On Nov. 21 Spyglass Media made an announcement regarding the 33-year-old Mexican-American actress, stating that Barrera had been fired from the Scream sequel due to an Instagram post, which they had perceived as anti-Semitic. Less than a day later it was announced that Ortega would also not be returning for ‘Scream 7’ due to a “scheduling conflict.”
Fans quickly cast doubt on claims that Ortega’s departure was unrelated to Barrera’s removal from the series, and many applauded Ortega for leveraging her star power to support a fellow Latina. The two actresses played sisters in Scream 6, but are also known to be good friends in real life. Barrera and Ortega’s on-screen chemistry and popularity with audiences are largely credited with reviving the horror franchise. Scream 6 was considered a blockbuster success, grossing $108.2 million at the U.S. box office and $169 million worldwide.