Emmy Rossum's exit from Shameless was a major turning point. It was received with mixed reactions by the cast. Jeremy Allen White was saddened by Rossum's departure, while Emma Kenney would reveal that she didn't always have the easiest time alongside Rossum.
In the following, we'll take a closer look at how William H. Macy felt about Rossum's decision to leave the show. We're also going to take a look back at season 8, and why Emmy Rossum almost left the show. It turns out that negotiations took a bumpy twist after the actress demanded equal pay to Macy. Credit to the actor who addressed the situation, and gave the best possible response towards his co-star for nine seasons.
We'll wrap things up by looking at Rossum's final post about her time on the series.
William H. Macy Praised Emmy Rossum For Her Shameless Exit, Agreeing With Her Decision
Airing 11 seasons and 134 episodes, Shameless was a major hit for Showtime. Emmy Rossum was a major part of the success, as she thrived in her role as Fiona Gallagher. Fans would've loved for the actress to have remained onboard until the very end, but she made the decision to leave after nine seasons.
Co-stars had mixed reaction towards her departure, however, William H. Macy had nothing but praise, understanding why his co-star was moving on.
"We've been expecting it. I tell you, when you get to season 9 and you think of [whether] to keep going, it's daunting. It's hard not to think of: ‘What would my life be post-Shameless?' And part of it is very frightening and part of it is very exciting."
Macy would go on to reveal that Rossum was going to be just fine, given her future plans. "She's got another show that she's an executive producer on, so she's going right into something and she wants to branch out," he adds. "Plus, she just got married. I wish her well. I can't wait to see what she's going to do next."
Things got a little bumpy for Rossum prior to season 8. The actress wasn't pleased with pay on the show given that she was the main character, and making less than William H. Macy.
William H. Macy Completely Understood Why Emmy Rossum Took Exception To Her Salary On The Series
Prior to the start of season 8, things were stalling behind the scenes between Emmy Rossum and the network. Rossum took exception to her pay inequality, given that William H. Macy was bringing in a higher salary.
A deal was finally met, and William H. Macy didn't have to address the controversy. However, the actor took the classy road, making mention that Rossum was completely right with her request given her talent and amount of responsibility on the series.
“It’s a no-brainer,” the actor told PEOPLE Now. “It’s just sort of obvious. Emmy is in most of the scenes, she works harder than anybody else, she’s a brilliant actress. She’s the glue of the cast.”
Macy also understood the other side of it as well, when it comes to the business aspect of it all.
“I love working for Showtime and [showrunner] John Wells,” said Macy. “Let’s just be honest about this — it’s their job to get the actors for as inexpensively as possible, and it was a healthy go-around.”
“They’re great men and women that I work for, and they do the right thing,” he continued. “It’s like Churchill said of America. ‘You can count on America to do the right thing, but only after exhausting every other possibility.’ ”
Rossum would stay onboard for two more seasons, and ended up leaving the show on a positive note.
Emmy Rossum Made A Graceful Exit From Shameless And Thanked Her Co-Stars
Rossum admitted that her decision to leave the show wasn't a hard one, but she was still very appreciative as to what the role did for her career. Rossum also thanked her Shameless family during her farewell message.
She wrote, "Being ensconced in that messy Gallagher family love is something I'd always dreamed of. But even off set, it feels real. We've watched the kids grow up into the strong, talented, independent human beings that they are. I taught Emma to shave her legs. I was there when Ethan learned to drive. Shanola and Jeremy and Joan and Bill danced at my wedding in New York last year."
She continues, "Our fearless leader John Wells thankfully held Sam and me up on those rickety chairs during the hora. I've spent the Jewish holy days in temple with David Nevins and his wonderful wife and kids. It really feels like a family."
Fans can still enjoy the many reruns, however, there are no plans at the moment for a future revival of the series.
