Shameless

Based on the British series of the same name, the dramedy Shameless premiered on Showtime in the United States in 2011 and ran for 11 seasons. The Shameless cast is an ensemble that includes William H. Macy as Frank Gallagher, father of six children, who is a drunk slob who often neglects his family and leaves them to fend for themselves. The television show sets the stage for the dysfunctional Gallagher family as they traverse life together on the South Side of Chicago.

The series centers around Frank’s debauchery and shows how his children learned to grow up fast in an undesirable environment. Developed by John Wells of ER and The West Wing fame, Shameless was critically acclaimed until it eventually concluded in 2021.

During its run, the show earned various awards and nominations, including six Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for costar William H. Macy.

Critics and audiences have taken a liking to Shameless, with Rotten Tomatoes currently ranking the series at 82% on its Tomatometer. When the series first premiered, The Los Angeles Times pushed for cast member Emmy Rossum to be considered for Primetime Emmy nominations by stating, “she gave powerhouse turns in such episodes as ‘But at Last Came a Knock.’” Here is a breakdown of the Shameless cast.

THE SHAMELESS CAST IS LED BY THE GALLAGHER FAMILY

Frank Gallagher – William H. Macy

Veteran actor William H. Macy portrays Frank Gallagher, the good-for-nothing patriarch of the Gallagher family, which consists of six offspring ranging in age from toddler to early 20s at the beginning of the show. Leaching off of any success his impoverished children have, Frank also moves from one woman’s bed to the next in search of financial gain by way of their pension funds.

Unemployable and untrustworthy, Frank scams his way through life, including his romantic interests with Sheila Jackson, as he transitions from alcoholism to drug addiction as the series progresses.

As the most well-known of the Shameless cast when the series first aired on Showtime, William H. Macy’s take on Frank Gallagher netted the Fargo actor much acclaim. He eventually took home the Screen Actor’s Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series three times and was nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards and Golden Globe Awards.

Fiona Gallagher – Emmy Rossum

The oldest of Frank’s children and the defacto matriarch of the family since her mother is absent, street-smart Fiona Gallagher is primarily responsible for raising her siblings. The series sees Fiona age from her early 20s to her 30s as she works minimum-wage jobs to help support her family.

Having to sacrifice her own happiness much of the time compared to the rest of the Shameless cast, Fiona is overworked, stressed, and yet still more responsible than Frank is when it comes to helping the family cope with their circumstances.

With no mother and an inattentive father, Fiona eventually becomes her siblings’ legal guardian and does a decent job of raising them without a proper moral compass as a guide. However, she often finds trouble with her various love interests throughout the series. Not trying to fall into the same traps as her father, Fiona goes through her own misadventures while trying to keep a stable household.

Phillip “Lip” Gallagher – Jeremy Allen White

As the second child of the family and arguably the smartest, Lip Gallagher uses his intelligence to put together elaborate schemes for money and other purposes. Jeremy Allen White joined the Shameless cast as Lip after having bit parts on network television in shows like Law & Order.

Lip Gallagher struggles with relationship issues due to his alcohol and drug addiction in the series, while he simultaneously tries his best to come up with ways to make money for his family.

Ian Gallagher – Cameron Monaghan

Ian Gallagher is the next oldest sibling of the Gallagher family who eventually discovers that his father is actually Frank’s brother, stemming from an affair that Monica had. As a cousin/half-brother, the rest of the Shameless cast of characters treat Ian like immediate family, especially after he comes out as gay. Ian works odd jobs as a rent boy at a gay bar and is resilient and funny, but suffers from mental health issues.

Ian’s behavior lands him in sticky situations, and he survives on his wits most of the time. Much of this proves disastrous for his on-again-off-again relationship with a boy named Mickey. Ian struggles with the law and staying out of trouble a lot, tending to go back to Mickey for a bit of unhealthily labeled stability.

Debbie Gallagher – Emma Kenney

A middle child in a sea of Gallagher offspring, Debbie Gallagher is one of the kindest members of the family. Actor Emma Kenney portrays the character on Shameless and adds to the cast by taking a softer approach to life below the poverty line.

One of the only children to call Frank “dad” rather than his first name, Debbie is smart and headstrong, eventually becoming a welder and coming out as a lesbian despite having a child of her own by age 15.

