“They'll regret it”: Netizens support Jenna Ortega after actress reportedly asks to end her contract with Scream following Melissa Barrera’s firing

American actress Jenna Ortega has reportedly dropped out of Scream VII one day after the news of Spyglass firing Melissa Barerra over her Pro-Palestinian Instagram posts broke out.

Both Melissa and Jenna play main roles, as Sam and Tara Carpenter, in the latest two Scream movies, and losing them in one week could prove to be detrimental to the aging franchise, as per The Independent.

A fan supports Jenna's decision to depart from the Scream franchise. (Images via Twitter/@ThePopTingz)

As per Deadline, Ortega has dropped out of the sequel due to scheduling conflicts with the second season of her hit Netflix series, Wednesday, and the decision has allegedly nothing to do with Melissa and the Israel-Palestine war.

Fans, however, have supported the actress as the timing of her departure suggests her alleged stand with her co-star's views.

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"Need a friend like her": Fans react to Jenna Ortega's exit from Scream 7

On Tuesday, November 21, 2023, Melissa Barrera was laid off from the Scream franchise by Spyglass Media Group because of "her Instagram stories, which have been perceived as anti-Semitic."

The next day, Jenna Ortega dropped out of Scream VII due to "scheduling conflicts" with the second season of Netflix's Wednesday, where she plays Wednesday Addams of The Addams Family.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jenna Ortega’s departure had allegedly nothing to do with Barrera’s firing from the franchise due to her Instagram posts about the Israel-Hamas war.

The Fall Out actress's representatives had informed Spyglass before Melissa's oust that she would not be returning.

Both Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barerra have been a part of the 2022 Scream and 2023 Scream VI. A Spyglass spokesperson told Variety:

"Spyglass’ stance is unequivocally clear: We have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech."

Since the announcement of Melissa's departure, netizens have started trending the boycott of Spyglass's productions and fans are speaking out in praise of Jenna Ortega's decision to leave Scream:

In the past two months, Melissa Barrera has posted dozens of content in support of Palestine, with one of the posts saying:

"Gaza is currently being treated like a concentration camp. Cornering everyone together, with no where to go, no electricity no water … People have learnt nothing from our histories. And just like our histories, people are still silently watching it all happen. THIS IS GENOCIDE & ETHNIC CLEANSING."

Melissa, however, has made it clear that she did not have anything malicious against the Jewish community, as per The New York Post. On October 27, 2023, the actress had spoken against antisemitism, saying:

"It is important for me to clarify that when I say Free Palestine, I do not in any way mean: Kill all Jews."

Neve Campbell had also left the franchise and did not reprise her role as Sidney Prescott, the main protagonist, in Scream VI because she felt "the offer that was presented to me did not equate to the value I have brought to the franchise."

Christopher Landon has remained on board as director for now, as per The Independent.

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Israel has reported a death toll of 1,200 people since Hamas's initial attack on October 7, 2023. Over 12,000 civilians have been killed in the Gaza Strip by airstrikes from Israel in retaliation over the last two months, as per AP News.