Why Emmy Rossum Left Shameless After Season 9

Shameless was an irreverent comedy that ran on Showtime for 11 seasons and starred Emmy Rossum as overworked Fiona Gallagher until season 9 — but why did Fiona leave Shameless? Ending in 2021, the final two seasons of Shameless were missing an integral character. Fiona quickly showed herself to be the main protagonist and level-headed protector of the rest of the Gallagher family from the very beginning of the series. When Fiona was introduced, she was shown as a caretaker for her five siblings and alcoholic father, Frank (William H. Macy). It seemed like Shameless would potentially struggle without Rossum as Fiona, but there were reasons for this major change.