Melissa Barrera

Actor / Producer / Soundtrack

Birthdate – July 4, 1990 (33 Years Old)

Birthplace – Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico

Melissa Barrera’s English-language feature debut was Whitney Horn’s and Lev Kalman’s indie film, L for Leisure (2014), with Gabriel Abrantes and Mati Diop, which premiered at the Rotterdam Film Festival. Her Mexican feature debut was Salim Nayar’s political comedy, A Beginner’s Guide to the Presidency (2016).

Barrera played a supporting role in Carlos Marcovich’s drama, El Hotel (2016), with Fernanda Romero and Damian Alcazar. She starred in the relationship drama, Dos veces tú (2018), with Anahi Davila and Mariano Palacios, followed by a co-starring role in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s screen version of his musical, In the Heights (2021), directed by Jon Chu, with Anthony Ramos, Corey Hawkins, Leslie Grace, and Jimmy Smits.

Barrera’s most prominent role to date was in the reboot, Scream (2022), directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett and co-starring Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette, which Barerra is following up with Scream 6 (2023), with Courteney Cox, Dermot Mulroney, Jenna Ortega, and Hayden Panettiere.

Barrera plays the title role of a modernized film version of Bizet’s Carmen (date to be announced), directed by French choreographer Benjamin Millepied. She stars in the horror film, Bed Rest (2022), by writer-producer-director Lori Evans Taylor

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Personal Details

Monterrey, Mexico-born Melissa Barerra was raised by Rosana and Tomas Gerardo Barerra. She attended and graduated from the American School Foundation of Monterrey. In 2009, Barerra attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, studying theater and acting, but departed school when she was hired for a hit telenovela produced by Mexico’s TV Azteca. She married singer Paco Zazueta in 2019. Her height is 5’ 7”. 

Filmography

In the Heights

Vanessa (2021)

Scream

Sam Carpenter (2022)

Scream VI

Sam Carpenter (2023)

Bed Rest

(2022)

Carmen (2022)

(2022)

Carmen

Carmen (2023)

Abigail

Joey (2024)

Some Facts About Melissa Barrera

Heritage: Melissa Barerra’s heritage is Mixteca, a blend of Spanish and Aztec origins. 

Stage Screams: Barerra was part of the ensemble of a Mexico City stage version of Mel Brooks’s Young Frankenstein

 

Awards

Nominee, Best Actress, Satellite Awards (2022).