Neve Campbell made headlines in 2022 when she walked away from Scream 6 over what she called an inadequate offer. Now, in a new interview with Variety, she's explaining why she couldn't accept the deal—and it's about more than just money.

"I could not live with myself" if she'd accepted the offer, Campbell said. "My value to this franchise was bigger" than what they were offering.

Let's be clear about what happened here. Neve Campbell is the Scream franchise. She's been the final girl since 1996, the emotional center of five films, the reason audiences kept coming back. And when the franchise got rebooted for a sixth installment, the studio decided her value had diminished.

This is the story of Hollywood and women over 40 in a nutshell. A male actor who anchored a billion-dollar franchise for three decades would have studios backing up Brinks trucks. A woman in the same position gets lowballed and is expected to be grateful for the opportunity.

Campbell's decision to walk away was brave, and it cost her. She wasn't in Scream VI, and while the film did fine without her, it felt incomplete. The franchise acknowledged this—she's reportedly back for Scream 7, presumably at a price that reflects her actual value.

But here's the systemic issue: how many actresses face similar lowball offers and don't have the financial security or leverage to say no? How many take the deal because they need the work, or fear they'll be labeled "difficult," or worry they'll never get another franchise opportunity?

Pay equity in Hollywood has improved in recent years, partly because actresses like Campbell, Jessica Chastain, and Michelle Williams have gone public about disparities. But improvement isn't the same as equality. Women still earn less than male co-stars, especially as they age.