Jenna Ortega reveals real reason she left 'Scream 7': 'It was all kind of falling apart'
Show Caption
Hide Caption
Jenna Ortega jokes she has to 'suffer through' hosting 'SNL'
Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera chat with USA TODAY's Brian Truitt about "Scream VI," which takes place this time in New York City.
Entertain This!, USA TODAY
Jenna Ortega has finally revealed why she's ghosting the "Scream" franchise.
The "Wednesday" star, 22, spoke with The Cut in an interview published Monday about why she isn't returning for the upcoming "Scream 7" after starring in the horror franchise's most recent two entries.
Some previous reports indicated Ortega exited the sequel due to scheduling conflicts with "Wednesday." But in the interview, the actress clarified this was not the case.
"It had nothing to do with pay or scheduling," the actress told The Cut. "The Melissa (Barrera) stuff was happening, and it was all kind of falling apart. If 'Scream VII' wasn't going to be with that team of directors and those people I fell in love with, then it didn't seem like the right move for me in my career at the time."
Ortega's co-star Melissa Barrera was fired from "Scream 7" due to her social media posts about the Israel-Hamas war. Prior to Barrera's firing, Christopher Landon was tapped to replace Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who directed both of Ortega's "Scream" movies, as director.
Ortega and Barrera played sisters Tara and Sam Carpenter, respectively, beginning in the 2022 reboot "Scream," which established them as the franchise's new main characters. They both returned in 2023 for the sequel "Scream VI," which became the series' highest-grossing entry at the domestic box office.
In between the two films, Ortega achieved a new level of fame thanks to the release of "Wednesday."
Scream 7': Matthew Lillard's shock return, Mark Consuelos, and everything else we know
Barrera was initially expected to once again lead "Scream 7" before being fired in November 2023 due to social media posts supportive of Palestine that production company Spyglass Media Group alleged constituted "hate speech." In response, Barrera said at the time, "I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people."
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in 2024, Barrera said that she and Ortega "chatted for a while" about the situation. "I love her so much," she told the outlet. "She's been very supportive of me, and we're sisters for life."
Neve Campbell is returning for 'Scream 7' after pay dispute, Melissa Barrera firing
Some of Barrera's other "Scream" co-stars are returning for "Scream 7," though: Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding are coming back to play twins Mindy and Chad. Chad, Mindy, Tara and Sam were described as the "core four" in "Scream VI," which implied these four characters would all continue to star in future installments.
Instead, "Scream 7" is now set to focus on the series' original star Neve Campbell, returning as Sidney Prescott after exiting "Scream VI" due to a salary dispute. Several actors whose characters died in past "Scream" films, including Scott Foley and Matthew Lillard, are also returning by means that are not yet clear.
"Scream 7," set for release in 2026, also got a new director in the wake of Barrera's firing. Kevin Williamson is now helming the sequel after Landon stepped away from the gig, which he described as a "dream job that turned into a nightmare."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Charlie Sheen donates to Cincinnati brawl victim: 'Justice will reign supreme'
Charlie Sheen is supporting one of the victims of the Cincinnati brawl that went viral. Sheen, 59, responded to an X post from conservative YouTuber Benny Johnson, revealing that he was the anonymous $1,000 donor to an online fundraiser Johnson created for a woman named Holly, who was reportedly knocked unconscious during the violent brawl on July 26. "My Ohio connections run deep, and what happened to you will NOT be tolerated by the 'true' Ohioans (Like yourself), as justice will reign supreme," the note on the donation read, signed with Sheen's initials. "Heal well, young lady, and know that we are all rooting for you!" The "Two and a Half Men" alum's parents, actors Martin Sheen and Janet Sheen, were both born in Dayton, Ohio, although Janet Sheen grew up in Cincinnati. The couple met in school in New York City, where Charlie Sheen was born. Charlie Sheen's daughter says she hasn't talked to actor in months Johnson told Sheen he was "saving a life" with his donation. Sheen replied on X: "I was merely following your gracious lead." "The speed at which you and Sen (Bernie) Moreno hatched the donation plan, was stunning and compassionate and as patriotic as it gets," he continued. "You both reminded all of us of the America we remain proud to call home. Keep up the great work, and to Holly, 'we' have your six.'" Sheen said, referencing that they had her back, signing off the note with "xox. cs," his initials. Denise Richards' daughter Sami says she was bullied for looking like dad Charlie Sheen USA TODAY has reached out to Sheen's reps for further comment. A social media clip from the fight shows a man punching Holly, who has requested her last name be withheld due to threats she has been receiving, leaving her lying motionless on the ground until someone comes and helps her back up. Holly told The Cincinnati Enquirer, part of the USA TODAY Network, that she has been in and out of the hospital over the past 10 days and has suffered severe head trauma and a concussion. A video taken by a bystander shows that the fight involved separate disputes in different locations, with several people trying to end them. In one of the videos, a man who police say was a victim can be heard shouting racial slurs. Detectives have said that two of the six suspects coordinated the attack together. The specific timeline of how the fight began remains unclear. Within hours of the videos surfacing online, the images became part of a broader national argument about politics, crime and race. Contributing: David Ferrara, Dan Horn and Erin Glynn, The Cincinnati Enquirer
