Latest news with #MelissaBarrera
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘You Kind of Have to Fight for More Room': Melissa Barrera Says Diverse Casting Has Net Effect on Productions
Melissa Barrera is aware that her career has made her something of a 'genre actress' — but while she has no intention of running away from her film roots, she is always looking to expand her career horizons. After a starring role in the series 'Vida,' Barrera came to theatrical prominence in 2021's high-profile 'In the Heights' (a musical) and two 'Scream' sequels (decidedly horror) in 2022 and 2023. She then doubled-down on horror with last year's well-received 'Abigail' and the indie 'Your Monster.' 'I love horror. It's super fun. And there's so many great horror scripts,' Barrera said on 'The Seeds' podcast, praising horror directors as some of the biggest 'risk takers' in the industry. But she added that she wanted to 'stretch' as an actress. 'I also have never liked putting myself in a box of any kind, and I know that I have a lot of other skills that… I want to showcase, and I want to like play with. So, I feel like I would get bored — I do get bored easily if I'm doing the same thing or the same genre.' More from IndieWire Apple TV+ Signs First-Look Film Deal with North Road's Chernin Entertainment When Hollywood 'Went Gay All of a Sudden': TCM Highlights Films That Track Queer Evolution As a Latina actress, Barrera said she has had to work harder to get considered for certain roles throughout her career. 'You kind of have to fight for more room,' she explained. 'People [are] not necessarily looking for people that look like you for a role, but you got to kind of try and… knock on the door and be like, 'Hey, I know you're not looking for me. But like, maybe, would you mind? I'll just do it, and if you like it, maybe.'' Barrera said that there is a net effect anytime a Latino performer is added to a production's cast that benefits more than just a single actor. She used the casting of the fifth 'Scream' installment as an example. 'The big reason that I wanted to get that role so badly was because I knew that this character was going to have a family, and that if I got the role, then that meant more opportunities for other Latinos in the other roles. So that's kind of thing that you think about,' she explained. Barrera will next be seen alongside Simu Lui in the Peacock series 'The Copenhagen Test,' bringing her into a new genre: espionage action thriller. A release date has yet to be announced, though a trailer was shown at the NBCU upfronts last month. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See
Fox News
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Jenna Ortega urges followers to 'be angry' over Los Angeles immigration raids
Actress Jenna Ortega declared that the world was "crying" on Saturday because of Los Angeles immigration raids and ongoing wars in the Middle East. "The world is crying all over," the "Wednesday" star wrote on her Instagram story. "People in Los Angeles are being torn away from their everyday lives & love... The ones they've built so tirelessly over the years, just like you.. Innocent civilians in Iran are caught in the middle of warfare. Palestinian cries are still being buried in every day [sic] media. My thoughts are heavy, my heart follows." She advised her followers to "never stop paying attention" as "human freedoms spanning across seas are being violated with such violence." "Listen to one another & love, but be angry too. Educate yourself as best you can. To say this doesn't concern you, or that it isn't your problem, is a privilege under abuse," Ortega wrote. Ortega's post alluded to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids taking place in Los Angeles this month. The raids inspired protests which later turned into violent riots that devastated local businesses. The post was also in reference to recent preemptive Israeli strikes against Iran and the ongoing Israel-Gaza war, the latter being an issue that led to Ortega's "Scream" co-star Melissa Barrera being dropped from an upcoming franchise sequel. Ortega's post came the same day that several "No Kings" rallies took place across the country in protest of President Donald Trump. Fox News Digital reached out to a representative for Ortega for comment but did not immediately receive a response. Singer Olivia Rodrigo made a similar post on her Instagram story on the same day, lamenting the "violent deportations" of her "neighbors." "I've lived in LA my whole life and I'm deeply upset about these violent deportations of my neighbors under the current administration," Rodrigo wrote. "LA simply wouldn't exist without immigrants. Treating hardworking community members with such little respect, empathy, and due process is awful. I stand with the beautiful, diverse community of Los Angeles and with immigrants all across America. I stand for our right to freedom of speech and freedom to protest," she added.
