Mikey Madison Apologizes to 'Scream' Fans for Controversial Legacy Character Kill

‘The Scream’ franchise is notorious for its daring, startling character kills, which frequently target beloved characters. This tone was established right away when Drew Barrymore's character was killed off prior to the first movie's opening titles. Major characters like Liev Schreiber's Cotton Weary and Jamie Kennedy's Randy Meeks eventually met grisly ends as well. The most tragic loss for fans, though, was in 2022's ‘Scream’ when Ghostface viciously killed David Arquette's endearing character, Dewey Riley, a retired sheriff. Even ardent admirers were shocked by Dewey's passing because it signified the end of one of the last surviving legacy figures.

Amber, played by Mikey Madison, was one of the two Ghostface killers in the movie and was the one who caused Dewey's terrible departure. In an interview with Perri Nemiroff for Collider Ladies Night, Madison reflected on this crucial occasion and acknowledged her early ignorance of the franchise's ardent fan following. She was born in 1999, therefore she was not aware of how much fans loved these characters and missed the cultural phenomenon of the first two movies in the late 1990s.

Image Courtesy: Collider

Madison acknowledged that she had misjudged the emotional impact of Dewey's passing and that she didn't fully understand its significance until admirers came up to her to vent their grief and rage over his passing. Despite her sadness for the character's departure, she made it clear that she had no control over the writing and understood the fans' suffering.

Nevertheless, Madison saw the chance to carry on the ‘Scream’ tradition as a major turning point in her professional life. She had to wait eight months following her audition before she could get the job. In the end, portraying a Ghostface killer was an exciting experience that gave her a nuanced and surprising character development. Madison commended the series for its self-aware approach, which enabled the actors to embrace its distinct humour and horror fusion.

–Farheen Ali