Emmy Rossum Leaving Shameless: ‘Try Not to Think of Me as Gone,’ She Writes in Emotional Letter to Fans
Shameless hasn’t even returned for its ninth season on Showtime, but star Emmy Rossum is already looking to the series’ future — one that does not include her. Rossum, who has played Fiona Gallagher since the show premiered in 2011, took to Facebook on Thursday to write a goodbye letter to the show’s devoted fans.
“The opportunity to play Fiona has been a gift,” Rossum writes. “There are few characters — female or otherwise — as layered and dynamic. She is a mother lion, fierce, flawed and sexually liberated. She is injured, 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. … Quite simply, the last eight years have been the best of my life.”
But it’s the end of Rossum’s love letter to the show — and to Fiona — that fans found most troubling: “I know you will continue on without me, for now,” she writes. “There is much more Gallagher 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.” Showtime has since confirmed that Rossum is leaving the show.
As previously reported, Shameless‘ expanded ninth season — which premieres on Sunday, Sept. 9 at 9/8c — will air in two separate parts. The first seven episodes will conclude with a midseason finale on Oct. 21, with the remaining seven episodes rolling out on Jan. 20, 2019. Season 9 guest stars include Katey Sagal and Courteney Cox.
Can you imagine Shameless continuing without Rossum as Fiona? Or do you think the show’s upcoming ninth season should be its last? Whatever your thoughts on the matter, drop ’em in a comment below.
Welp, Fiona is my favorite. If she is really leaving, bring back Jimmy/Steve!
Right?! I miss Jimmy/Steve and feel like she needs closure before she signs off.
I knew that was going to happen. I feel like she was ready to leave like 2 seasons ago. I love, but I’ll continue watch I love just about all of the characters on the show. It is a shame that she hasn’t been recognized once for the show. Season 4 when she spiraled out of control and started using drugs and went to jail. She should’ve won an Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG and everything else she could’ve one. That was amazing acting. She’ll be missed.
Completely agree 100%. Emmy, Golden Glode and SAG awards should be EMBARRASSED for not recognizing Emmy Rossum that year. She was phenomenal and I was blown away by just how outstanding she was that year.
Yes I totally agree. I have no idea why she has been constantly overlooked!
There is no chance that I would watch shameless without Fiona.
Show shoulda ended two seasons ago. The past two seasons have been god awful.
Agree, show was kind of “yes we are family” and we can be wrong…dirty… but we have something! Last two seasons is like… “cut my fingers…pee on face….nothing more” pity :(
I thought the 8th season was one of the series best, and that was mostly because of Fiona/Emmy. It’ll be weird not to have Fiona around, but I always thought that she was meant for more.
I thought Lip was given great material to watch his character transcend into a leader and a vocal piece for his family and himself. I will miss Fiona, but I will wait till the 9th season airs and completes before knowing how I’ll really feel. I feel like this has been a long time coming and her growth as a character needs this. She can only succeed if she is able to spread her wings and move on.
It’s been a great ride, time to end it, I love the series, wrap it up and let the family grow up.
There may be more Gallagher stories to tell, but without Fiona, who will really care?
I don’t think the show can work without her, she’s such an integral character to the show. I’d rather have the series end than for her to leave. 9 seasons is a very good run!
Same here. She’s the core of the show. Let it end.
Same!!
I want to see what they do for a potential season 10. I think what they did for Lip in season 8 is setting him up to be the new ‘Fiona’. Also it would be interesting to see how the Gallagher’s function without the true Matriarch. They have to do a season to see if it is for the good of her and the family or if the family falls like dominoes.
Unfortunately, Lip will never be Fiona. Even though he has made great strides and been sober a while, as an addict, he will always be self-absorbed. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t love his family— he does. But he just doesn’t have the selflessness and motherly nature that Fiona has. He will have to stay constantly vigilant, for every day of his life, that he cannot pick up another drink. This is why his main focus will always have to be his alcoholism first, and his siblings, work, second and third. Plus Fiona was always the glue that kept the family together- it will be hard to have more seasons without her and now without Ian. Although it would have been much easier to have let go of Ian’s character if Fiona was going to stay- he was much less integral. Plus, his story lines for season 7 and 8 were pretty much garbage. I.e- fighting Fiona for the church and then becoming gay Jesus. I mean really? Just because he has bipolar disorder doesn’t mean he has to have these ridiculous, filler, story lines… bad writing.
As much as this is an ensemble cast, Fiona is the one character the show absolutely cannot survive without. She is what brings the rest of the characters together, and her stories have almost always been the primary focus. If she is walking away, I would hope the show ends.
