Jenna Ortega Finally Revealed The REAL Reason Why She Left The "Scream" Franchise

1 year ago 28

Between the new film Death of a Unicorn and the upcoming season of Wednesday, it feels like Jenna Ortega is everywhere right now.

Jenna Ortega posing at an event, wearing a stylish purple blazer over a patterned shirt with a plunging neckline, on a red carpet

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Jenna is undoubtedly one of the biggest movie stars of her generation — and her appearance in the Scream franchise's fifth and sixth entries certainly cemented that.

Jenna Ortega in a casual setting holds a phone to their ear, appearing focused, while holding a large knife in the other hand

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So it was quite shocking when Jenna walked away from the franchise's seventh installment in 2023, shortly after Scream co-star Melissa Barrera was fired for vocally supporting Palestine.

A person in a hoodie and mask menaces Jenna Ortega behind a door inside a house

Brownie Harris / Paramount / Everett Collection

At the time, scheduling conflicts with filming Wednesday was cited as the official reason why — but in a new interview with The Cut, Jenna reveals that it was Melissa's firing that played a large role in her Scream VII exit.

Jenna Ortega in elegant strapless dress poses in front of a backdrop with text "DEATH UNICORN."

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“It had nothing to do with pay or scheduling,” Jenna said, explaining that “the Melissa stuff was happening, and it was all kind of falling apart."

Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera in a dramatic scene, one holding the other protectively. They're dressed casually, suggesting a tense moment

Phillippe Bosse / Paramount / Everett Collection

“If Scream VII wasn’t going to be with that team of directors and those people I fell in love with, then it didn’t seem like the right move for me in my career at the time.”

Jenna Ortega in a plaid suit and red shirt at a SXSW event, posing confidently

Andy Wenstrand / SXSW Conference & Festivals via Getty Images

And that's that. Glad we cleared things up!

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