Emmy Rossum is an American actress who is best known for her role as Fiona Gallagher in the beloved comedy-drama series Shameless.
Fiona Gallagher was a central character and was the oldest Gallagher child. She served as a mother figure to her siblings from a young age due to her absent mother, Monica, and her dysfunctional, alcoholic father, Frank.
Emma Kenney: The Child Star Who Grew Up on TV
Emma Kenney is an American actress who is known for portraying Debbie Gallagher on Shameless, alongside Rossum. Emma began the role when she was just a child, and finished as a young adult.
Both Emma Kenney and Emmy Rossum were born in Manhattan, New York City. Kenney was born on September 14, 1999, and Rossum was born on September 12, 1986. They both played siblings on the Showtime series Shameless, which ran from 2011 to 2021.
Emma Kenney stunned in a floral dress at the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s 31st Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party on March 12, 2023 in West Hollywood, California (Credit: Faye’s Vision / Cover Images)
Emma Kenney’s height is listed as 5ft 4 ½ (163.8 cm), which means she is approximately 5 feet 4.5 inches tall. In addition to her role as Deborah “Debbie” Gallagher on the TV series Shameless from 2011 to 2021, she portrayed Harris Conner-Healy in the tenth season of the family sitcom Roseanne and is currently starring in its spin-off continuation The Conners.
Emma Kenney has achieved a net worth of $4 million and won the role of Debbie Gallagher in “Shameless” when she was a 12-year-old New Jersey seventh-grader.
Actress Emma Kenney flaunts her boobs at the premiere of “Murder At Yellowstone City” at Harmony Gold on June 23, 2022 in Los Angeles, California (Credit: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency)
Her impressive debut came at the young age of nine, when she starred in the film “The New Girl in Town” and became the youngest finalist ever in the New Jersey International Film Festival.
Not only a talented actress, Emma Kenney is also an advocate for animal rights. She lent her voice to a “video rant” for PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), where she passionately highlighted the dangers of leaving dogs in hot cars.
Emma Rose Kenney as Deborah “Debbie” Gallagher and Emmy Rossum as Fiona Gallagher on Shameless (Credit: Showtime)
Debbie Gallagher was also a main character on the show and is the third-youngest Gallagher sibling. Fiona often mothered her and helped Debbie get out of trouble as a child, though the two often clashed once Debbie hit puberty.
Why Emmy Rossum Left Shameless
Emmy Rossum was reportedly upset that she made significantly less money than costar William H. Macy, who played Frank Gallagher.
It seems that these issues were never quite resolved. Rossum left the show after season 9, although it would go on to run for a full 11 seasons.
Emmy Rossum, Emma Kenney, and William H. Macy arrive at the Los Angeles Special Screening of Showtime’s “Shameless” held at Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre on June 4, 2013, in North Hollywood, California (Credit: Giulio Marcocchi / Startraksphoto)
An official announcement from Rossum stated that it was simply time for her to move on to other projects. She stated that she was still grateful for her time on the show and that she loved her character, Fiona.
However, many viewers have assumed that it was the contractual issues that prevented her from remaining on the show.
Why Are Emma Kenney and Emmy Rossum No Longer Friends?
While Rossum left the show in 2019, it wasn’t until the fall of 2021 that her co-star Emma Kenney spoke out about what the experience of her departure was like for the rest of the cast.
Now 22 years old, Emma Kenney claimed that the set of Shameless became a more positive place to work after Emmy Rossum left.
Because they had worked together for almost an entire decade (since 2011), Kenney stated that they were like sisters in real life. She recalled that while Rossum over the years had given her advice and support, whenever Rossum was upset she had a tendency to take it out on others on set.
Emmy Rossum and Emma Kenney never became friends despite playing sisters for many years on Shameless (Credit: Showtime)
Emma Kenney also explained that occasionally she felt a strange sense of competition between herself and Rossum despite their decade-wide age difference that she could never figure out the source of (whether it was from Rossum herself or others onset).
“We were both so young, I was obviously a lot younger,” Kenney explained in an episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast.
“There were times when she would try to be a good influence, and then there were times where she would be blatantly giving me … not the best advice.”
