Melissa Barrera
Barrera in 2023
Born
Melissa Barrera Martínez[1]

(1990-07-04) 4 July 1990
Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
OccupationActress • singer
Years active2011–present
Spouse
Paco Zazueta
​
(m. 2019)​
[2]

Melissa Barrera Martínez (born 4 July 1990) is a Mexican actress. In Mexico, she is known for roles in the telenovelas Siempre tuya Acapulco (2013), Tanto amor (2015), and the Netflix series Club de Cuervos (2017). Outside of Mexico, she is best known for her role as Sam Carpenter in the slasher films Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023), and for starring in the Starz series Vida (2018–2020) and the musical film In the Heights (2021).[1][3][4]

Early life

Barrera was born and raised in Monterrey, Nuevo León. She studied musical theater at New York University Tisch School of the Arts.[4]

Career

Music

She attended the American School Foundation of Monterrey where she appeared in the school's musical productions including Grease, Aida and Footloose. Her television debut was on the Mexican reality show La Academia in 2011, where she showed off her talent for singing.[5] In 2013, she was part of the duet Melissa y Sebastian, with whom she recorded her first album and had her first top ten radio hit with their debut single "Mamma Maria", a cover of Ricchi e Poveri's song from the 1980s. In 2015, she recorded the theme song "Volver a caer" alongside the Mexican singer Kalimba, for her telenovela Tanto amor.[6]

Acting

Barrera in 2013

In 2010, while still in college (New York University), she participated in the film L for Leisure. In 2012, she participated in two telenovelas, La mujer de Judas and La otra cara del alma.[7] In 2014, she obtained her first starring role in the telenovela Siempre tuya Acapulco.[8] In 2015, she starred in the last telenovela produced by TV Azteca, Tanto amor.[9] Barrera was cast in the lead role of Lyn on the Starz drama series Vida in 2018.

In August 2020, Barrera was cast as Sam Carpenter on the fifth Scream film, which was directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett.[10] The film was released on 14 January 2022.[11][12]

In 2021, Barrera starred as Vanessa, an aspiring fashion designer and love interest of the narrator, Usnavi, in the Jon M. Chu directed musical film In the Heights, an adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's stage musical.[13] The film earned widespread critical acclaim, with Monica Castillo of The Wrap praising Barrera's performance: "Vanessa's upbeat salsa anthem, 'It Won't Be Long Now', is perhaps one of the more underrated sequences: It's an impressive showcase for Barrera's talents, giving her a wide range of emotions to move through in one number and one of the few moments in the musical to belt out."[14]

In 2022, she starred in Keep Breathing, a six episode survival drama released on Netflix on 28 June 2022. Following her roles in horror media in 2022, Barrera was crowned a scream queen.[15][16] That same year she starred in the title role in the film musical Carmen alongside Paul Mescal. The film directed by Benjamin Millepied and had its world premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.[17]

Barrera was cast as Maya in the upcoming film The Collaboration. She stars alongside Jeremy Pope and Paul Bettany as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol, reprising their roles from the 2023 Anthony McCarten Broadway production.[18]

Scream VII firing

In November 2023, it was reported that Barrera had been fired from her lead role in the upcoming sequel Scream VII. She had made social media posts in support of Palestine, in which she described Israel's actions in the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, including "[c]ornering everyone together, with no where to go, no electricity no water", as "genocide and ethnic cleansing". Scream VII director and producer Christopher Landon wrote that the dropping of Barrera was "not my decision to make". A statement was subsequently issued by Spyglass that it has "zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing". Deadline Hollywood wrote that her posts "were interpreted as being anti-Semitic by those close to the film production". Barrera responded that she "will continue to speak out for those that need it most and continue to advocate for peace and safety, for human rights and freedom".[19][20][21]

Several people defended her after the dismissal, expressing indignation that her comments were labelled as antisemitic by Spyglass.[22][23][24] Barrera also shared an open letter urging world leaders to call for a cease-fire in the Israel–Hamas war. The letter was signed by Barrera and 340 other celebrities, including Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Strong, and Cate Blanchett.[25] On December 1, 2023, 1,300 actors and artists in the film and entertainment industry wrote and signed a letter condemning Barrera's dismissal, among other instances, as "systematically repressing, silencing and stigmatising Palestinian voices and perspectives. This includes targeting and threatening the livelihoods of artists and arts workers who express solidarity with Palestinians." Among the signees were Olivia Colman, Paapa Essiedu, Harriet Walter and Aimee Lou Wood.[26][27]

Personal life

Barrera married longtime boyfriend and musical artist Francisco Xavier Zazueta, in February 2019.[28][29] The pair first met on the set of La Academia in 2011, and performed a rendition of Enrique Iglesias' "Cuando Me Enamoro" for its fourth episode.[30][31][32] They began dating in September of that year,[31] and announced their engagement via Instagram in June 2017.[33]

