For Emmy Rossum, all good things must come to an end.
In fact, one incredible thing already has:
The actress is finished filming Shameless.
In a stunning Facebook post Rossum shared on Thursday afternoon, the Golden Globe nominee explained her decision to leave this Showtime hit after nine seasons.
(Season 9, which will be comprised of two halves and 14 episodes, premieres on Sunday, September 9.)
Rossum thanked the cast and thanked the crew and said she knew the moment she read the first script that she wanted to play a woman as “resourceful, loyal and brave” as Fiona Gallagher.
“The opportunity to play Fiona has been a gift,” Rossum wrote, adding:
“There are few characters – female or otherwise – as layered and dynamic.
“She is a mother lion, fierce, flawed and sexually liberated. She is injured, vulnerable, but will never give up. She is living in an economic depression, but refuses to be depressed. She is resourceful.
“She is loyal. She is brave. I knew it the second I read the pilot script, this was different, this was special…
“Quite simply, the last eight years have been the best of my life.”
Technically, Rossum did not come directly out and say she was done with the series — but now Showtime has done that for her.
“We were saddened when Emmy Rossum let us know that the upcoming ninth season of Shameless would be her last,” Showtime Networks President of Programming Gary Levine said in a statement this evening.
He added:
“But we are filled with an overwhelming sense of joy and gratitude for Emmy’s inspired work on our series, of course in front of the camera but also behind it.
“Fiona Gallagher will always be one of Showtime’s iconic characters, and we applaud Emmy for bringing this character to life in such a natural, touching and fearless performance.
“On behalf of everyone at Showtime and her millions of fans, we thank you Emmy!”
Fiona basically served as the matriarch of the Gallagher household, due to the drinking problems and general behavioral problems of William H. Macy’s Frank.
As for why Rossum made this decision, she said the following to Entertainment Weekly in a follow-up interview:
I will never be saying goodbye to Fiona.
Fiona is a part of me and has been like every character is a part of you and you are a little bit part of them.
My Shameless family is really my second family and I’ve spent so much time with them – 10,000 hours – that it really feels like we’ve all grown up together.
I started on the show when I was 23 and now I’m not. [Laughs.] And it’s a wonderful, wonderful amount of time and I feel incredibly proud of everything we have created.
I’m just filled with gratitude for everyone’s hard work.
It sounds like it was simply time for Rossum to leave.
Nine seasons and 100-plus episodes is a very long time on a series, especially when you’re the lead.
This is how Rossum wrapped up her emotional Facebook post:
I can say for certain that this cast and crew, who I’ve been have truly honored to work alongside, are world class. I am proud and I’m filled with gratitude.
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.
With love, always.