Mikey Madison Reflects on Backlash Over Dewey's Death in Scream 2022

Mikey Madison Reflects on Backlash Over Dewey's Death in Scream 2022


Mikey Madison, best known for her role as Ghostface in the 2022 Scream movie, recently opened up about the intense backlash she faced after her character’s shocking act in the film: the death of Sheriff Dewey Riley, portrayed by David Arquette. In a candid interview, Madison admitted she was initially unaware of the passionate fan base that the Scream franchise had built over the years.

“I have to be honest, when I did the film, it sounds naive, but I wasn’t so aware of the huge fan base that the franchise has,” Madison shared with Collider. She revealed that her connection to the franchise was limited, as she was born after the original Scream films released in the 1990s.

Madison’s character, one of the film’s Ghostface killers, was involved in the heartbreaking murder of Dewey, a fan-favorite character. Reflecting on the moment, Madison expressed her sadness about the loss of such an iconic character. “I remember being kind of sad because I was like, ‘Oh, such a great character. It’ll be sad to see him go,’” she said. However, she quickly realized the depth of the fans' emotional connection to Dewey. “I didn’t understand the heartbreak that so many people felt.”

The backlash from fans was immediate, with many directly expressing their frustration to Madison. “People have come up to me and said, ‘I hate that this happened. I’m mad at you,’” she recalled. In response, Madison offered an apology with humor, saying, “I’m so sorry, I didn’t write the script! I didn’t want to do it.”

Madison also shared her journey to landing the role of Ghostface, which began with an audition tape. She didn’t hear back for about eight months, and by then, she had almost forgotten about it. When she finally received the offer, she was excited, especially to be part of such a beloved and self-aware horror series.

Despite the emotional toll, Madison expressed gratitude for being part of the Scream franchise. She hopes that fans will distinguish her from the chaos her character unleashed on screen as she continues her acting career.