Mason Gooding reveals he had E. Coli while filming ‘Scream 7’

WASHINGTON: Actor Mason Gooding has revealed that he was battling a severe E. coli infection while shooting a key scene for the upcoming horror film Scream 7, admitting that he had to use a “Home Depot bucket” to vomit between takes, according to People.

Gooding, 29, shared that he fell ill just a day before filming what he described as “a fairly integral scene to the plot” of the highly anticipated instalment of the long-running franchise, which is set to hit theatres on February 27, as per the outlet.

“I happened to get E. coli the day before filming it,” Gooding said. For the seventh installment of the horror franchise, he plays Chad Meeks-Martin, nephew of the original horror expert Randy (Jamie Kennedy). But when it came time to film, “I was mentally present for none of it,”

“They would call cut, and I’d pull this Home Depot bucket up from under the bar, and I’d…uh, you know, do what you have to do to not feel sick anymore. Then they’d go, ‘All right, we’re going back in!’ I’d put it down, and I’d clean it out, and I’d come back inside,” according to People.

Mason Gooding Says He Had E. Coli While Filming ‘Scream 7,’ Had a Large ‘Home Depot Bucket’ for Vomiting Between Takes https://t.co/99X3xH5x3T

— People (@people) February 25, 2026

Despite the ordeal, Gooding said the illness unintentionally enhanced his performance. “So there’s a scene where I look like I’m dying, and it’s arguably because I am, but it works for the character,” he quipped. He refrained from sharing further plot details but noted that Chad is emotionally drained after the events of previous films. “He has been through it and is not really game emotionally for getting back into it,” Gooding said, according to People.

The actor compared the infection to something out of a video game, saying, “There are certain illnesses that have those names that sound like they belong in the Oregon Trail PC game. This felt like one of ’em.”

While the illness made filming physically gruelling, Gooding said he ultimately recovered, according to People. “But here I am. I survived. I lost a bunch of weight. It was really unfortunate. But also, again, I think it added to Chad’s demeanor. So you take the good with the bad,” he added, according to People. (ANI)