Carl Gallagher – Ethan Cutkosky

Model and actor Ethan Cutkosky plays Carl Gallagher on Shameless and joined the cast of the television series prior to his teen years. Portraying the character from age 9 to 19, Cutkosky ushered Carl through eras of questionable troubles as a child to eventually becoming a police officer by the series’ conclusion.

Carl was initially thought to be a bit antisocial and loyal to Frank, but time in military school makes Carl more mature and understanding of his place in the Gallagher family.

Liam Gallagher – Christian Isaiah, Brennan Kane Johnson, Blake Alexander Johnson, Brenden Sims, and Brandon Sims

Liam Gallagher is the youngest of the Gallagher brood, portrayed by multiple actors throughout the run of Shameless due to changes in the cast and the character aging from toddler to 11 years old by the series’ end. Liam is half-Black and his parentage is often discussed throughout the series, but it is eventually determined that he is actually Frank and Monica’s biological child.

As the youngest in the family, Liam’s place in the world is determined by Frank’s misdeeds and Fiona’s caretaking abilities, which results in Child Protective Services taking him and Liam being expelled from school at various points.

EXTENDED FAMILY

Samantha “Sammi” Slott – Emily Bergl

For much of the early years of Shameless, it was thought that the six Gallagher children were Frank’s only offspring, but Sammi Slott’s addition to the cast reflected more to Frank’s story.

Sammi is discovered to be Frank’s oldest child, whom the patriarch seeks out when he is dying of liver failure. When the trailer she lives in with her son gets confiscated, Sammi moves in with the Gallagher clan and gets involved in their dysfunctional drama.

Sammi is a unique character in Shameless, as she is first presented as Frank’s romantic interest before it is revealed that she is actually his daughter. She gets into arguments with her half-siblings that result in theatrics to the extreme. Sammi’s fate in the series is sealed in season 6 when she goes to prison for attempting to murder Mickey, Ian’s boyfriend.

Peggy Gallagher – Louise Fletcher

Academy Award winner Louise Fletcher plays Peggy Gallagher, Frank’s mother who is known as “Grammy” to his children. Peggy was an abusive mother to Frank when he was younger, and her lousy parenting heavily contributed to Frank’s behavior as an adult. In the series, she runs multiple meth labs and eventually goes to prison for her illegal activities.

Monica Gallagher – Chloe Webb

Monica Gallagher is the mother of Frank’s six children in the Gallagher family and is mainly absent throughout their lives. Like her son Ian, Monica has mental health issues that plague her daily life, resulting in her love of drugs over caring for her own children. She suffers from depression and bipolar disorder but uses drugs to cope.

THE SHAMELESS CAST’S LOVE INTERESTS AND FRIENDS

Sheila Jackson – Joan Cusack

Widow Sheila Jackson is portrayed in Shameless by veteran performer Joan Cusack, one of the only cast members to earn accolades for her role on the television show. Sheila is Frank’s love interest for the first half of the series, and she often shows signs of sex addiction and agoraphobia.

For playing Sheila, Cusack was nominated for five Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Guest Actress, taking home the award in 2015.

Steve Wilton/Jimmy Lishman – Justin Chatwin

Like Sheila Jackson, the character of Steve Wilton appears in the first few seasons of Shameless as the love interest to Fiona Gallagher. A thief who steals cars for profit, Steve is discovered to actually be named Jimmy Lishman, a well-off supposed medical student.

After his crimes are revealed, Jimmy flees the country and marries a woman named Estefania but continues his relationship with Fiona.

Veronica “V” Fisher – Shanola Hampton

A neighbor and best friend of Fiona’s, Veronica Fisher is someone Fiona trusts and leans on throughout Shameless for moral support. She is married to Kev Ball, and the two find themselves in trouble with the law at various times, much like their friends, the Gallagher family.

Kevin “Kev” Ball – Steve Howey

Often a fan favorite of the Shameless cast, Steve Howey portrays Kev Ball, the husband of Veronica Fisher. Throughout the show’s run on Showtime, Kev and Veronica’s relationship is tested by other romantic interests and their inability to make money to raise their children. They own a local bar called the Alibi Room, often the scene of many of the Gallagher family’s hijinks.