Melissa Barrera’s 7 best movies and TV shows

Sure, she’s best known for her role as Sam Carpenter in the Scream reboot movies, but Melissa Barrera has over a decade of work under her belt. 

While she’s quickly become a certified horror queen, Barrera recently got thrown into the spotlight after it was announced that she was fired from the Scream franchise. This was as a result of her focal support of Palestine, and condemnation of Israel’s actions. As her talents aren’t up for question, it’s almost certain that she’ll land a horde of impressive gigs in the future. For now however, let’s take a look at some of her best roles on the big and smaller screens, ranked from great to outstanding!

7. Keep Breathing 

Netflix’s Keep Breathing is a survival drama series that follows Olivia “Liv” Rivera, an attorney who finds herself stranded in the Canadian wilderness after her plane crashes and she is the only survivor. Liv faces trial after trial as she reflects on her past, home, and the people she left behind. Though the show wasn’t a critical favorite, Barerra was praised for her presence and emotional acting in its six-episode run. The miniseries came just a few months after she stunned the world in Scream, so it became pretty evident that Barrera was made for some pretty intense roles.

6. Tanto Amor

While she’s recently taken over Hollywood with her English-speaking performances, Melissa Barrera previously dominated in Mexican telenovelas. One of these is Tanto Amor, one of the most popular telenovelas that she has starred in. The series follows a young woman named Mia Gonzales, who, after losing her mother and home, moves in with the Lombardos, the family that her mother used to cook for. Amidst their struggles, Mia falls for the wealthy Alberto Lombardo, but their circumstances and fate keep getting in the way of their love. Tanto Amor ran for a stellar 120 episodes, earning Barrera some much-deserved praise for her acting. 

5. Carmen

Barerra tapped into her musical theater roots for 2022’s Carmen, starring as the titular character alongside Paul Mescal. The story follows the young, titular woman, who, after escaping from Mexico, is rescued by an ex-Marine named Aidan. Soon after, the pair set off on a journey to Los Angeles, learning about themselves and each other on the way. Barrera and Mescal were evidently made to play lovers, as their connection in the film was almost tangible.

4. In the Heights

In the Heights is a retelling of the Tony-award winning musical of the same name. Set in Washington Heights, New York City, the story follows the lives of majorly Dominican inhabitants of the neighborhood. Barerra plays Vanessa, the love interest of the main character, Usnavi, who goes through her struggles with life and love alongside the other characters. 

3. Vida

Vida follows Lyn and Emma Hernandez, estranged sisters who haven’t been in contact in years. The pair are forced to return to their hometown of Boyle Heights, Los Angeles after their mother dies. Barrera plays the carefree and spontaneous Lyn, who is constantly at arms with her older sister. The two slowly discover that there is more to their mother’s past and identity as they investigate her death. 

2. Scream V

Fans of the Scream franchise were skeptical of the announced reboot 11 years after Scream 4, but the movie was met with both commercial and critical acclaim. Talk about a franchise comeback! Barrera plays Sam Carpenter, the daughter of the original Ghostface, Billy Loomis. Together with her sister, Tara, Sam must face her past as a new Ghostface terrorizes Woodsboro once again.  

1. Scream VI

If you thought her performance in Scream was epic, try the sequel. Reprising her role as Sam Carpenter, we see Barerra dig deeper into the character in the second entry of the Scream reboot. Set one year after the last movie, Scream VI follows Sam and Tara as they try to cope with the events of the past year and the public hate and scrutiny they have had to deal with since then. Barrera was once again praised for her acting, as she explored the dark aspects of Sam’s character masterfully. Naturally, fans are outraged and heartbroken we won’t see Sam’s journey continue in Scream 7.