Set on the South Side of Chicago, Shameless kept America glued to Showtime for 10 years. The show was adapted from a British series that bore the same name. It was centered around the Gallaghers, a flawed family led by a single dad, Frank. Frank’s alcohol and substance addiction greatly affected the dynamics of his relationship with his family. He unashamedly lived up to the show’s title. Whether he was contemplating being in bed with his own daughter or trying to use his son Liam as collateral for a gambling debt, viewers could not get enough of the audacious theatrics he brought to life.
The show had a number of celebrity guests, including Courtney Cox, who is still close with former Friends co-star Jennifer Aniston. April was not so good a month for the show’s massive following, as it marked the end of an era. It was sad that America had to say goodbye to Shameless. In honor of the numerous times the cast kept us entertained, we drafted a few interesting facts.
10 The Craziest Thing William H. Macy Had To Do For ‘Shameless’
Frank Gallagher did a number of insane things on the show, some of them viler than others. However, asked what was the most insane thing he had to do, William H. Macy had this to say: “This season started off with me on the grave, having sex with my dead girlfriend’s grave. So, it’s been this constant thing of figuring out, where is the reality in this?”
9 Justin Chatwin Was Fond Of Pranks
In 2014, Justin’s co-star Emmy Rossum revealed that he was never short of pranks on set. Given their close relationship off-camera, Justin would deliberately mess his breath up before their romantic scenes. His go-to snack, right before they shared a little smooch, was a tuna fish sandwich.
8 Ethan Cutkosky Did Not Watch ‘Shameless’ Until He Was 14
When Ethan began to play the role of Carl Gallagher, he was only twelve. It’s funny that he was hired because the producers thought he ‘looked a bit stoned’. Nevertheless, Ethan’s parents did not allow him to watch the show until he was 14. Unknown to them, Ethan was already familiar with ‘that stuff’, as some of it happened at school.
7 Shanola Hampton Once Cursed At An Audition
As Gallagher’s friendly neighbor Veronica Fisher, Shanola was always willing to help, and party when the time called for it. While her audition for Shameless went well and landed her the job, she had a bad experience during an audition. Back in 2005, when she was juggling bartending and auditions, she attended a casting call where she was completely blank. It’s only when the curse words started to flow that she remembered she was in a professional setting.
6 Emmy Rossum Financed Her Own Album
At the time of her departure, Emmy Rossum had played the role of Fiona Gallagher for close to a decade. She poured her heart out to her Facebook family, though she didn’t give a reason as to why she was leaving. The show aside, Emmy Rossum is a musician with three albums to her name. 'Sentimental Journey', her second album, was self-funded, following disagreements with her record label.
5 Steve Howey Spent Most Of His Childhood On A Boat
In an interview with Forbes, Howey, who played Kevin Ball, revealed that he spent the better part of his childhood in a 67-foot yacht. The family was docked in Mariner’s Village in San Pedro. Later, they cruised through California and Mexico. Scouting the pacific coastline, he learned Spanish by mingling with Mexican children. The experience, he said, was much better than reading any book.
4 Emma Kenney Wrote, Directed, And Starred In Her Own Film
At the age of 21, Emma Kenney has achieved far more than any actor her age could dream of. With appearances in 13 productions and counting, she’s not only a star on camera but likes to get her hands dirty behind the scenes. In 2009, when she was only 9 years of age, she wrote, directed, and starred in a film, A New Girl in Town, that made her a finalist at the New Jersey International Film Festival.
3 Noel Fisher Sponsors A Little Girl In Zambia
Although Noel Fisher began his career in 1999, it wasn’t until 2007 that his flight took off. When he was cast in The Riches, he celebrated his success by giving back. He disclosed to The Hollywood Reporter that he sponsors a girl from Zambia. He described the experience as one of the most rewarding things he’s done.
2 Emma Greenwell Dropped Out Of School
When she was done with high school, Emma Greenwell attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art for a year. It didn’t take long before the urge to make it in Hollywood got stronger than the will to stay in school. She made a go for it and true to her hunch, found her way to stardom.
1 This Co-Star Was Joan Cusack’s Babysitter
Hollywood coincidences are not rare. Many a time, celebrities' paths cross long before they become famous. That is the case for William H. Macy, who babysat Joan Cusack and Jeremy. As revealed by Access Online in 2010, Jeremy’s dad was William’s mentor. When things were thick financially, William was offered odd jobs such as babysitting and handiwork to make ends meet.