The cast of “Shameless”: Where are they now?
After 11 seasons of dysfunction and chaos, see what the Gallagher family has been up to since the Showtime series ended in 2021.
You can't choose your family, but you can write an Emmy award-winning TV show loosely based on them. Created by Paul Abbott, Shameless is a semi-autobiographical series originally developed for British television. It was later adapted for American audiences by John Wells (ER, The West Wing) in 2011, and went on to become Showtime's longest-running scripted program with 11 seasons.
Set in the south side of Chicago, this raucous and raunchy comedy centers around the Gallaghers, a family that doesn't pull any punches (but often throws a few). Struggling to stay afloat, they put the fun in dysfunctional with no shortage of brazen antics involving drugs, sex, and money troubles. William H. Macy received six Emmy nominations for his role as alcoholic patriarch Frank, while Joan Cusack racked up four nods and one win in 2015 for her turn as the well-meaning but emotionally challenged Sheila.
After a successful 10-year stint on the air, the show came to a close in 2021, but if you're curious as to how the Gallaghers have been getting their kicks since then, take a look below at EW's follow-up with the cast of Shameless to see where they are now.
William H. Macy (Frank Gallagher)
While most people try to make their mark in the world, Frank Gallagher leaves a stain. He can hold down his liquor but not a job, and though he's the patriarch of the family, he puts the "issues" in daddy issues.
Before becoming the bloodshot boozehound on Shameless, Oscar nominee William H. Macy already had a prolific career, starring in major films like Fargo (1996) Boogie Nights (1997), Air Force One (1997), Pleasantville (1998), Jurassic Park III (2001), and Seabiscuit (2003). Magnolia (1999) saw him acting alongside his wife, Felicity Huffman, who is best known for playing Lynette in Desperate Housewives and was embroiled in the "Operation Varsity Blues" admissions scandal.
Some of his other projects overlapped with fellow Shameless creatives, such as It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002) with costar Joan Cusack and a previous collaboration with producer John Wells when Macy played Dr. David Morgenstern for several seasons on ER.
Since wrapping Shameless in 2021, Macy — who has 15 Emmy nominations and has won twice — has starred as an almost unrecognizably bald man named Richard Fuisz in the Hulu show The Dropout (2022), based on the real-life rise and fall of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. He also filmed an under-the-radar rom-com called Maybe I Do with Diane Keaton, Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, and Emma Roberts released in 2023. Fans of downtrodden families will be pleased to learn he's also been a recurring guest star on The Conners, which features several former Gallaghers, so it's like a pseudo-family reunion.
Emmy Rossum (Fiona Gallagher)
Fiona is like the glue of the Gallaghers: She holds things together and can sometimes get you high. As the eldest sibling with an estranged mother and a selfish deadbeat father, Emmy Rossum's character is tasked with raising the family while also raising hell and battling her own personal demons.
Before this role, Rossum got her creative start as a young singer in the Metropolitan Opera, which opened doors for subsequent acting opportunities in several TV movies, including playing the child version of Audrey Hepburn in The Audrey Hepburn Story (2000) led by Jennifer Love Hewitt. Her breakout role came with Mystic River (2003) as Sean Penn's murdered teenage daughter, followed by disaster flicks The Day After Tomorrow (2004) and Poseidon (2006). She also beat out several well-known actresses to play Christine in the film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Weber's musical The Phantom of the Opera (2004).
After leaving Shameless behind at the close of its ninth season in 2019, Rossum went on to play the iconic busty blond billboard queen in the Peacock limited series Angelyne, followed by a role in Apple TV+'s The Crowded Room.
Rossum has been married to Mr. Robot showrunner Sam Esmail since 2017. They share two children.
Jeremy Allen White (Phillip "Lip" Gallagher)
The second eldest sibling — and arguably the smartest — Lip is not immune from the Gallagher gene of being self-destructive. In spite of his intelligence, he is pugnacious and often lands in hot water (even when it's shut off because they haven't paid the bill). Lip was actor Jeremy Allen White's first major role after minor appearances on Law & Order, having landed the Showtime gig just after graduating high school.
White is one of three Shameless stars to appear in the Amazon series Homecoming. He also went on to act in the films After Everything (2018) and The Rental (2020), and Fingernails (2023). But he's garnered the most buzz for playing chef Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto on FX's acclaimed series The Bear, winning a Golden Globe and SAG Award, plus a pending Emmy nomination in the process. You can catch him next in the upcoming A24 wrestling drama The Iron Claw opposite Zac Efron and Harris Dickinson.
White married actress Addison Timlin in 2018, though she filed for divorce in 2023. The couple shares two daughters.
Joan Cusack (Sheila Jackson)
Joan Cusack's Emmy award-winning portrayal of Sheila, the agoraphobic dominatrix with disability checks, almost never came to be. The role was originally cast with Allison Janney, but due to scheduling issues, she was unable to continue after appearing in the pilot. Still, Chicago-native Cusack more than brought the part justice, becoming a fan favorite throughout the series' decade-long run.
