Were The Shameless Stars Actually Friends In Real Life?
Showtime's Shameless was a bizarre comedy-drama that ran for almost 11 years.
While the premise was simple enough: a poverty-stricken dysfunctional family navigating through the world, the characters made the show far more appealing to watch. Moreover, they had amazing chemistry to the point that, if you didn't know, you'd think it wasn't even scripted at all.
Over 11 seasons, the show entertained fans and wowed critics until the finale in 2021. It has been only a few years since the show ended, but the fans have sorely missed their favorite cast of characters. The question, however, is whether or not they missed each other. The Gallagher family had tight bonds despite being dysfunctional. But were these bonds the same offscreen?
According to Cameron Monaghan, who played Ian Gallagher, the chemistry is indeed present when the cameras stop recording. Speaking in an interview, Monaghan talked about how the cast is extremely close-knit. They share jokes and laugh a lot while also being caring. It all feels like family, doesn't it?
William H. Macy plays Frank Gallagher in the show. Being a veteran actor, he often acts as the mentor figure the cast needs and turns to for valuable advice. This is in stark contrast with his onscreen character. Macy uses his decades' worth of experience to guide the younger cast members and mentors them over having a career as an actor.
Considering how long Shameless had run, it's evident that many cast members would have felt like they grew up with each other. Ethan Cutkosky and Emma Kenney are two such people who formed a very strong friendship offscreen.
Another indicator of the bond between the cast is how they reacted when Emmy Rossum departed from the show. She was a central character, and her departure made the show all the emptier. However, Macy expressed a desire to get her back on, even if it was a cameo.
Rossum, for her part, also expressed sorrow at leaving the Gallagher family behind. She said in an interview with Shade Magazine that walking away was bittersweet because working on Shameless never felt like a job. Instead, she loved the people around her and formed lifelong bonds with her co-stars.
Not only that but the star couple, Kevin Ball, played by Steve Howey, and Veronica Fisher, played by Shanola Hampton, are as close as they are onscreen. In an interview with Kulture Popped Howey spoke at length about her friendship with Hampton and how both helped each other out.
"We grew to develop a really tight friendship and she's turned into one of my best friends," he admitted. "[...] we get along so well. I mean, my kids are friends with her kids. They spend the night over at her house. My family is friends with her family. We've become this big family."
Hampton, in turn, calls Howey her soulmate and protector.
Despite the show ending over two years ago, the cast still catches up occasionally and hangs out.
For example, speaking to Variety last year, Cameron Monaghan (Ian Gallagher) remarked, "The funny thing is we haven't stopped seeing each other. We haven't stopped being a family in how we look out for each other. When you have relationships that are that close, there's no way those bonds are going to go away."
Most of the Shameless stars are hoping to work together again on a spinoff or even a direct sequel to the series. And we're hoping for that too. After all, in eleven years together, viewers have also become part of their big, tumultuous family.