Neve Campbell devastated fans with her shocking announcement she’d be departing the Scream franchise, but the actress doesn’t regret standing her ground. In an interview with People, Campbell admitted “it was sad” not to return for the sixth installment, but said her exit was “truly” over salary “negotiations.”
“I did not feel that what I was being offered equated to the value that I bring to this franchise, and have brought to this franchise, for 25 years,” she explained.
Scream premiered in 1996 and Campbell starred as Sidney Prescott in all five films.
“As a woman in this business, I think it’s really important for us to be valued and to fight to be valued,” the 48-year-old actress added. “I honestly don’t believe that if I were a man and had done five installments of a huge blockbuster franchise over 25 years, that the number that I was offered would be the number that would be offered to a man… And in my soul, I just couldn’t do that.”
Campbell announced in June she was not signing on for Scream 6, which her longtime co-star David Arquette called “unfortunate.”
“I couldn’t walk on set feeling that — feeling undervalued and feeling the unfairness, or lack of fairness, around that,” Campbell declared. However, she noted she’s “so grateful” for the beloved franchise. Campbell poked fun at horror movies and her iconic role in a new campaign video for the American Red Cross.
“I love these movies. I love Sidney,” Campbell shared. “But at the same time, I really just couldn’t bear the idea of walking onto [the sixth film] and feeling undervalued.”
Production is underway on Scream 6. Courteney Cox is one of the few original stars returning and was photographed on set as Gale Weathers. Hayden Panettiere, who played Kirby Reed in Scream 4, will reprise her fan favorite role. Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega also star in the film, due out next year.
MORE: ‘Scream’ star David Arquette reacts to Neve Campbell’s exit