Geek Tyrant
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
SCREAM 7 Director Kevin Williamson Opens Up About Returning After Losing Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera — GeekTyrant
Scream 7 is officially slicing its way to theaters in 2026, but getting to this point was not a smooth ride. Before Neve Campbell was set to return as Sidney Prescott, the project was on life support. Now, Scream creator Kevin Williamson is finally breaking his silence about how the sequel came together after the franchise lost two of its leading stars, and how one unexpected phone call changed everything. For anyone who hasn't followed the behind-the-scenes chaos, in late 2023, Melissa Barrera was removed from Scream 7 following social media posts that the production company deemed antisemitic. Shortly after, Jenna Ortega exited as well. 'It was all kind of falling apart,' Ortega reportedly said of the situation. With director Christopher Landon stepping away after receiving threats, despite having nothing to do with Barrera's firing. Scream 7 was left with no cast, no director, and no direction. Enter Neve Campbell. In an interview with ScreenRant, Williamson recalled how bleak things were in the wake of the cast exits: 'Neve did. You are right. It was sort of, 'Well, what's going to happen?' After we lost Melissa and Jenna, and it just looked like we weren't going to see the Carpenter sisters in a third movie, it was kind of a bummer. It's like, 'What do we do next?'' Williamson, who famously wrote the original Scream in 1996, wasn't initially on board to direct the seventh film. But, that changed when the creative team pitched a interesting new direction, one that brought the story back to its roots and centered once again on Sidney Prescott. 'And then this idea to bring Sidney Prescott back — and not just bring her back, but to focus on her character, tell her story of who she is today — that got really exciting for me. And I think other people got really excited about it.' Writers James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick, who successfully rebooted the franchise with 2022's Scream and its 2023 follow-up, started shaping a new mystery. Once Campbell heard their pitch and read the script, she was in. But they weren't done just yet. 'And then they started writing a script. Jamie came up with this great story — Jamie Vanderbilt and Guy Busick — and they started to write this script, and it just sort of took on a life of its own. 'And then Neve read it and heard the pitch, and she signed on. And I was still just the executive producer who was just sort of there, watching from the sidelines… And then Neve called me one day and said, 'I think you should direct this.' And I went, 'No, no, no, no, no… okay, I'll do it.'' So far, the plot details are tightly under wraps, but Busick has teased that Campbell's return is for a 'really cool reason.' And the rest of the cast? It's a blend of returning fan favorites and intriguing new faces. Courteney Cox is back, along with Mason Gooding, Jasmin Savoy Brown, and David Arquette's Dewey. Also returning are Matthew Lillard's Stu and Scream 3 's Roman Bridger, played by Scott Foley. New additions include Anna Camp, McKenna Grace, and Joel McHale. Scream 7 is set to hit theaters on February 27, 2026.
