Wie Emmy Rossum nun in einem offenen Brief an die Fans von Shameless bekannt gegeben hat, wird sie das Erfolgsformat, in dem sie Fiona spielt, verlassen. Auf Facebook schrieb sie: „I know you will continue on without me, for now. 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.“

Gary Levine, seines Zeichens Programmchef von Showtime, bestätigte Rossums Rücktritt: „We were saddened when Emmy Rossum let us know that the upcoming ninth season of ‘Shameless’ would be her last,” Levine said. “But we are filled with an overwhelming sense of joy and gratitude for Emmy’s inspired work on our series, of course in front of the camera but also behind it. Fiona Gallagher will always be one of Showtime’s iconic characters, and we applaud Emmy for bringing this character to life in such a natural, touching and fearless performance. On behalf of everyone at Showtime and her millions of fans, we thank you Emmy!“

Die nunmehr 9. Staffel von Shameless wird am 9. September ihre Premiere feiern. Nachdem Rossum ihren Vertrag im Jahre 2016 nach einem Gehaltsstreit mit Warner Bros. Television, die die Serie produziert, um ein Jahr verlängerte, nachdem sie versuchte, dem Gehaltsgefälle zwischen ihr und William H. Macy, der in der Serie ihren Vater verkörpert, Einhalt zu gewähren.

In ihrem Brief schrieb Rossum außerdem: „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, 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.“

Was sagt ihr zu Rossums Austritt?