NEW YORK (AP) 鈥 Oscar-winning actor Susan Sarandon and 鈥淪cream鈥 star Melissa Barrera were each dropped by Hollywood companies after making comments on the Israel-Hamas war that some deemed antisemitic.
Spyglass Media Group, the production company behind the upcoming 鈥淪cream VII,鈥 acknowledged Barrera's exit from the horror franchise. The Mexican-born actress, who starred in 鈥淚n the Heights鈥 and the two recent 鈥淪cream鈥 installments, had posted statements on Instagram Stories calling the war 鈥済enocide and ethnic cleansing.鈥
鈥淕aza,鈥 she wrote, 鈥渋s currently being treated like a concentration camp.鈥
Spyglass said in a statement that its position 鈥渋s 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.鈥
Late Wednesday, Barrera posted a statement on Instagram Stories about her firing.
鈥淔irst and foremost I condemn antisemitism and Islamophobia. I condemn hate and prejudice of any kind against any group of people," she wrote.
鈥淚 believe a group of people are NOT their leadership, and that no governing body should be above criticism," she added. 鈥淚 pray day and night for no more deaths, for no more violence, and for peaceful co-existence. I will continue to speak out for those that need it most and continue to advocate for peace and safety, for human rights and freedom.鈥
Earlier Wednesday, that Jenna Ortega, who played Barrera鈥檚 sister in the two previous 鈥淪cream鈥 films, has exited the seventh installment. Ortega earlier departed the franchise because of her 鈥淲ednesday鈥 schedule, the trade reported. A spokesperson for Ortega didn鈥檛 immediately respond to queries.
A spokesman for the United Talent Agency said Sarandon, the five-time Oscar nominee, is no longer represented by the agency. Sarandon's exit from UTA followed comments she's made about Israel, most recently in an appearance Nov. 17 at a pro-Palestinian rally in New York.
鈥淭here are a lot of people afraid of being Jewish at this time, and are getting a taste of what it feels like to be a Muslim in this country, so often subjected to violence," Sarandon said,
The Post reported that Sarandon joined the crowd in chanting 鈥淔rom the river to the sea, Palestine will be free鈥 鈥 a because it suggests the eradication of Israel.
Sarandon could not be reached for comment Wednesday. At the rally, she also was quoted as saying: 鈥淭here鈥檚 a terrible thing that鈥檚 happened where antisemitism has been confused with speaking up against Israel. I am against antisemitism. I am against Islamophobia.鈥
The Israel-Hamas war has caused . Earlier, when many groups were issuing statements condemning Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel, the Writers Guild of America ultimately didn't after failing to come to an agreement. Maha Dakhil, a prominent agent with Creative Arts Agency, last month resigned her board seat after sharing a social media post accusing Israel of genocide. Dakhil apologized.
Israel and Hamas on Wednesday in the war in Gaza.
