Hollywood star Melissa Barrera recently paid tribute to Hajj AbuDiya Nabhan, who was tragically killed in Israeli fire in Gaza. Barrera honored him by wearing a “Soul of My Soul” T-shirt, which was also the last shirt Nabhan wore.
Barrera’s gesture comes amidst her ongoing support for various causes, including women’s rights. She has been vocal about her stance on social issues and continues to use her platform to raise awareness.
Sheikh Khaled Nabhan, also known as Abu Diaa, was famous for his popular phrase “Soul of my Soul,” which he uttered as he lovingly kissed goodbye his granddaughter Reem, who was killed by an Israeli airstrike.
Khaled was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. He rose to prominence after a video showed him grieving his granddaughter, Reem, who was martyred alongside her brother Tariq, and describing the loss as losing the soul of his soul, i.e., his daughter’s daughter.
Since then, he had been seen helping the elderly, children, and animals of the besieged strip.
After his passing, social media is paying tribute to him, saying that his soul must have reunited with the soul of Reem, his beloved granddaughter.
Earlier, Melissa Barrera opened up about the darkest year of her life after facing a major career setback for taking a stand for Gaza. In a candid interview with The Independent, Barrera shared her journey of self-discovery following her firing from the Scream franchise.
A year ago, Barrera became known as a staunch advocate for Palestine. She actively called out Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his regime’s actions in Gaza.
“Gaza is currently being treated like a concentration camp,” she wrote in an Instagram story in October 2023. “This is genocide and ethnic cleansing.” In another post, she highlighted the struggle to find news on Palestinian suffering, criticizing Western media for showing a biased perspective.
Spyglass, the studio behind the latest Scream films, immediately dropped Barrera from the franchise. The company stated, “We have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech.”
Barrera responded by condemning both antisemitism and Islamophobia, stating, “I believe a group of people are NOT their leadership, and that no governing body should be above criticism.”
Reflecting on that time, Barrera described it as the darkest and hardest year of her life. For nearly 10 months after getting fired, substantial job offers were scarce, and she felt like her career might be over. “It was quiet for, like, 10 months. I was still getting offers for small things here and there — I’m not going to lie and say there was nothing — but the message was, like, ‘Oh, she probably doesn’t have work, she’ll say yes to anything,’” she explained.
Barrera used this time to reassess her identity beyond acting, realizing she was more than just an actor – she was a great sister, daughter, and friend.
Barrera expressed mixed emotions about her time in the Scream franchise. While she appreciated the career boost and loyal fans, the firing and backlash were tough to handle. Fans often bring up the controversy, making her feel like she failed at something. “They’re like, ‘What they did to you is so messed up, I’m so sorry that happened!’ And it’s something, I think, that’s never going to end. Because the franchise is never going to end,” she said.
Right after Barrera’s dismissal, Neve Campbell agreed to return for the forthcoming Scream VII, dividing the franchise’s fans. Some pledged to boycott subsequent installments out of respect for Barrera, while others remained loyal to Campbell.
Barrera is now finding her footing again in Hollywood. She is currently filming an espionage series for Peacock alongside Simu Liu, which she describes as a revitalizing experience. “It felt like I was invisible, and then all of a sudden, there was a switch that made me visible again,” she shared.
This new project has helped Barrera regain confidence. As she continues to rebuild, she is focused on aligning herself with collaborators who share her values and vision. “I was stuck in the dunes for a while, and now I feel like my feet are moving, I have an oxygen tank, and I’m, like … going up.”
