Matthew Lillard says he's 'embarrassed' he returned for Scream 7 after Melissa Barrera was removed

Matthew Lillard has broken his silence on the fallout surrounding Scream 7, admitting he feels deep shame and embarrassment for choosing to return to the horror franchise after lead star Melissa Barrera was dropped over her political advocacy.

Lillard, who originated the fan-favorite role of unhinged killer Stu Macher in Wes Craven’s 1996 slasher classic, addressed the controversy during an unfiltered Q&A session at a 30th-anniversary screening of the original film.

When an audience member asked about the difficulty of taking political stances as a public figure, the veteran actor bypassed standard PR talking points to confront the franchise's behind-the-scenes turmoil directly.

Barrera, who led the franchise’s 2022 reboot and Scream VI as Sam Carpenter, was abruptly fired by production banner Spyglass Media in late 2023 after posting messages on social media supporting Palestine and calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Spyglass claimed at the time that the studio maintained "zero tolerance for antisemitism".

Lillard expressed his regret over coming back to the movie and stated he was 'embarrassed' (Matt Winkelmeyer/FilmMagic)

The move triggered a catastrophic unraveling of the original Scream 7 project, leading to the departure of co-star Jenna Ortega and director Christopher Landon.

The studio subsequently pivoted by restructuring the storyline around legacy figures, hiring original scribe Kevin Williamson to direct and bringing back legacy cast members—including Neve Campbell and Lillard.

Reflecting on the situation, Lillard did not hold back in condemning the treatment Barrera received.

"Melissa Barrera, who's a beautiful actor, was fired for what she said after the whole Palestinian [conflict], what started happening in Israel," Lillard stated to the audience. "It's really f---ing bullsh-t and really hard, and she's on the right side of history. When that happened to Melissa, the whole world didn't pipe up. But she was a year early on what the f---'s going on. But the whole world should have popped up and said, 'She's right.' And they didn't. And that's brutal."

Lillard then directed that criticism squarely at himself, acknowledging that his eagerness to revisit his career-defining character blinded him to the ethical implications of the studio's actions.

"I went back to do Scream, and I got called out. And I'm like, 'Oh, f---. That's brutal,'" he admitted. "I feel bad about that. I feel ashamed about that. Because in that moment I was so excited to go back, I didn't really think about Melissa and that journey. I didn't say no."

Barrera was dropped from the franchise after speaking out in support of Palestine (Taylor Hill/Getty Images)

Conceding that his decision conflicted with his own personal values, Lillard owned up to the misstep without equivocation.

"I'm embarrassed, that's the truth… I blew that. I'm on the wrong side of history for that. I still like being in the movie [but] it may not have been the best idea."

Barrera previously addressed the industry's response earlier this year, expressing disappointment that while multiple former colleagues reached out with private condolences, virtually none took a public stand alongside her. Lillard’s comments mark the first time a returning legacy cast member has publicly voiced regret over their participation in the revamped sequel.