Forbes
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Wonder Woman Heads To The DCU, And Fans Have Two Top Casting Choices
Andor/Wonder Woman/Scream Despite not being in the initial list of upcoming DCU projects, James Gunn has now confirmed that a Wonder Woman movie is in the works. He says it's 'being written right now.' That, of course, leads to the obvious question. Who will be cast as Wonder Woman? It did not seem like this would be a necessary discussion to have as before this, she was not in the development pipeline. Gunn is giving no hints. Fans don't care, they already have answers. There are two main contenders that are brought up repeatedly when it comes to who should play the DCU's Wonder Woman, and that was the case even before this announcement. Here they are: Andor I'd put her in the top slot here. Arjona has rocketed to stardom as of late, most recently in Andor but also appearing in top Netflix movies like Hitman. Additional factors here include the fact that she's dating Jason Momoa, who is playing Lobo in the DCU, and no doubt knows Gunn as a result. Gunn frequently casts people he knows. She has the look, she has the momentum. Scream The second name that comes up more than the rest is Melissa Barrera of Scream fame. She has been the subject of a recent controversy where she was fired from the upcoming Scream VII over comments about the Israel-Hamas conflict, on the side of the Palestinians. Interestingly, Barrera has addressed the fan-casting rumors recently in an interview with A Shot Magazine: 'I think it's nice because of what the character represents. I think whoever gets the role, I just hope that they can embody the essence of the character because I think that those movies, whether they're Marvel or DC, their reach is so big. And because those artists that get those roles will inevitably get a built-in fanbase and have the eyes and the ears of so many people, I think that it would be nice if they did something actually positive with the influence that they have to at least be a good example of the kind of human being that you wanna be in the world, instead of just using it for self-serving purposes.' Those are the main two. While it has been true in the past that fan casting rarely works out, in the DCU, things seems a bit different. It absolutely worked for Aaron Pierre, who went from the movie Rebel Ridge, after which everyone said he should be John Stewart's Green Lantern, to him being cast in the part a month later. It's also the case that Gunn just picks 'logical' perfect fits. Of course Jason Momoa is Lobo. Of course Rachel Brosnahan is Lois. And of course one of these two women would be perfect as Diana. They are not the only fan suggestions, however. Here are the other names that are frequently bandied about: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 26: Simona Tabasco attends the 29th Annual Screen Actors Guild ... More Awards at Fairmont Century Plaza on February 26, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic) LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 22: May Calamawy attends the Premiere of Marvel Studios' "Moon ... More Knight" at El Capitan Theatre on March 22, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic) NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 11: Charlee Fraser attends Columbia Pictures' "Anyone But You" New ... More York Premiere at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on December 11, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by) My pick is Arjona. We'll see if James Gunn agrees. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
Irish Times
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Your Monster: Audacious debut swerves from romcom to horror. Be prepared for it to cast a spell
Your Monster Director : Caroline Lindy Cert : None Genre : Horror-Comedy Starring : Melissa Barrera, Tommy Dewey, Edmund Donovan, Meghann Fahy, Kayla Foster Running Time : 1 hr 38 mins How is Caroline Lindy doing this? The American writer-director's auspicious debut sustains a tonal balancing act so audacious and death-defying that you'd normally expect a spectacular tumble. Broadway ingenue Laura (a never-better Melissa Barrera, keeping pace with Lindy's genre swerves) is diagnosed with cancer just as her rubbish boyfriend (Edmund Donovan) dumps her – mid-chemo, no less – to return to the musical that she helped him write and that she was supposed to star in. It's a moment that's both heartbreakingly raw and Reddit-problem-sub absurd, and Lindy leans into both extremes, as the game Barrera wrings humour, pathos and emotion from every post-break-up carb binge. So far so romcom. READ MORE Enter the Monster (Tommy Dewey), a shaggy, forgotten figure from Laura's childhood closet, who returns to terrorise – and assist – her through a snot-nosed emotional breakdown. Picture Ron Perlman's character in the 1980s TV series Beauty and the Beast reimagined as a sighing, sardonic millennial, all quips, claws and codependency. Dewey wants Laura out of the house, but the interspecies chemistry proves too strong. Much of Your Monster could be a snarky self-help title, as Laura finds her voice, sense of worth and rage with the help of her bestial companion. It's one way to get through bitter rehearsal-room sessions as Laura finds herself playing understudy while her toxic ex fawns over her replacement, the shiny Broadway babe Jackie (Meghann Fahy, from the second season of The White Lotus). [ The Encampments review: Taut, disciplined documentary about Palestine protests at Columbia University Opens in new window ] Just when we've settled into genre convention – the genre being riotous, wrenching monster comedy – Lindy throws a late curveball, steering the traumatised heroine into a full-blown horror climax, replete with an emotionally overwrought musical number. Songs from The Lazours and the veteran blockbuster composer Timothy Williams add Broadway sparkle to the break-up woe and creature-feature puppy love. An appropriately monstrous hit with audiences at London's Sundance and Dublin's Horrorthon festivals, this is not quite a fairy tale, but it comes close enough to cast a spell. Premieres on Sky Cinema on Monday, June 9th
