'Shameless' Actress Says Set Became ‘More Positive’ After Emmy Rossum’s Departure

There is clearly NO shame in this “Shameless” star’s game.

A series regular on the show just revealed that acting alongside Emmy Rossum, who played the role of Fiona Gallagher, wasn’t as great as it could’ve been.

The “Phantom of the Opera” actress played the role of Fiona, the glue that kind of, sort of kept the family together. However, their father Frank, played by William H. Macy, always found a way to ruin anything and everything good.

Fiona’s role was to take care of the rest of the Gallagher clan which consisted of ‘Lip’ (Jeremy Allen White), Ian (Cameron Monaghan), Debbie (Emma Kenney), Carl (Ethan Cutkosky), and Liam (Christian Isaiah).

Despite the on-screen chemistry and familial feel this dysfunctional family exuded, it appears things weren’t as hunky dory behind the scenes.

Emma Kenney, aka Debbie Gallagher, started on the show at just nine-years-old, she’s 22 now.

She recently paid a visit to the “Call Her Daddy” podcast to spill some tea about the show.

Kenney also noted that her and Rossum had a sisterly relationship in both good and bad ways. She said that when Rossum parted ways with the series it “was weird at first for sure.”

However, she noticed a shift in the vibe after Rossum left, and it was a much better, less tense vibe!

She told the show’s host, Alex Cooper, “the set became more of a positive place.”

Prior to Rossum leaving, Kenney revealed, “I’d go to set some days and I’d be very anxious having a scene with her because if she had a bad day, she made it a bad day for everybody.”

Rossum left the series in 2018 after starring on the show for nine seasons.

She announced her departure on social media calling the show a “gift” and that she wasn’t leaving, but rather, “just think of me as moving down the block.”

Rossum posted to Facebook, “The opportunity to play Fiona has been a gift. There are few characters — female or otherwise — as layered and dynamic. 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.”

While her social media announcement was sentimental, things behind the scenes, (once again), seemed a bit sour.

According to reports, two years prior to her official departure, she had asked to be compensated the same as her co-star Macy.

Variety reported that she was asking for MORE money than Macy to “make up for previous seasons where she was making significantly less than him.”