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Lady Gaga's Unexpected 'Wednesday' Role Comes With a Dark New Song
Lady Gaga's Unexpected 'Wednesday' Role Comes With a Dark New Song originally appeared on Parade. Season 2 of Wednesday promises a fresh wave of misadventures and spooky surprises for the beloved lead character. As Wednesday (Jenna Ortega) dives into another year of dark and kooky chaos, she will reportedly cross paths with a mysterious new teacher played by none other than Lady Gaga, whose appearance will be accompanied by a haunting new song. According to Variety, Gaga's involvement in Wednesday's new season also includes a tune specifically written for the series. Gaga is expected to release 'Dead Dance' in September 2025, timed to coincide with her guest-starring role. Gaga will reportedly play the role of Rosaline Rotwood. The character is a Nevermore teacher who crosses paths with Wednesday. Gaga's team has neither confirmed nor denied her appearance during Season 2 of the Netflix series. But she did appear at Netflix's Tudum 2025, dancing to 'Goo Goo Muck,' recreating the viral choreography from Wednesday Season 1. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) Parade Daily🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 At the Wednesday premiere in London, the show's Executive Producer Tim Burton appeared to confirm Gaga's appearance. 'She's such an artist. For me, working with an artist is inspirational.' Burton added that Season 2 will focus more on the Addams family dynamics rather than Wednesday's life at Nevermore. This plot addition will help fully flesh out the characters. 'You have Wednesday and her mother and then Morticia and her mother,' Burton revealed. 'So I feel that delves a bit deeper into this weird family." He added, "Everybody says they have a family that's weird but I'm like, 'name me one normal family.' There's not one I've ever met in my whole life.' Season 2's official description, per Netflix, reads, "Wednesday Addams returns to prowl the Gothic halls of Nevermore Academy, where fresh foes and woes await. This season, Wednesday must navigate family, friends, and old adversaries, propelling her into another year of delightfully dark and kooky mayhem. Armed with her signature razor-sharp wit and deadpan charm, Wednesday is also plunged into a new bone-chilling supernatural mystery." Wednesday Season 2 will be released in two parts on Netflix. Part 1 premieres with four episodes on August 6, while Part 2 follows with four more episodes on September 3, 2025. Lady Gaga's Unexpected 'Wednesday' Role Comes With a Dark New Song first appeared on Parade on Aug 5, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Condé Nast Traveler
2 hours ago
- Condé Nast Traveler
Where Was 'Wednesday' Filmed?
On Location peels back the curtain on some of your favorite films, television shows, and more. Dark, deadpan, and fabulously glossy—Netflix's Wednesday, a spin-off of The Addams Family, quickly found its place as one of 2022's most zeitgeisty hits. In the days following its release, the series surpassed Stranger Things as the most-watched new series in its week of release, racking up 341.2 million hours of watch time across the world. The series stars Jenna Ortega (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, You) as the eponymous Wednesday, the daughter of Gomez and Morticia Addams (played by Luis Guzmán and Catherine Zeta-Jones). The series follows Wednesday as she enrolls at Nevermore Academy, a school for outcasts, after she's expelled from her high school for an incident involving piranhas, the school swimming pool and the boys' water polo team. Wednesday. (L to R) Steve Buscemi as Barry Dort, Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams, Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams, Isaac Ordonez as Pugsley Addams, Joonas Suotamo as Lurch, Luis Guzmán as Gomez Addams in episode 201 of Wednesday. Cr. Jonathan Hession/Netflix © 2025 Netflix Despite the speedy recommission from Netflix, season two of the smash-hit series has been three years in the making. However, fans are treated to a host of new famous faces during the new adventures, including Joanna Lumley as Grandmama Hester Frump and Billie Piper as Isadora Capri. Principal photography for the second series began in May 2024 in Ireland, with shooting taking place over six months. While much of Wednesday's first outing made use of Romania's Gothic backdrops, it was Ireland that the production team turned to this time around. On the team's decision to shoot in Ireland, showrunner Miles Millar said, 'Everything about Ireland fits the sensibility of the show. We have incredible woods. We have beautiful castles. We have the lush greens, the gray skies. Even though it was summer, some nights were very cold. We were shivering, but it looked fantastic. There's something very magical about the light in Ireland that really lends itself to the show and gives it something that's very unique and special that translates to the screen. Even though the show is set in Vermont, it makes it feel more aesthetically like a Tim Burton setting.' Where was Wednesday season 2 filmed? Wednesday. Joanna Lumley as Grandmama in episode 204 of Wednesday. Cr. Owen Behan/Netflix © 2025 Netflix Ashford Studios Much of Wednesday's second season was filmed at Ashford Studios in Ireland's Wicklow County. The studio offers various spaces spanning up to 30,000 square feet—a series of spaces currently under construction will span an additional 170,000 square feet.
