Melissa Barrera Backs Macklemore Amid Tour Drop, Reflects on Her Own Firing from ‘Scream 7’]

Melissa Barrera has voiced her support for Macklemore following the rapper’s removal from Ed Sheeran’s upcoming ‘Loop’ tour due to his pro-Palestine remarks.

Macklemore delivered an emotional speech at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium earlier this month while joining Sheeran on stage, performing his protest song ‘Hind’s Hall’ alongside footage from Gaza. The appearance prompted demands for his removal from the tour, which ultimately materialised, while fellow support acts—including FINNEAS, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe, and Beoga—withdrew in solidarity alongside Sheeran’s backing band.

Barrera, who was dismissed from Scream 7 in November 2023 after speaking out against the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza, has now addressed the contrasting nature of the two situations.

“It was so beautiful to see Finneas and the band and all the opening acts pulling out in support of Macklemore,” she said (via AP). “It made me emotional. You know, I didn’t get that when it happened to me. I didn’t have any of that happen. It was too soon. People were too scared. But it’s good to see that almost three years later, at least things have changed.”

“When someone is attacked, and there are people behind saying, ‘We’re not going to allow this,’ and the more that happens, the less the people in power are going to try to censor it, because eventually it isn’t going to work.”

“I can’t help but wonder what would have happened if Ed Sheeran had been like, ‘No,’ and called the bluff. I mean, it’s possible that he still would have had his shows cancelled, but I bet that he could have rebooked those shows in other venues just as easily, and people would have rallied behind him.”

“I wish that the people that have power understood the power that they have,” Barrera continued. “I think that the problem is that there are a lot of people who actually have a lot of power. They think they don’t, and they’re operating out of fear. And it’s just a shame, because, you know, we just saw what happened—the support that rallied behind Macklemore—and I think that’s a big step. I think what we’re seeing, what we’re witnessing, is going to inspire real change, and I’m very hopeful about that.”

Scream 7 star Matthew Lillard recently expressed regret about participating in the film following Barrera’s dismissal, telling a Q&A: “When they start coming after your job, sometimes things are worth it… When that happened to Melissa, the whole world didn’t pipe up. But she was a year early on what the hell is going on. But the whole world should have popped up and said, ‘She’s right.’ And they didn’t. And that’s brutal.”

He added: “I went back to do Scream, and I got called out. And I’m like, ‘Oh, damn. That’s brutal.’ I feel bad about that. I feel ashamed about that. Because in that moment I was so excited to go back, I didn’t really think about Melissa and that journey. I didn’t say no. I’m embarrassed; that’s the truth… I blew that. I’m on the wrong side of history for that. I still like being in the movie, but it may not have been the best idea.”

| Ed getting emotional tonight on stage while thanking the crowd for the support

“I will never stop doing this.” pic.twitter.com/L9Mg9uVSrD

— Ed Sheeran Access (@AccessEdSheeran) September 20, 2026

Meanwhile, Sheeran addressed the Macklemore controversy in his first live show since the saga, which took place over the weekend of September 19, admitting that “mistakes” were made and that he had been left questioning whether he wanted “to be an artist at all.”

Macklemore has pledged to donate his entire $1 million earnings from the tour to six organisations supporting Palestinians, while Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft—who described the rapper’s comments as “deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community”—said that Sheeran had asked him to match a $2 million humanitarian contribution.

Sheeran has drawn criticism from a number of musicians over his handling of the situation, including Billy Bragg, Massive Attack, and Roger Waters.

Source link