Matthew Lillard says he regrets returning to “Scream 7”, telling fans that he feels ashamed he accepted the role without fully considering what Melissa Barrera’s firing meant for the franchise and those who supported her.
Lillard, 56, discussed his decision during a recent question-and-answer event, where he reflected on the criticism he received after returning as Stu Macher in the seventh “Scream” film. His comments were captured on video and circulated on social media.
“I went back to do ‘Scream,’ and I got called out,” Lillard said. “And I’m like, ‘Oh … that’s brutal.’ And I feel bad about that. I feel ashamed about that.”
The actor said he had been so excited about the opportunity to return as Stu, one of the original Ghostface killers from the 1996 film, that he did not stop to consider Barrera’s situation before agreeing to participate.
“Because in that moment, I was so excited to go back, I didn’t really think about Melissa and the journey, and didn’t say no,” he said. “But I’m embarrassed. That’s the truth.”
Lillard went further, saying he believed his decision placed him on the wrong side of the dispute. “I blew that. I’m on the wrong side of history with that,” he said. “I still like being in the movie, but it may not have been the best idea.”
Barrera’s departure from the franchise became one of the most contentious moments surrounding “Scream 7”. She had played Samantha Carpenter, the central character of the fifth and sixth films, and had been expected to return for the seventh installment.
Spyglass Media Group fired Barrera in 2023 after she posted comments about the Israel-Palestine conflict on social media. Among her posts was a description of Gaza as “being treated like a concentration camp”, along with a statement accusing Israel of genocide and ethnic cleansing.
At the time, Spyglass said it had “zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form” and accused Barrera’s posts of crossing the line into hate speech. Barrera, for her part, said she condemned hatred and prejudice against people of any group.
The dispute changed the direction of the film. Jenna Ortega, who played Samantha’s sister Tara Carpenter, also did not return. The project underwent creative changes and its original director departed before the final version was made.
“Scream 7” ultimately shifted its attention back to Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott, the character who had anchored much of the original franchise. Campbell had taken a supporting role in “Scream” in 2022 and did not appear in “Scream VI” after leaving the project over a salary dispute.
The film also gave Lillard the opportunity he had spent years campaigning for: the return of Stu Macher. The character appeared to die at the end of the original “Scream”, but Lillard had repeatedly argued that Stu could have survived. In “Scream 7”, the character was brought back, alongside several other familiar faces from earlier films.
For Lillard, however, the return came with a complication that went beyond the long-running fan interest in Stu. His recent remarks suggest that the excitement of revisiting a character he had wanted to play again for years was eventually overshadowed by the circumstances surrounding Barrera’s exit.
He also expressed strong support for Barrera, arguing that she deserved greater public backing when she was fired.
“When that happened to Melissa, the whole world didn’t pipe up,” Lillard said. “But she was, like, a year early on what … [is] going on. But the whole world should have popped up and said, ‘She’s right,’ and they didn’t. And that’s brutal.”
Barrera has since been outspoken about the decision and about the actors who went ahead with the seventh film. In a May interview with Variety, she was asked whether she viewed the cast’s participation as comparable to crossing a picket line following her firing.
“Oh, one hundred percent. I think they all are. And they have to live with that,” Barrera said.
She also argued that the filmmakers relied heavily on nostalgia to make the movie after the changes to its cast and creative direction.
The controversy has therefore remained part of the story surrounding “Scream 7“, even after its release. The film was poorly received by critics, with the original source material describing it as receiving the weakest reviews in the franchise, while also noting that it became the series’ highest-grossing installment at the box office.
Lillard’s comments represent the first reported instance of a “Scream 7” star publicly expressing regret about participating in the film specifically in relation to Barrera’s firing. His remarks also underline how the controversy surrounding the actress’s departure continued to follow the franchise well beyond the production itself.
Barrera had received support from some former colleagues. Hayden Panettiere, who appeared alongside her in “Scream VI”, publicly criticized the decision to fire her. In a 2024 interview, Panettiere described Barrera’s removal as “very unfair and upsetting” and said she had contacted her former co-star after the firing.
For Lillard, the decision to return as Stu was once a long-awaited reunion with a character closely associated with his career. His latest comments show that, in retrospect, he sees the decision differently. The actor still values being part of the film, but he now says he wishes he had considered Barrera’s situation before agreeing to return.