William H. Macy, Jeremy Allen White, Emma Kenney, writer/executive producer John Wells, and actress Emmy Rossum attend The Paley Center for Media’s 11th Annual PaleyFest fall TV previews Los Angeles for Showtime’s Shameless at The Paley Center for Media on September 6, 2017, in Beverly Hills, California (Credit: Sara De Boer / Startraksphoto)
“Maybe she was struggling with her own inner problems and taking it out on other people,” she added.
However, regardless of any issues, Emma Kenney went on to say that she still carries a great deal of love for Emmy Rossum and hopes that she is doing well, although the two have not spoken in years. Emmy Rossum has not commented in response.
Overall, although the two may not be friends anymore, it’s nice to know that there isn’t any truly bad blood between Emma Kenney and Emmy Rossum.
The Gallagher Children: Distinctive Behavioral Roles
In “Shameless,” each of the children, except for Liam (Brenden Sims), embodies distinct behavioral roles commonly seen among children of alcoholics. These roles provide a glimpse into their characters and dynamics within the show’s narrative.
Firstly, we have the perfect child or the hero, portrayed by Debs (Emma Kenney). Debs takes on the responsible and dutiful role, often striving to maintain order and keep things together amidst the chaotic environment.
The rebel or the scapegoat is represented by Carl (Ethan Cutkosky). Carl tends to challenge authority and acts out in defiance, serving as a source of rebellion within the family dynamic.
In “Shameless,” aside from Liam, each of the Gallagher children embodies specific behavioral roles commonly found among children of alcoholics, with Debs as the perfect child, Carl as the rebel, Lip as the clown, Ian as the lost child, and Fiona as the caretaker (Credit: Showtime)
Lip (Jeremy Allen White) embodies the role of the clown or the mascot. Known for his quick wit and humor, Lip often uses his comedic charm to cope with challenges and bring levity to the situation.
Ian (Cameron Monaghan) portrays the lost child or the loner. He tends to withdraw and isolate himself, struggling to find his identity and purpose amidst tumultuous circumstances.
Lastly, Fiona (Emmy Rossum) takes on the caretaker role. As the eldest sibling, she assumes responsibility for her younger siblings, acting as their protector and nurturer, even at the cost of her own well-being.
Together, these distinctive roles offer a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics and coping mechanisms exhibited by the Gallagher children in “Shameless.”
Emmy Rossum’s Springtime Look at the 2016 Pencils of Promise Gala
Emmy Rossum wears her curly hair down at the 2016 Pencils of Promise Gala held on April 11, 2016, in Manhattan (Credit: TNYF / WENN)
In April 2016, Emmy Rossum was one of the celebrities present at the star-studded 2016 Pencils of Promise Gala in Manhattan.
The then 29-year-old actress embraced the spring season in a floral-printed midi dress from Marni’s Resort 2016 collection.
She looked very feminine in the slightly daring frock, which featured yellow and white calla lilies, a cleavage-baring low-cut neckline, and tiered ruffled panels.
Emmy Rossum wears a blue-and-yellow Marni dress to the 2016 Pencils of Promise Gala (Credit: TNYF / WENN)
The Day After Tomorrow actress kept her accessories simple, with only earrings and an Edie Parker box clutch. She rounded out her look with soft makeup and voluminous permed tresses.
Emmy kept the look vibrant from head to toe by slipping into a yellow pair of Stuart Weitzman “NearlyNude” sandals.
These suede shoes feature adjustable ankle straps, open toes, and 2.75-inch block heels.
Emmy Rossum’s feet in yellow suede Stuart Weitzman sandals (Credit: TNYF / WENN)
Stuart Weitzman had partnered with Pencils of Promise to help bring quality education to children in developing countries.
The high-end shoe company created the limited-edition yellow version of the “NearlyNude” sandals designed exclusively for the non-profit.
Sales from these yellow sandals would help fund the building of three schools: One in Ghana, one in Guatemala, and one in Laos.
Other versions of these popular shoes can also be purchased on Zappos and Nordstrom.
Stuart Weitzman NearlyNude Sandals, $398