Emily Zemler
View all posts by Emily Zemler September 17, 2026 Add us as a Google Preferred Source
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Matthew Lillard and Melissa Barrera Michael Loccisano/WireImage; Dia Dipasupil/WireImage Matthew Lillard admitted to being “embarrassed” by his decision to return to the Scream franchise after the producers fired Melissa Barrera for her vocal support of Palestine in 2023. Lillard reprised his role as Stu Macher in this year’s Scream 7 despite the controversy.
During a recent audience Q&A at a 30th anniversary screening of the original Scream, Lillard was asked about the difficulty of speaking up about politics as an actor. “I don’t know how else to do it,” Lillard responded. “For me, I have queer kids. If I’m not standing up for queer kids or kids in the trans community, then what the fuck am I doing? If I’m not standing up against ICE, then what the fuck am I doing?”
@cocteautripletsHe took accountability and had an uncomfortable conversation #edsheeran #matthewlillard #scream #scarymovie
♬ original sound – 🦋
He added “I don’t think it’s easy all the time,” citing the example of Barrera’s firing. “Melissa Barrera, who’s a beautiful actor, was fired for what she said after the whole Palestinian — what started happening in Israel,” Lillard said. “It’s really fucking bullshit and really hard, and she’s on the right side of history. When they start coming after your job, sometimes things are worth it… When that happened to Melissa, the whole world didn’t pipe up. But she was a year early on what the fuck’s going on. But the whole world should have popped up and said, ‘She’s right.’ And they didn’t. And that’s brutal.”
“I went back to do Scream, and I got called out,” Lillard acknowledged. “And I’m like, ‘Oh, fuck. That’s brutal.’ 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. 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.”