Filmography

Film

Barrera performing in 2013
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2014 L for Leisure Kennedy
2016 Manual de principiantes para ser presidente Brisa Carreiro
El Hotel Karina
2018 Sacúdete las penas Luisa Martin Del Campo
Dos Veces Tú Daniela Cohen
2021 In the Heights Vanessa
All the World Is Sleeping Chama
2022 Scream Sam Carpenter [3]
Carmen Carmen
Bed Rest Julie Rivers Also producer [34]
2023 Scream VI Sam Carpenter
2024 Your Monster Laura Franco Post-production [35]
Abigail Joey Post-production
The Collaboration Maya Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2011 La Academia Herself – Concursante 18th place; 14 episodes
2012 La mujer de Judas Zulamita Recurring role
2012–2013 La otra cara del alma Mariana Durán Recurring role
2014 Siempre tuya Acapulco Olvido Pérez Main role; 124 episodes
2015 Tanto amor Mía González Main role; 119 episodes
2016–2017 Perseguidos Liliana Rincón Recurring role (season 1); 11 episodes
2017 Club de Cuervos Isabel Cantú Recurring role (season 3); 8 episodes
2018–2020 Vida Lyn Hernandez Main role; 22 episodes
2020 Acting for a Cause Elizabeth Bennet Episode: "Pride and Prejudice"
2022 Keep Breathing Olivia "Liv" Rivera Main role; 6 episodes [36][37][38]

Music videos

Year Title Artist
2021 "Say Less" Anthony Ramos

Awards and nominations

Awards and nominations received by Kevin Feige
Award Year Nominated work Category Result Ref.
Imagen Awards 2021 Vida Best Actress – Television (Comedy) Nominated [39]
Hollywood Critics Association 2021 In the Heights Best Actress Nominated [40]
Satellite Awards 2022 Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical Nominated [41]

