Emmy Rossum Finally Sets the Record Straight on Why She Really Left 'Shameless'

During a July 8 appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast, the 39-year-old actress, who played Fiona Gallagher, directly addressed the speculation. "A common misconception is that I left to go have babies," Rossum shared. "That could not be further from the truth."

Instead, Rossum explained that when producers approached her about extending her contract for an 11th season, she felt it was simply time to move on to new creative ventures. "I had already set up my production company," she recalled. "I had set up my first show and I was greenlit, getting ready to make it."

Her exit came two years before the beloved Showtime series officially ended. Rossum emphasized that her decision wasn't born of dissatisfaction. "I wanted to stay in the job," she said. "I loved the job. I loved the job until it felt like there wasn’t enough juice to squeeze out of the lemon. We had made 110 episodes."

She credited the show's creator, John Wells, and her castmates for fostering her growth. "I felt very, very nurtured and shepherded by John Wells, who encouraged me to direct on the show which I got to do many times," Rossum continued. "My cast also was very championing of me to do that." She added, "I felt like I was born on that job."

Leaving was bittersweet. She reportedly shared, "I left with a lot of grief and sorrow and I would miss all those people and I couldn’t believe they were going to go on a journey without me," adding, "But I was also really excited. I felt like I was launching."

Rossum, who shares two young children with husband Sam Esmail, left the ensemble series—which also starred Jeremy Allen White, William H. Macy, and Emma Kenney—to focus on her production work, definitively putting the baby rumors to rest.