Showtime’s hit drama series “Shameless” premiered in 2011, featuring a then-much-less-famous Jeremy Allen White. Now, over 15 years later, the “Bear” actor is reflecting on the show’s legacy and dishing on which of his former co-stars he keeps in touch with. However, fans notice one giant omission from his list, leading many to take it as confirmation of strife with Emmy Rossum.
The world premiere for the fifth and final season of “The Bear” took place in New York City on June 15. While on the red carpet, White spoke to ExtraTV, with the reporter pointing out that it had been 15 years since the iconic Showtime series premiered.
He responded, “Really? No, I did not put that together. That’s incredible.” After that, he reflected on the show and its cast, saying, “That was my first kind of found family that moved me to Los Angeles.” From there, he recalled “hot days at Warner Bros., hot days in Chicago. It was the best.”
Jeremy Allen White Also Discussed The Cast
White continued his short conversation with ExtraTV, discussing his dynamic with the cast. He stated, “I love all those guys, too.” After that, the “Bear” star was asked if he remains in contact with his former “Shameless” costars.
According to him, “Yeah, I just saw Shanola [Hampton] the other day. I talked to Steve [Howey] the other day, Ethan [Cutkosky], and Emma [Kenney]. Cam [Monaghan] is great. He’s doing a show right now in LA.” The 35-year-old added, “Yeah, they’re the best.”
Fans Noticed He Didn’t Name Emmy Rossum
“Shameless” featured a large ensemble cast, so it would be unreasonable to expect White to say he’s remained in touch with all his former costars. However, many were surprised that he didn’t mention Rossum’s name, given the amount of screentime they shared.
One person wrote on social media, “No mention of Emmy.” Another “Shameless” fan said, “I’m happy he didn’t mention Emmy.” Someone else stated, “He didn’t mention Emmy.”
Regarding the show itself, one social media user chimed in, “I’m rewatching again. I wish I were part of that family, wish we could have them back again.” A different fan said, “I’ve been meaning to restart it. It’s been 5 years since I watched all the seasons, so it’s definitely time to rewatch. One of the best shows ever made!”
Lastly, someone else mentioned the omission, stating, “Clearly you don’t speak to Emmy.”
Emmy Rossum Left ‘Shameless’ Before It Ended
According to Entertainment Weekly, Rossum announced her exit from “Shameless” in 2018 after 9 seasons on the show. Her departure came after multiple reports that she was not the kindest to other actors on set, especially extras.
Following Rossum’s exit, another costar, Kenney, opened up about her experience working with the actress. She said on “Call Her Daddy” in 2021, “We were both so young, I was obviously a lot younger. There were times where she would try to be a good influence, and then there were times where she would be blatantly giving me…not the best advice.”
She added, “Maybe she was struggling with her own inner problems and taking it out on other people. But we all handle situations differently.”
White also reflected on Rossum leaving the show. He told Variety, “It’s very sad. I mean, nine years we’ve all grown up together. It’s gonna be hard.” The “Bear” star continued discussing her exit, revealing he had no hard feelings toward the actress.
According to him, “I can’t fault Emmy. I think she’s ready to leave. They’ll never be able to find actors that can fill her shoes, so we’ll just have to keep trying.”
‘The Bear’ Season 5 Premieres In June 2026
Season 5 of “The Bear” will premiere on June 25, with all episodes releasing at once on Hulu. Regarding FX, two episodes will debut with new offerings arriving weekly until the finale. The final season will consist of eight episodes.
White spoke to PEOPLE about the final episode. He said, “It was hard. I mean, it was hard to read. It was hard to shoot. It all makes sense.”
He continued, “To me, this season, the end of the show is like — for Carmy [Carmen Berzatto] at least — is about this sort of like ultimate surrender and acceptance of, kind of like an honesty with himself. So that all makes sense to me.”