Cusack's massive career began in the '80s with a small role in Sixteen Candles (1984) before settling into the cast of Saturday Night Live in 1985. She later received Academy Award nominations for her iconic roles in 1988's Working Girl and 1997's In & Out. Next came Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), followed by light-hearted parts in Addams Family Values (1993) and as the voice of Jessie in Toy Story 2, 3, and 4.
Life after Shameless season 5, when her character departed the story, saw Cusack reuniting with costar Dermot Mulroney in the Hallmark movie The Christmas Train (2017). She's also had roles in The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012), Popstar (2016), Snatched (2017), Instant Family (2018), the beautifully animated Klaus (2019), as well as Netflix's A Series of Unfortunate Events series and the TV show Homecoming.
Cusack shares two sons with her husband Richard Burke, whom she married in 1986. The couple lives in Chicago. She is the older sister of actor John Cusack.
Cameron Monaghan (Ian Gallagher)
Despite technically being Frank's nephew, Ian is still a Gallagher and a central member of the family. Even though his character is prone to questionable choices, Cameron Monaghan's honest portrayal of a gay, bipolar teenager won him much acclaim.
Monaghan first turned heads in the 2003 TV adaptation of The Music Man, appeared in Malcolm in the Middle, and in Adam Sandler's comedy film Click (2006). During his Shameless fame, he starred in the big screen adaptation of The Giver and the film Vampire Academy in 2014. After leaving the role of Ian behind at the series' end, Monaghan notably went on to play the Valeska twins in Gotham, who serve as precursors to the Joker.
Emma Kenney (Debbie Gallagher)
While Fiona often has the final say, Debbie usually has the most gall. Beginning the series as an innocent little red-headed girl, she grows up before the audience's eyes as she navigates being a teen mom, exploring her sexuality, and even welding a car to a dumpster.
Before Shameless, actress Emma Kenney notably appeared in the film Bittersweet (2008) and in an episode of Boardwalk Empire. During her 11-season stint as Debbie, she lent her voice to the animated film Epic (2013) and scored another major role as Harris Conner Healy on the season 10 revival of Roseanne and its spin-off, The Conners, which has been a landing point for several other Shameless stars.
After bidding Debbie farewell, Kenney appeared in the 2022 Western movie Murder at Yellowstone City.
Ethan Cutkosky (Carl Gallagher)
As the second youngest Gallagher child, Carl's character arc would give even Jerri Blank a run for her money. From drug dealing to juvie to military school, he's not just on the struggle bus, he's hijacked it.
Before his time as Carl on Shameless, actor Ethan Cutkosky's first acting credits were in the movies Fred Claus (2007) with Vince Vaughn, The Unborn (2009) with Gary Oldman, and Conviction (2010) with Hilary Swank. Ethan has since appeared in Law & Order: SVU and has also joined The Conners club with his fellow Shameless cast members in a one-off role.
Shanola Hampton (Veronica Fisher)
Neighbor to the Gallaghers and Fiona's best friend, Veronica is smart, sassy, and a freak in the sheets. She eventually becomes a mother with her husband Kevin, though actress Shanola Hampton had crossed paths with costar Steve Howey years prior when she guest starred on the sitcom Reba.
Pre-Shameless, Hampton appeared in the 2010 film You Again. While playing "V" for all 11 seasons, she notably starred in the films Things Never Said (2013) and Through the Glass Darkly (2020). In 2023, she stepped up to lead the NBC drama Found about missing persons with Mark-Paul Gosselaar, where she also serves as a producer.
Hampton married Daren Dukes in 2000. They share two children, a daughter Cai and a son Daren.
Noel Fisher (Mickey Milkovich)
Mickey is a fiery and pernicious thug who serves as Ian's main love interest, and their complicated relationship (beginning with the classic enemies-to-lovers pipeline) is among the most compelling affairs in the show.
Played by Noel Fisher, the actor previously appeared in the 2008 film Red, in the main cast of FX's The Riches, and in the movie that made highways even more terrifying, Final Destination 2 (2003). Twilight fans might recognize him as the icy platinum-blonde vampire Vladimir from Breaking Dawn — Part 2 (2012). He also went on to voice Michelangelo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) and its sequel, Out of the Shadows (2016) before filming a few episodes of Castle Rock and The Conners.
Fisher began dating Canadian actress Layla Alizada in 2004. The couple married in 2017.
Dermot Mulroney (Sean Pierce)
Everyone loves a bad boy, and so does Fiona when she falls for her boss (and eventual husband) Sean in season 5 of Shameless. Unfortunately, his drug addiction screws everything up. Actor Dermot Mulroney is no stranger to on-screen marriages, having previously starred in My Best Friend's Wedding (1997) and The Wedding Date (2005). His other big film credits include Young Guns (1988), The Family Stone (2005), Zodiac (2007), Jobs (2013), August: Osage County (2013), and Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015).
