Why did Emmy Rossum leave Shameless?

Emmy Rossum took an exit from Shameless due to reported contractual issues. As per reports, Rossum was being paid less than co-star William H. Macy, despite both contractually receiving equal billing.

American actress, singer, and director Emmy Rossum is a well-known name in the Hollywood industry. She has worked in various movies and TV shows, but the one project that brought her immense fame was the 2011 released American comedy-drama show, Shameless. In the show, Emmy Rossum played the protagonist, Fiona Gallagher, the feisty, street-smart eldest Gallagher sibling, who is the indirect mother figure to the rest of her siblings, due to her parents Frank and Monica being neglectful in parenting.

The show Shameless was developed by John Wells and was based on Paul Abbott's British series of the same name. The show ran for 11 seasons and finally came to an end on April 11, 2021. As per the records, Shameless became the longest-running original scripted series in Showtime's history.

When did Emmy Rossum leave Shameless?

Emmy Rossum, who played the fans’ beloved character Fiona Gallagher, left everyone shocked after she revealed that she was not returning as the character for season 9. Emmy Rossum broke the news of her exiting the show through a Facebook post. Her heartfelt note read, “The opportunity to play Fiona has been a gift. There are few characters — female or otherwise — as layered and dynamic. She is a mother lion, fierce, flawed, and sexually liberated. She is injured, and vulnerable, but will never give up. She is living in an economic depression but refuses to be depressed. She is resourceful. She is loyal. She is brave. I knew it the second I read the pilot script, this was different, this was special.”

She also added, "I know you will continue on without me, for now. There is much more Gallagher's story to be told. I will always be rooting for my family. Try not to think of me as gone, just think of me as moving down the block.”

Was Emmy Rossum not paid equally as William H. Macy?

The reports by Variety claimed that Rossum was not being paid equally as her co-star William H. Macy, who played the role of her father, Frank on the show. The reports also added that although she was not being paid the same, their contract showed that they were receiving equal billing.

The reports by Variety further claimed that Rossum not only demanded equal pay but also an increased salary to compensate for years of unjust pay. It is to be noted that there is no official statement on this either by the makers or by Emmy Rossum. The actress is yet to open up on these reported allegations on the makers of the show. Although her goodbye note to the show gave more of a message about her wanting to move on from the character and find a different opportunity, only Rossum knows what she actually feels.

What is Emmy Rossum up to now?

Emmy Rossum was last seen in Apple TV+’s The Crowded Room. The 10 episodes mini-series was created by Akiva Goldsman and was based on the 1981 non-fiction novel The Minds of Billy Milligan by Daniel Keyes. The show first premiered on June 9, 2023, and starred stars such as Tom Holland, Amanda Seyfried, Sasha Lane, Will Chase, Lior Raz, Laila Robins, and Henry Eikenberry, along with Emmy Rossum.