Melissa Barrera, step by step towards the beginning of the 'Hollywood' dream

Mexican actress Melissa Barrera at the world premiere of 'Scream VI', in Lincoln Square in New York, on March 6, 2023.ANGELA WEISS (AFP)

-What's your favorite scary movie?

—I don't think I have one, but

is my favorite in recent years.

When I was little, between 10 and 13 years old, I loved horror movies.

And then I had a time in my life where I stopped seeing them.

I don't know if I became scarier or what, but I completely dropped the genre.

I never imagined myself as an actress making horror movies.

The question answered by the actress Melissa Barrera (Monterrey, 32 years old) may sound strange, but for a fan of the

saga , it makes a lot of sense.

It is a line that has been perpetuated in the imaginary of the horror genre, as the last words that the victims of the murderer in these films, known as

, hear before something bad happens to them.

In force since 1996, the popular American horror franchise, created by Wes Craven, has marked different generations in different decades.

This is not the exception.

The film has returned with a new installment,

, in which the Mexican interpreter once again puts herself in the shoes of her character, Samantha Carpenter, to try to survive again the ravages of this well-known serial killer on the big screen.

Barrera, in this new film, follows up on the events of the fifth film,

(2022), which was a kind of restart of the saga.

immediately picks up what happened in Woodsboro.

Sam (Barrera) and Tara (Jenna Ortega) are trying to put the trauma behind them and start new lives in New York, but the past isn't buried and that leaves them once again having to face their demons, and the enemy that wants to destroy them. .

Actresses Melissa Barrera (left) and Jenna Ortega (right) play Sam and Tara Carpenter in 'Scream VI'. Philippe Bossé (AP)

She says that when she was chosen for the previous installment, she had to start studying the first four installments, in addition to the fact that the directors gave her a list of horror films to inspire her.

“I fell in love with the genre again.

Now I'm a horror fan again, ”she tells EL PAÍS through a phone call.

With this new film, for many fans, Samantha Carpenter follows in the footsteps and legacy of the other protagonists and survivors of the franchise, such as Sidney Prescott and Gale Weathers, played by Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox in the five previous films, respectively, and she becomes part of the so-called

, which refers to an actress who becomes a benchmark of the genre.

Within this distinction are interpreters such as Campbell and Cox themselves, as well as legends such as Jamie Lee Curtis and Janet Leigh, among others.

“It is an honor, because that title for me is something that you have to earn.

Something that the public has to grant you.

Personally, I feel that I still have a ways to go, but I really appreciate the gesture.

I really admire all the

iconic [scream queens], including Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox, who are legendary,” Barrera says.

The killer known as 'Ghostface' in a still from 'Scream VI'.Photo Credit: Philippe Bossé (AP)

Scream

, despite having touches of humor and parody of the serial killer genre,

is a saga that deals with trauma and decisions from the past.

For Barrera it was a challenge as an actress to face the duality of her character, due to the internal battle that Sam has with light and darkness, which she has dragged on since the previous installment.

“Getting into those mental conflicts is difficult, but they are challenges that are welcome for me.

It makes the character more layered and feels more human.

Everything in the movie feels more dangerous.

The chase sequences are more intense along with the energy of New York.

Everything in the film is rising in tone and is much more brutal than before,” she explains.

Barrera became known in 2011 on the

Mexican

—a singing contest for new talents—, and from that participation the doors opened for her.

First in productions in Mexico.

In telenovelas like

(2014), her first leading role, or Netflix series like

, in which she played Isabel Cantú during the third season.

Once she made the leap to Los Angeles, USA, other main roles began to arrive in series such as

(2018-2020).

and

(2022), the latter also from the studio of the great N.

However, the moment that marked a before and after in the life of the actress and singer, who at the age of 18 went to study at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, was in 2019, when she got a starring in

, a film musical adapting the Broadway play by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Now, in 2023, three of her talents and passions, dance, singing and acting, come together again for

, a film based on George Bizet's opera, in which she shares the lead with Irish actor Paul Mescal, recent Oscar nominee for

.

The film, which still does not have a distributor in Mexico, opens on April 21 in New York and Los Angeles;

and in May in the rest of the United States.

The Mexican actress Melissa Barrera and the Irish actor Paul Mescal in a still from 'Carmen'.Sony Pictures Classics

“The film is visually like a poem.

It is a film that is basically told through dance.

Music, acting and dancing are three disciplines that fill me up a lot and I am always looking for projects that allow me to combine them.

I studied musical theater and it's what I wanted to dedicate myself to and now I found another medium where I can explore that and continue.

was more of a Broadway type musical.

is something else entirely.

I like to look for projects that feel like they are breaking the barriers of a genre, ”she complements.

The actress moves between large productions and lower budget.

She also has the premiere of

this coming March 17 also in the US. Ryan Lancen's film, according to Barrera, was the first role for which he auditioned and obtained in northern lands, which tells the story of Chama, who is fighting for his own life and that of their loved ones.

She is a mother from New Mexico who sinks deeper into her addiction as she struggles to surface for her daughter.

"It is a very difficult story to see and I want to honor the women who have gone through this situation, especially the seven who shared their story for the writing of the script, which I fell in love with," says the royal actress.

When Barrera was part of

, she was eliminated at the concert 13 of the 18 it takes to win the contest.

However, she is a firm believer that life does not end and that it is never too late to pursue a dream regardless of age.

“I am very grateful to my inner child, that she never stopped dreaming.

That she pushed me to fight and take risks.

I never stop learning and knocking on doors.

I feel very lucky for everything I've done since I started with the theater in Monterrey until now promoting

I hardly feel that I am beginning, that is, I feel that the good is just coming ”, she ends.

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