Why Jane Levy Left ‘Shameless’ After Season 1
An adaptation of a British series of the same name, Shameless ran on Showtime for 11 seasons from 2011 to 2021. As a result, the show became the longest-running scripted series in the network’s history. But early on, Shameless faced a major blow as Jane Levy exited the series after just five episodes in season 1. Here’s why the actor walked away from the show so early, and what she went on to do after.
Who Jane Levy played in ‘Shameless’ Season 1
Led by William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum, Shameless centers on the dysfunctional Gallagher family. The series went on to earn not only a loyal fan base but also tons of awards attention and critical praise. In her brief time on the show, Levy originated the character of Mandy Milkovich. Mandy is a love interest of Lip Gallagher (Jeremy Allen White) and a friend of his brother, Ian (Cameron Monaghan).
Upon Levy’s exit, Emma Greenwell stepped in to play the role in a recurring capacity for season 2. She then became a main cast member for seasons 3 and 4 before returning to guest star status for seasons 5 and 6. Much like Levy, Greenwell was a relative newcomer to acting when she joined the show. From 2016 to 2018, she starred in The Path and, in 2019, led the Starz miniseries The Rook.
Why the actor left the Showtime series so soon
Actors often have to make difficult decisions to keep their careers going strong. And in Levy’s case, she left Shameless for the chance to lead her own series, according to BuzzFeed. The actor starred as Tessa Altman for three seasons on the ABC sitcom Suburgatory from 2011 to 2014. And though it didn’t last nearly as long as Shameless, Levy has stayed remarkably busy.
The year before Suburgatory ended, Levy starred in the Evil Dead reboot and landed other high-profile movie roles in Don’t Breathe, Monster Trucks, and I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore. She’s also appeared on shows such as Kroll Show, Twin Peaks, Castle Rock, and What/If, with the latter two featuring Levy as part of the series’ main cast.
Jane Levy found success elsewhere
Perhaps Levy’s most popular TV role since Shameless is Zoey Clarke in NBC’s musical comedy-drama series, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. On the show, Levy plays a software developer who, after an earthquake occurs while she’s getting an MRI, develops the ability to hear the inner thoughts of the people around her in the form of songs.
Debuting in early 2020, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist ran for two seasons before NBC canceled it. The show also starred Skylar Astin, Alex Newell, John Clarence Stewart, Mary Steenburgen, and Peter Gallagher. It received a bit of closure when The Roku Channel ordered a holiday movie, Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas, which premiered during the 2021 holiday season.