References

  1. 1 2 Mariana Rosas (18 July 2014). "Melissa Barrera, le sonríe el éxito". Estilo DF (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 25 April 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  2. ↑ Sisavat, Monica (6 March 2023). "Just an Appreciation Post of Melissa Barrera and Paco Zazueta's Swoon-Worthy Romance". PopSugar. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2021. Off screen, though, Barrera is happily married to musician Paco Xavier Zazueta. According to Variety, the couple first met while they were contestants on a Mexican reality musical talent show called "La Academia" in 2011 ... Eight years later, Barrera and Zazueta tied the knot, and they've been going strong ever since.
  3. 1 2 D'Alessandro, Anthony (10 May 2022). "Scream Sequel Seeing Return of Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding & Jenna Ortega". Deadline. Archived from the original on 10 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  4. 1 2 Shapiro, Bee (4 October 2019). "Melissa Barrera Goes from Mexican Telenovelas to 'Vida' Star". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 18 January 2022. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  5. ↑ "¡Está insoportable! Aseguran que a Melissa Barrera ya se le subió la fama". TVNotas (in Spanish). 20 January 2014. Archived from the original on 8 February 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  6. ↑ Rangel, Alma (30 July 2015). "Kalimba cantará con Melissa Barrera el tema de la telenovela Tanto Amor". TVyEspectáculos (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  7. ↑ Gómez Poncet, Elena (26 February 2012). "Melissa Barrera asegura que no es una improvisada". TVNotas (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 31 August 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  8. ↑ "Melissa Barrera protagonizaría telenovela con Daniel Elbittar". TVNotas (in Spanish). 16 November 2013. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  9. ↑ "Melissa Barrera y Leonardo García protagonizarán "Tanto amor"". Informador México (in Spanish). 16 May 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  10. ↑ Wiseman, Andreas (17 August 2020). "'Scream': 'Vida' & 'In The Heights' Star Melissa Barrera Set For Key Role In Spyglass & Paramount Slasher Movie Relaunch". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 19 July 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  11. ↑ Miska, Brad (28 August 2020). "Relaunch of 'Scream' Slashing Into Theaters on January 14, 2022!". BloodyDisgusting. Archived from the original on 3 September 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  12. ↑ Kroll, Justin (24 June 2020). "New Scream Movie From Spyglass Media Will Be Released by Paramount (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 19 August 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  13. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (11 April 2019). "Lin-Manuel Miranda & Jon M. Chu Find Their Nina & Vanessa For 'In The Heights' Movie". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 5 January 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  14. ↑ Castillo, Monica (10 June 2021). "'In the Heights' Film Review: Lin-Manuel Miranda's Stage Hit Becomes a Screen Celebration". The Wrap. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  15. ↑ González, Sara (22 April 2022). "Todo sobre Bed Rest, la nueva película de terror de Melissa Barrera" [All about Bed Rest, the new horror movie by Melissa Barrera]. Archived from the original on 3 December 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2023. Nos emociona mucho ver a Melissa Barrera como la "scream queen" mexicana, ya que su papel en Scream (2022) nos mostró todo su potencial para destacar en el género. [We are very excited to see Melissa Barrera as the Mexican "scream queen", since her role in Scream (2022) showed us her full potential to stand out in the genre.]
  16. ↑ Sandoval, Shireen (6 December 2022). "Horror and "Scream" queen Melissa Barrera talks about new chilling movie on Tubi "Bed Rest"". Archived from the original on 29 December 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  17. ↑ Remley, Hilary (22 February 2023). "Paul Mescal and Melissa Barrera Are Drawn Together in First 'Carmen' Trailer". Collider. Archived from the original on 1 March 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  18. ↑ "'The Collaboration': Melissa Barrera Latest To Join Warhol-Basquiat Film Based On Anthony McCarten Play". Deadline Hollywood. 7 September 2022. Archived from the original on 22 November 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  19. ↑ Couch, Aaron (21 November 2023). "Melissa Barrera Dropped From 'Scream VII' After Social Media Posts Amid Israel-Hamas War". Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  20. ↑ D'Allessandro, Antony (21 November 2023). "'Scream 7' Director Reacts To Melissa Barrera Firing: "This Was Not My Decision To Make"". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 22 November 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  21. ↑ "Susan Sarandon, Melissa Barrera dropped from Hollywood companies after comments on Israel-Hamas war". Associated Press News. 22 November 2023. Archived from the original on 22 November 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  22. ↑ "Actress Melissa Barrera receives support after being fired for showing sympathy toward Palestine". AA. 25 November 2023. Archived from the original on 27 November 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  23. ↑ "Jenna Ortega exits Scream 7 after firing of Melissa Barrera over Palestine posts". Independent. 25 November 2023. Archived from the original on 26 November 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  24. ↑ "A Fired 'Scream' Star, Clients Booted From Agencies and a Secret Tom Cruise Meeting: Inside Hollywood's Divide Over Israel". 21 November 2023. Archived from the original on 28 November 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  25. ↑ "Actress Melissa Barrera receives support after being fired for showing sympathy toward Palestine". AA. 25 November 2023. Archived from the original on 27 November 2023. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  26. ↑ Parkel, Inga (2 December 2023). "Olivia Colman among 1300 actors condemning Scream 7 firing as 'censorship' in open letter". Independent. Archived from the original on 1 December 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  27. ↑ Hermanns, Grant (2 December 2023). "Melissa Barrera's Scream 7 Firing Condemned As Censorship By More Than 1,300 Actors & Artists". Screen Rant. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  28. ↑ "XavierZazuetaOfficial • Instagram". Instagram. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  29. ↑ "Paco Zazueta". Spotify. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  30. ↑ Melissa Barrera y Paco Zazueta – Cuando Me Enamoro, archived from the original on 19 July 2022, retrieved 15 April 2021
  31. 1 2 "Melissa Barrera Bio: Married Or Still Dating? Husband, Boyfriend To Family Details". LIVERAMPUP. 18 September 2018. Archived from the original on 28 April 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  32. ↑ "La academia" 4° Concierto (TV Episode 2011) – IMDb, archived from the original on 19 July 2022, retrieved 15 April 2021
  33. ↑ "XavierZazuetaOfficial • Instagram". Instagram. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  34. ↑ Miska, Brad (26 October 2021). "'Scream' Star Melissa Barrera Haunted After Being Ordered to 'Bed Rest'". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  35. ↑ Galuppo, Mia (6 March 2023). "Melissa Barrera Headlining Horror Romance 'Your Monster'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  36. ↑ Melanson, Angel (21 June 2022). "First Look: Melissa Barrera In Keep Breathing". Fangoria. Archived from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  37. ↑ Oddo, Marco Vito (21 June 2022). "'Keep Breathing': Melissa Barrera Fights to Survive in First Images from Netflix Series". Collider. Archived from the original on 22 June 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  38. ↑ Gearan, Hannah (21 June 2022). "Keep Breathing Images: First Look At Scream Star's New Survival Thriller". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on 22 June 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  39. ↑ "36th Annual Imagen Awards Nominations Announced". Imagen Foundation. 2 August 2021. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  40. ↑ Menzel, Scott (1 July 2021). ""In The Heights" wins Best Picture at the HCA Midseason Awards". Hollywood Critics Association. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  41. ↑ Van Blaricom, Mirjana (30 November 2021). "'Belfast', 'The Power of the Dog' Among Nominees for Top Honors at 26th Annual Satellite™ Awards". International Press Academy. Archived from the original on 18 December 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
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