’s something, I think, that’s never going to end. Because the franchise is never going to end. So while I still have so much love for [those movies], the reminders of that very sour moment make it a little bit weird,” she said.

Right after Barrera’s dismissal, Campbell agreed to return for the forthcoming Scream VII, which divided fans of the franchise. Some, out of respect for Barrera, pledged to boycott subsequent installments, while others, out of loyalty to the series’ original heroine, pledged full allegiance to Campbell.

When asked if she had any thoughts on the divide, Barrera said, “I think there have always been Scream factions. If they want to go watch the next one? Cool. If they don’t? Also cool. You just gotta act according to how you preach. And that depends on what you value, what your morals are, and whether you can separate them from art or not. Some people can’t listen to R Kelly or Michael Jackson, or watch Woody Allen films anymore. And then there are people who don’t care.”

After months of uncertainty, Barrera is once again finding her footing in Hollywood. She is currently filming an espionage series for Peacock alongside Simu Liu, which she describes as a revitalising experience. “It felt like I was invisible, and then all of a sudden, there was a switch that made me visible again,” she shared.

This new project has helped her regain confidence. As she continues to rebuild, Barrera is focused on aligning herself with collaborators who share her values and vision. “I was stuck in the dunes for a while, and now I feel like my feet are moving, I have an oxygen tank, and I’m, like … going up.”