Adore the show, but Fiona is the true heart of it, and I think that if she decides to leave they should wrap it up
Agree if she leaves it is time to end the show. It has had a great run but she is the glue that holds the family together.
I think Fiona is the centre of gravity of this series.
So the serial without her may not be exciting as much as previous seasons.
I just binged at her the entire show for the first time over the summer and fell in love with it and while I am sure they can come up with many ways to continue the show, Fiona is the heart of the show. I don’t think I want to watch a show without Fiona/Emmy Rossum even if I still enjoy many of the ensemble characters.
Last season was just ridiculous fun but nothing really moved forward storywise so I’m okay with a wrap up season and be done with it.
I agree. I hope they wrap up the nonsense with Carl and his crazy wife (hopefully by getting rid of her), and just wrap up everything.
Fiona is one of my favorites I hope she dont leave I love the show .dont know what it will be like with out her.please dont leave shameless great show please bring back all the other characters mikey Jimmy Karen shelia stefania sammy Sammy’s son and more
WHAT SHE SAID!!!!!
Fiona is the heart of the show. She’s been the rock all these years keeping everyone together. Without her, I cant see it going on much longer. The writers need to start planning for a final conclusion now and have that in place in case it doesn’t get any renewal after this news, give us fans closure to the story.
I guess we should think of her, think of her fondly, when we’ve said goodbye.
Loved her in the Phantom movie.
No Fiona, so show.
Ugh!!!
I ment no Fiona, no show.
At least most of the Gallagher’s have stuck around for as long as they have. In the UK version most of the Gallagher’s had departed by season 5 lol.
Exactly what I was thinking.
Shameless has so many great actors it will continue on
Of course it’s a shame to hear that Emmy will be gone after the 9th season all good things must come to an end. The remaining cast is truly in my opinion able to carry on!
I am so sure we will see more of Emmy and I wish her well❤️❤️
Agreed
I hope they bring heher back even if it’s just sometimes that is good enoughfor me
Agreed. i think Debbie is really captivating. She can carry a storyline. All of her ups and downs were very interesting. Getting Attention Boys; getting pregnant; dealing with custody; dealing with being broke mom; dealing with getting job and education as a young mom; and freedom and sense of sexuality. Man most of Debbie’s drama carried the true grit of the show. Difficulties growing up with very little. Many of these lines carry more weight than Fiona’s in the past. I think we can carry on.
I really wished that season 9 would be its last. Fiona could be leaving because so far shameless is about a messed up family, and right now Fiona is really looking like she’s getting everything together and having a stable future. I really wish everyone follows because I want the best for all of them, especially Ian and Lip.
As much as I love Emmy, I think it would be interesting to see the family try to deal without Fiona to steer them.
I don’t know how long that would work, but I’d definitely give it a shot.
Please don’t kill Fiona off.
Bye, Felicia
If the Connors can survive without Rosanne the Gallahgers can survive without Fiona
End the show. 9 seasons have been enough.
Wow!! Emmy Rossum’s role on “Shameless” is paramount to the future of the Series. Losing her and/or William H. Macy will certainly doom the series. It has been an awesome run and I look forward to the remaining episodes hoping she will have a change of heart, but like all great shows, there’s always an end. Best of luck to a great actress.
I feel like the show could continue without Frank, but definitely not Fiona. She is so integral given that she’s the heart of the show. Frank is the foil, but they could always find other characters to act as antagonists. I think I would give it one more season without Fiona to see how the family deals, but honestly, without her, I’m not sure if I’d be interested. Would love for her to stick around, but Emmy is so talented and I understand her desire to move on to different opportunities.
I hope this network and these showrunners LOOK at all other shows that attempted to go on without their lead (The Vampire Diaries, Nashville, to name a few) and see that they never go beyond 1 extra season and the show gets ruined by the departure. I hope they are smart enough to quit while they are ahead, be grateful for the amazing work (and money) they made and let it end properly, WITH Fiona. She is the heart of the show and it would not make sense for her character to leave her family at this point in the story. Unless they kill her. (please don’t do that. Please.)
Yes. End it. Just like Big Bang Theory decided not to move on without Jim Parsons. It doesn’t work.
The original version of Shameless lost its Fiona by Season Two. And all of the Gallaghers (except Frank) left by halfway of the series. And they were still went on until Season Eleven
I didn’t watch that version…All I know is that this version was very much built around her character. And when you remove that character from a show, it has no choice but to shift. They always end up adding new characters to try to fill the void. Not to mention how on earth they would write her out…she had the chance to leave town and have her own life before, she never took it. No matter how old the others get, they still need her. They should honor the show and how far it went by ending it properly and doing those characters justice. It won’t last more than a season without her.