Emma Kenney was cast as Debbie Gallagher in Showtime's Shameless when she was only 11 years old, and ever since then, fans of the award-winning series have gotten to see her grow up into a talented and beautiful actress.
Debbie is one of Shameless' most controversial and disliked characters, but critics and viewers alike admit that their hatred towards Frank Gallagher's youngest daughter is a testament to how well Emma plays the role. While the Gallagher family often opts to take shortcuts in life and do as little as possible to get by, Emma has been working hard to earn her place in Hollywood for over a decade and barely resembles Debbie in real life. These fascinating facts about Emma Kenney will undoubtedly change everyone's minds about her.
20 She Started Acting At Age 5
When Emma's parents introduced their toddler to a variety of hobbies and sports such as soccer, ice skating, and gymnastics, they all failed to grab her attention. They then encouraged her to try acting, putting her in improvisational classes at the age of five. Emma instantly had a knack for drama and demonstrated natural talent which led to her getting discovered very quickly.
19 Emma Is Also A Writer And Director
Emma is primarily known for her acting ability, but she's actually a talented and experienced writer, director and producer as well.
As a child, she was regularly invited to play parts in student films at New York University, and got to learn the basics of directing and how movies are produced. She took a keen interest in the filmmaking process, and has now written more than 50 short-film scripts and directed around 20 of them.
18 She Has Several Career Goals That Aren't In The Entertainment Industry
Emma's acting career is still going strong and she has plans to do more behind-the-camera work, but several of her career aspirations may take her out of the entertainment industry entirely in the future. Her long-term ambitions include being a detective or running an animal shelter, and she also hopes to attend college.
"So many options, so little time," she told Backstage.
17 Emma Used To Have A Crush On Her Onscreen Brother
When Shameless first started filming in 2010, Emma actually had a big crush on Jeremy Allen White, who plays her older brother Lip on the show. She admitted in a 2014 interview that she could barely speak to him without blushing, which undoubtedly made scenes between the two Gallagher siblings difficult to film.
16 The Gallaghers Aren't Her Only Dysfunctional TV Family
Emma Kenney is best known for being a member of William H. Macy's chaotic clan on Shameless, but the Gallaghers aren't her only dysfunctional onscreen family. In 2018, she appeared in the Roseanne revival series as the titular character's granddaughter, Harris Conner-Healy. The revival was canceled after one season, but when a spin-off called The Conners was created, she was invited back as a series regular to reprise her role.
15 She's A Pescatarian
Emma hates the idea of eating animals, and has said in several interviews that she'd be completely vegan if not for the anemia which makes it difficult for her to keep her iron levels up. That's why she's a pescatarian, or someone who refrains from eating most meat but still eats fish.
14 Emma Embraces The Fact That Everyone Hates Debbie
Emma Kenney isn't oblivious to the fact that many Shameless fans absolutely loathe Debbie, and has admitted that she occasionally feels the same way. Making Debbie the most annoying teen on TV is something she was actually aiming for, and she once proudly posed in front of a sidewalk chalk message which stated "Debbie Gallagher the worst character on Shameless."
13 She's Entirely Self-Motivated
Many child stars are forced into show business by their parents, but Emma's parents actually had no experience with the entertainment industry and simply allowed their daughter to pursue her own dreams. Emma believes that not having typical stage parents was a major factor in her continued love for acting throughout her childhood.
"If you put pressure on your kids to book every audition, they won't enjoy it anymore, and they won't book it either," she told Backstage. "Also, if they don't want to go to an audition, they shouldn't be forced to go. They have to want to do it."
12 She's Been Treated For Anxiety And Depression
In 2018, Emma entered treatment to help her with anxiety and depression, among other undisclosed substance use.
"I was running with a really fast crowd. I was being naive and very immature, and I was doing things I should not be doing because it was illegal and I’m not 21. It wasn’t healthy, and it was making me feel even worse," she admitted in a statement. "It was just a slippery slope that I did not want to go down. And I knew that I needed to stop it."
11 Stress Forced Her To Take A Break From Social Media
While Emma was trying to focus on becoming "the healthiest, best Emma that I can be", she told her numerous fans on Twitter that she was going to be taking a much-needed break from social media.
"Hello & goodbye (for a bit). I've decided to take a break from social media and LA for a minute," she tweeted. "This sounds so cliche but this town/industry can really get to you. Going to re-find my peace happiness."
