Neve Campbell has opened up about her return to the Scream franchise, admitting she was “sad” to miss the last film and is “grateful that they came back to me in a respectful way” in terms of pay.
Earlier this year, the actress revealed that she would be reprising her role as Sidney Prescott in Scream 7, having opted not to come back for the previous film due to a pay dispute.
In a new interview, Campbell has explained her decision further, telling People: “Those movies have been such a big part of my life and it means so much to me, and I was sad to miss the last one, to not be a part of it.”
Touching upon the pay offer this time around, the star continued: “I was really grateful that they came back to me in a respectful way. I think that means a lot to women and to society. I’m grateful to be able to step into Sidney’s shoes again and tell her story.”
The star noted that her character is “so strong” and has “inspired a lot of people”, adding: “I meet a lot of fans who say her strength has helped them get through tough times, and it means more than I could ever have imagined to some people.”
These echo similar comments Cambell made last month, with the star saying to People: “I’m really grateful that the studio heard me when I talked about pay discrepancy and when I talked about [Scream VI negotiations] not feeling respectful.
“When they first approached me [for Scream 7], I thought, ‘I don’t know what respectful looks like to them. We might be in very different places.’ But they started out in a strong place, so that was lovely.”
She added of the studio’s staring offer: “It feels nice to have put that out into the world and to have been listened to and to have made a difference in that way. I hope other people get that opportunity too.”
Campbell’s return comes after director Christopher Landon and star Jenna Ortega both dropped out of Scream 7, the latter due to scheduling commitments.
Star Melissa Barrera was previously dropped from the film after sharing a post in support of Palestine, the star later admitting she felt “lonely and scared” after being dismissed, having earlier said she was “at peace” with the decision.