The Gallagher family is saying goodbye to its leading lady after star Emmy Rossum who plays Fiona Gallagher (the big sister who takes care of her siblings in absence of her parents), has announced her departure from the show. Season nine of the show is currently being filmed as we speak, but going forward the scripts will have to be changed to exclude Emmy.
The 31-year-old actress took to Facebook to share a lengthy message explaining her departure, with nothing but positive words about the cast, crew and everything she's learned. "It’s a hard thing to put into words, feelings. But I’m going to try," she wrote. "This business is always an adventure, full of travel and opportunities to tell stories. Usually as an actor, every few months, you travel to a new place, start a new project, build a new character, learn new rhythms, new inside jokes with your crew, make new friends."
She detailed how she never knew how much she craved the community, and how her cast has turned into family sine being present for a lot of real-life milestones like weddings, getting a drivers license, learning to shave and more. "This kind of stability, this family, has nurtured me and made feel safe enough to stretch and grow creatively. The way John Wells has shepherded me as an actress, and more recently how he’s encouraged me wholeheartedly as a director and a writer, has been an honor and a privilege," she added.
She ended her note with: "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."
Read in full below.