Emmy Rossum has dispelled a common misconception surrounding her departure from the acclaimed Showtime series "Shameless," stating that her exit was not related to starting a family.
"That could not be further from the truth," Rossum said during a recent appearance on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast. She explained that after nine seasons portraying Fiona Gallagher from 2011 to 2019, she chose to leave to focus on developing and producing her own shows.
Rossum, 39, launched her production company, Composition 8, in 2019 and had already begun working on the one-season drama "Angelyne," which premiered in 2022, when she received an offer for two additional years on "Shameless." She stated, "I wanted to stay in the job. I loved the job."
However, she felt compelled to move forward with her independent career ambitions. "I wasn’t walking away from the job. I loved the job until it felt like there wasn’t enough juice to squeeze out of the lemon," Rossum elaborated, adding that she felt "beholden" to pursue her own projects.
The actress described leaving "Shameless" with "a lot of grief and sorrow," as she would miss her co-stars but was also "really excited" about embarking on a new chapter in her career. The series, created by Paul Abbott and also starring William H. Macy and Jeremy Allen White, concluded in 2021 after 11 seasons.
Rossum, who married Sam Esmail in 2017, welcomed their first child, a daughter named May, in 2021. The couple also welcomed a son in 2023.
She also shared details about her fertility journey, including her diagnosis with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), a condition that can affect hormone levels and lead to infertility. Rossum explained that after facing challenges with natural conception, IVF was successful. She also reflected on the emotional experience of carrying her daughter and the subsequent vulnerability after childbirth.