Matthew Lillard recently discussed his decision to return for Scream 7, admitting he felt ashamed for not refusing to participate after Melissa Barrera was fired. He said he was so excited about returning to the franchise that he didn't seriously consider what Barrera had gone through.
During a fan Q&A session this week, Rivard discussed the issue of publicly expressing political views, bringing up Barrera. He argued that Barrera's firing over her comments on Palestine was "completely unjustified," adding that she was "on the right side of history."
He stated that more people should have publicly supported Barrera at the time, but few actually spoke out. Facing criticism for his decision to return to the Scream franchise later made him realize there were issues with his earlier choice.
"I feel sad and ashamed," Rivard said, acknowledging that he didn't think about Barrera or her experience at the time, nor did he choose to decline the role. He admitted he "messed up" and believes he was "on the wrong side of history" in this matter.
However, Rivard emphasized that he still enjoyed being part of the film, though in hindsight, returning may not have been the best decision. This appearance marks his return to the Scream franchise after nearly 30 years.
Barrera has previously stated that she had come to terms with her firing. Since then, she made her Broadway debut in the musical Titanic and co-starred with Simu Liu in the Peacock series The Copenhagen Test. Meanwhile, the eighth film in the Scream franchise is in development, with sisters Lila Judackman and Nora Judackman set to write the screenplay.