11:02am PT by Lesley Goldberg

Emmy Rossum Is Officially Leaving 'Shameless'

Emmy Rossum is officially leaving Showtime's Shameless.

"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," the actress wrote Thursday morning in a lengthy and emotional post on her Facebook page.

Rossum has been the female lead on the Warner Bros. Television-produced dramedy since the pilot. The series, which is set to return for its ninth season Sept. 9, is currently in production. Season nine recently received an increased order for 14 episodes as Showtime will split its run in two, with the second returning in January. 

“Emmy Rossum will forever be part of the Shameless family," showrunner John Wells said Thursday afternoon in a statement. "She has been integral to the show’s success, from her wonderful portrayal of Fiona to her leadership role on set, as well as directing multiple episodes of the series. We are hard at work now creating a season nine finale for Shameless which we hope will provide a Gallagher-worthy sendoff for Fiona that honors the great work Emmy has done. It is always bittersweet when an ensemble member decides to move out of the proverbial house, but our door will always remain open for Fiona to return home for a visit, or to move back in. I look forward to continuing the stories of this wildly unpredictable family and all of us on Shameless will miss Emmy and her wonderful Fiona.”

Shameless is a hugely important show for Showtime. The dramedy, from creator and showrunner Wells, is the premium cable network's highest-rated scripted original, with Rossum playing Fiona, the eldest child and mother figure of the dysfunctional Gallagher family. Rossum exiting Shameless deals the series a huge blow at a time when it is increasingly valuable to Showtime, which next year will bid farewell to the signature drama Homeland as well as The Affair.

“We were saddened when Emmy Rossum let us know that the upcoming ninth season of Shameless would be her last," said Showtime president of programming Gary Levine. "But we are filled with an overwhelming sense of joy and gratitude for Emmy’s inspired work on our series, of course in front of the camera but also behind it. Fiona Gallagher will always be one of Showtime’s iconic characters, and we applaud Emmy for bringing this character to life in such a natural, touching and fearless performance. On behalf of everyone at Showtime and her millions of fans, we thank you Emmy!”

Rossum in 2016 delayed the season eight renewal as she fought for — and received — pay equality with male lead William H. Macy (who plays everyone's father, Frank). The actress had sought salary parity — and more — to compensate for the years of being paid less than Macy. She received parity but not more, sources said at the time.

“For eight years and more than 100 episodes, Emmy Rossum has delivered a deeply honest, authentic and unflinching portrayal of Fiona Gallagher, one of television’s great characters," producers Warner Bros. TV said in a statement. "We wish her all the best as she explores the next chapter in her career. But before that, we are excited for fans of Shameless to see Emmy and the entire ensemble cast continue the adventures of the Gallagher family in the show’s upcoming ninth season.”

Rossum is currently attached to star as Angelyne in a limited series based on The Hollywood Reporter's article about the Hollywood icon. The mini is being produced by Rossum's husband, Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail, and hails from Universal Cable Productions. The timing of Rossum's announcement came a day after THR exclusively reported that Esmail would be ending USA Network's Mr. Robot with its upcoming fourth season.

Rossum's full Facebook post is below.

It’s a hard thing to put into words, feelings. But I’m going to try. This business is always an adventure, full of...

Posted by Emmy Rossum on Thursday, August 30, 2018

Lesley Goldberg

Lesley Goldberg

Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com Snoodit

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