‘Shameless’: Did Emmy Rossum Respond to the Series Finale?
After a little more than a decade, the Showtime dramedy Shameless came to an end with season 11. Reactions to the series finale were mixed, with some viewers disappointed that former star Emmy Rossum didn’t return. How did the actor respond to the ending of her hit show on social media?
Emmy Rossum starred in ‘Shameless’
Though she began acting in the ’90s, Rossum rose to prominence in the ’00s with films like The Day After Tomorrow and The Phantom of the Opera. She was then cast in her own TV series. Shameless is an adaptation of the British series of the same name, about a dysfunctional family, the Gallaghers.
In the U.S. version, the Gallaghers live on the south side of Chicago. Their mother, Monica, split years ago, and their father, Frank, is rarely around, so 20-something Fiona takes care of her younger brothers, Lip, Ian, Carl, and Liam, and sister, Debbie. But they struggle to make ends meet.
She left the show with season 9
Rossum spent the better part of a decade portraying Fiona, as the character went through various careers and trials in her life. Though she made plenty of bad choices, she eventually had an investment go right and used that money to start over in another state, leaving her family.
“The opportunity to play Fiona has been a gift,” Rossum wrote in a lengthy farewell to the show and her character. “The last eight years have been the best of my life,” she added, telling fans, “There is much more Gallagher story to be told. I will always be rooting for my family.”
The ‘Shameless’ creator addressed her absence in the series finale
Despite occasional references to Fiona, the Gallaghers continued to truck along for the last two seasons of Shameless. Many fans hoped that the character would reappear in the final season — specifically the series finale. But despite the best efforts of those behind-the-scenes, it didn’t transpire.
“Emmy and I had a lot of conversations about it, trying to make it work,” creator John Wells told Entertainment Weekly. Despite its setting, the series filmed primarily in Los Angeles, while Rossum lives in New York. “It’s with a great deal of regret that we couldn’t do it but it’s just more minor casualty of our year of COVID.”
Rossum mentioned ‘Shameless’ the day the finale aired
A few days before the final Shamless episode aired, Rossum shared her own announcement: Her dog, Cinnamon, died. “Cinnamon was loved by Emmy and Sam, by his brother Sugar and his sisters Pepper and Fiona,” she wrote on Instagram, referring to herself, her husband, and all of their pets.
The day the finale aired, Rossum shared more photos of Cinnamon and her other animals for National Pet Day. One pic was of Rossum and her cat named for her character. “Fiona the cat from Chicago,” she wrote. “Got her season 1 of Shameless. She was living under the Gallagher house. Loves to watch TV together.”
