The hit Showtime drama series Shameless premiered in 2011 and starred the then much lesser-known Jeremy Allen White . Now, more than 15 years later, the actor who played "The Bear" reflects on the show's legacy and reveals which of his former castmates he keeps in touch with. However, fans noticed one major omission from his list, leading many to interpret it as confirmation of a conflict with Emmy Rossum .
Jeremy Allen White didn't know it had been 15 years since Shameless premiered.
The world premiere of the fifth and final season of "The Bear" took place in New York City on June 15. On the red carpet, White gave an interview to ExtraTV, noting that 15 years have passed since the premiere of the cult Showtime series.
He replied, "Really? No, I didn't make that up. It's incredible." He then shared his thoughts on the show and its cast, saying, "It was my first, sort of, family that made me move to L.A." He then recalled "the hot days at Warner Bros., the hot days in Chicago. It was the best time.".
Jeremy Allen White also discussed the cast.
White continued his brief conversation with ExtraTV by discussing his relationships with the cast, stating, "I love all those guys too." The "Bear" star was then asked if he keeps in touch with his former "Shameless" co-stars.
He said: "Yeah, I just saw Shanola [Hampton]. I talked to Steve [Howey] the other day, Ethan [Cutkosky] and Emma [Kenny]. Cam [Monaghan] is great. He's performing in L.A. right now." The 35-year-old singer added: "Yeah, they're the best.".
Fans noticed that he didn't mention Emmy Rossum's name.
Shameless had a large cast, so it would be unreasonable to expect White to say he keeps in touch with all of his former co-stars. However, many were surprised he didn't mention Rossum's name, given the amount of screen time they shared.
One person wrote on social media, "Not a word about the Emmys." Another Shameless fan said, "I'm glad he didn't mention the Emmys." Another user stated, "He didn't mention the Emmys.".
Regarding the series itself, one social media user wrote, "I'm rewatching it again. I wish I was part of that family, I wish they'd come back." Another fan said, "I've been meaning to rewatch it for a while. It's been 5 years since I've watched all the seasons, so it's definitely time for a rewatch. One of the best shows of all time!"«
Finally, someone else mentioned the omission, stating, "Clearly you don't hang out with Emmy.".
Emmy Rossum left Shameless before it ended.
According to Entertainment Weekly, Rossum announced her departure from Shameless in 2018 after nine seasons. Her departure came after numerous reports that she treated other actors on set, particularly extras, poorly.
After Rossum's departure, another co-star, Kenny, spoke about her experience working with the actress. In an interview for the 2021 film Call Her Daddy, she said, "We were both very young, I was obviously much younger. There were times when she tried to be a good influence on me, and then there were times when she was just downright giving me... not the best advice.".
She added: "Perhaps she was struggling with her own internal issues and taking them out on other people. But we all deal with situations differently.".
White also shared his thoughts on Rossum's departure from the series. In an interview with Variety, he said, "It's very sad. I mean, we all grew up together for nine years. It's going to be tough." The "Bear" star continued to discuss her departure, admitting he holds no ill will toward the actress.
He said, "I can't blame Emmy. I think she's ready to go. They'll never be able to find actors to replace her, so we'll just have to keep trying.".
The premiere of the 5th season of the series "The Bear" will take place in June 2026.
Season 5 of "The Bear" premieres on June 25, with all episodes released simultaneously on Hulu. FX will premiere two new episodes, with new episodes continuing weekly until the finale. The final season will consist of eight episodes.
In an interview with PEOPLE, White spoke about the final episode. He said, "It was tough. I mean, it was tough reading the script. It was tough filming it. But now it all makes sense.".
He continued: "For me, this season, the series finale—at least for Carmi [Carmen Berzatto]—is a kind of final surrender and acceptance, a kind of honesty with myself. So it all makes sense to me.".
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