When Emmy Rossum announced that she was not returning to Shameless after the ninth season, many fans felt as though the show was over. C'mon, how could anyone deny that Fiona Gallagher was the heart and soul of the series?

But as much as die-hard fans complained about how much the show would suck without Emmy, they did stick by it for two more seasons and even complained when it ended after season 11. Still, Emmy's character exit was easily the biggest in the show's history and there was almost definitely a decline in quality after she left.

Not long before her exit, it was reported that her salary was being snubbed and that her co-star, William H. Macy was being paid more. While the network did rectify this and paid her and her TV dad the same amount, some believe that it was part of the reason why she left. Regardless, her departure left William H. Macy as the highest-paid actor and the man doing much of the heavy-lifting on the show. So, that begs the question... how did he really feel about her leaving Shameless?

William H. Macy Had Mixed Feelings About Her Departure

At the beginning of 2019, William H. Macy was interviewed on The Michelle Collins Show on SiriusXM about the ninth season of Shameless and, most importantly, Emmy Rossum's departure in the season finale.

"We've known that Emmy was going to leave, so, um, that was really solidified at the beginning of this season so [creator] John Wells and the writers were scrambling to re-do the ending of the thing," William H. Macy explained in the interview.

William went on to explain that each of the cast members wanted to make sure that they had a great final moment with Emmy's Fiona. He also said that he wasn't sure of his final season with Emmy. Re-reading the script a few times finally let him in on the 'genius' of John Wells' writing, but coming to that realization (in terms of Fiona's departure) took a while.

"We all wanted a boo-hoo fest saying 'goodbye' to Ms. Rossum," William continued.

Related: Why Emmy Rossum Decided Not To Return To ‘Shameless’

"It had to be hard to say 'goodbye' after this long and you played her dad and there's this familial connection, I'm sure, between you guys," Michelle Collins said. "It's got to be emotional, at the end?"

"It is... it's really complicated," William admitted. "I wish her well. I understand why she's moving on. She's got a very hot career. She had a pilot that she wrote that was picked up and she's newly married and she wants to live in New York. I mean, I get all the reasons. But still, it was really upsetting and it's kind of frightening. I don't know what it's going to be like without her."

While John Wells told William H. Macy and the rest of the cast that there was 'lots of more story' to tell without Fiona there, we're not sure they really bought that. After all, even they would have to admit that season 10 and 11 just weren't the same without Emmy Rossum.

Related: Inside 'Shameless' Star Jeremy Allen White's Relationship With Addison Timlin

Emmy's Reasons For Leaving

There's been a lot of speculation about the true reason why Emmy Rossum left Shameless. The answer to this question almost definitely has to do with what William H. Macy was saying in his interview on Sirius XM. In short, she was ready for something different. This is a feeling that many cast members have felt on Shameless and is also the reason why they left the show. More specifically, according to ET, Emmy felt as though her character had become limited. She spent so much time as the mother figure for the young kids, but by Season Nine, they weren't kids anymore, and therefore her purpose was diminished. But that doesn't mean that she regrets her arc on Shameless... Quite the contrary...

Related: How 'Shameless' Star Cameron Monaghan Angered Fans On Twitter

In a Facebook post from August 2018, Emmy explained just how much the show meant to her:

"The opportunity to play Fiona has been a gift. 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 … Quite simply, the last eight years have been the best of my life. 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."

Next: How Much Did William H Macy Make As Frank Gallagher On 'Shameless'?