Actress Melissa Barrera called the support Macklemore received after his removal from Ed Sheeran’s tour ‘beautiful’ and suggested Hollywood had finally caught up with her.
Barrera, who was fired from Scream 7 over her social media posts about Israel and Gaza, praised the musicians who abandoned Sheeran’s tour in solidarity with the rapper.
Macklemore in an interview – YouTube, The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon
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“It was so beautiful to see Finneas and the band and all the opening acts pulling out in support of Macklemore. It made me emotional, you know,,” Barrera told the Associated Press, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
However, she acknowledged receiving little comparable support when her own comments cost her a major Hollywood role.
“I didn’t get that when it happened to me,” Barrera said. “I didn’t have any of that happen. It was too soon. People were too scared. But it’s good to see that almost three years later, at least things have changed.”
Musicians Rally Around Macklemore
Macklemore was removed from the remaining U.S. dates of Sheeran’s Loop Tour after turning his opening performances into pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
The rapper declared “Free Palestine,” performed his protest song “Hind’s Hall,” wore a keffiyeh, and displayed footage connected to Gaza.
The controversy quickly engulfed Sheeran’s tour. Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe, and Irish folk group Beoga subsequently withdrew from their scheduled performances in solidarity with Macklemore.
Ed Sheeran – The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, YouTube
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Beoga’s departure was particularly disruptive because the group had also performed alongside Sheeran during portions of his concerts.
Barrera believes Sheeran should have defended Macklemore, despite several venues reportedly threatening to cancel performances if the rapper remained on the tour.
“I mean, it’s possible that he still would have had his shows canceled, but I bet you that he could have rebooked those shows in other venues just as easily, and people would have rallied behind him,” the actress said.
In a statement issued shortly after Macklemore’s removal, Sheeran explained that the final decision belonged to the tour’s promoter and was beyond his control.
Melissa Barrera Was Fired From Scream 7
In October 2023, Barrera published a series of inflammatory social media posts criticizing Israel’s military response to the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks. Her posts drew deliberate comparisons between Germany in the 1940s and present-day Gaza.
The actress had played Sam Carpenter in 2022’s Scream and its 2023 sequel, Scream VI. Her character appeared positioned to lead the franchise into its next generation.
Melissa Barrera as Sam Carpenter in Scream VI (2023), Spyglass
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However, Spyglass Media Group removed Barrera from the planned seventh movie, declaring that it had “zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form.”
Barrera was also dropped by her talent agency.
Her firing forced Scream 7 to undergo a sweeping creative overhaul. Jenna Ortega later left the project, while director Christopher Landon also departed.
The filmmakers eventually shifted their attention back to Sidney Prescott, played by Neve Campbell, and other legacy characters.
Scream 7 Succeeded Without Barrera
Despite calls for a boycott from She-Hulk: Attorney at Law actress Tatiana Maslany, Scream 7 defied expectations.
The film debuted with $64.1 million, delivering the franchise’s biggest opening without adjusting for inflation. It also outperformed Barrera’s Scream films at the box office and earned strong audience scores.
Barrera later questioned Paramount’s reported box office totals, although those figures are tracked through systems beyond any single studio’s control.
A screenshot from the trailer for Scream 7 – YouTube, Paramount Pictures
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“I think they lied about the numbers. I don’t think it made that much money,” she told Variety.
She also criticized the returning cast members, agreeing with the suggestion that they had crossed a picket line by participating.
Since then, Scream franchise actor Matthew Lillard has said he feels “ashamed” of appearing in Scream 7 following Barrera’s dismissal.
“I blew that. I’m on the wrong side of history for that,” Lillard said.
Barrera Believes Hollywood Has Changed
Now that Macklemore is receiving public and personal support for similar pro-Palestinian advocacy, Barrera sees something “beautiful” happening.
“I think that what we’re seeing, what we’re witnessing, is going to inspire real change, and I’m very hopeful about that,” she said.
However, time may prove the ultimate test. Sheeran is continuing his tour with new performers, while Scream 8 is moving forward without Barrera.
Which artists and projects remain in the public eye—and which fade into obscurity—may ultimately carry greater significance than the current support of peers and activists.
What do you think about Melissa Barrera calling support for Macklemore “beautiful”? Sound off and let us know!
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