Post-Shameless, Mulroney has kept busy, playing a news anchor in American Horror Story: Cult and appearing in several other TV shows such as New Girl, Homecoming, Arrested Development, The Purge, The Righteous Gemstones, and Hanna. He's recently been on a horror film kick, too, starring in the Sandra Oh movie Umma (2022), The Inhabitant (2022), and the 2023 slasher Scream VI. Next up is a role in the incoming rom-rom Anyone But You starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell.
Mulroney has been married twice, first to actress Catherine Keener from 1990 to 2007, then to Tharita Cesaroni in 2008. He has three children (one with Keener and two with Cesaroni).
Steve Howey (Kevin Ball)
Neighbor and bartender at the Gallagher's favorite watering hole, the Alibi Room, Kevin can't help but get caught in their chaotic gravitational pull. Though more level-headed than the central family, he's still a daft mother f---er (literally). He certainly has enough trouble to deal with on his own, raising twins with no-nonsense momma bear Veronica (and their throuple in later seasons sure doesn't smooth things out).
Actor Steve Howey previously appeared on six seasons of Reba as Van Montgomery followed by a role on FX's Sons of Anarchy. He also starred in DOA: Dead or Alive (2006) and two Kate Hudson movies — Bride Wars (2009) and Something Borrowed (2011) — and played the title character in one of Leslie Nielsen's last spoof movies, Stan Helsing (2009). After wrapping Shameless, Howey surfaced in Netflix's vampire flick Day Shift (2022) and in the TV adaptation of True Lies as Harry Tasker.
Howey married actress Sarah Shahi (The L Word) in 2009. The couple welcomed a son and a set of twins before divorcing in 2021.
Isidora Goreshter (Svetlana Yevgenivna)
This randy Russian sex worker is truly off the rails. Initially hired to "straighten out" Mickey, she later becomes entangled in a love triangle with Kevin and Veronica, and even owns the Alibi Room for a period of time. Initially written as a smaller role, Isidora Goreshter's character became a series regular for several seasons.
In 2013, the same year Goreshter first appeared on Shameless, she could be seen in the films A Leading Man and Paranoia. After leaving Shameless at the end of season 8, the actress booked gigs in Netflix's rom-com Happy Anniversary (2018) and the series Condor.
Justin Chatwin (Jimmy/Steve)
Though he played Fiona's love interest for a few seasons, it wasn't the first time Justin Chatwin and Emmy Rossum shared the screen. The two previously starred together in Dragonball Evolution, the film adaptation of the anime Dragon Ball Z, in 2009 — though Chatwin first gained recognition in the USA miniseries Traffic before starring in Steven Spielberg's retelling of War of the Worlds (2005). He also notably appeared in three episodes of the TV series Weeds.
Since leaving Shameless for good after season 5, Chatwin has worked on the TV series Orphan Black, American Gothic, Doctor Who, and Netflix's Another Life. In 2022, he starred in the Boston-based drama The Walk about segregation in 1974, and will also appear as Jack Reagan in the upcoming biopic Reagan.
Christian Isaiah (Liam Gallagher)
Liam is the youngest Gallagher sibling, and though he's been on the show from the start, he's actually been played by five different people. Since his arc began as a young toddler, two different sets of twins played Liam for the first few seasons before Christian Isaiah was cast in season 8. His character is probably the kid closest to Frank, though they do have their issues, as one of Liam's biggest struggles is coming to terms with being a Gallagher.
In 2017, the same year he started Shameless, Isaiah appeared in one episode of the TV Land series Teachers. He's since played the younger version of Tupac Shakur in Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G. (2018) and the younger version of the late Chadwick Boseman in the film 21 Bridges (2019). Most recently, Isaiah worked on an episode of All American: Homecoming.
Chloe Webb (Monica)
The estranged mother of most of the Gallagher siblings, Monica has a few afflictions and multiple addictions. Struggling with bipolar disorder, alcoholism, and drug abuse, she's a match made in hell for the human cockroach Frank, and they certainly managed to breed like insects.
Before her character scarred her many children for life on Shameless, actress Chloe Webb had an extensive career, famously playing punk princess Nancy Spungen in 1986's Sid and Nancy. She also had roles in Twins (1988), the ahead-of-its-time Tales of the City, and Practical Magic (1998). After her character departed in season 7, Chloe filmed an episode of Law & Order: SVU and a feature called Wish Upon a Unicorn.
Related content:
Shameless stars William H. Macy, Emma Kenney, and more mark 'end of an era' ahead of series finale
Emma Kenney and Ethan Cutkosky on growing up Shameless and saying goodbye to the Gallaghers
Emmy Rossum celebrates 'magnetic' Jeremy Allen White for EW's 2022 Entertainers of the Year
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.
