Shameless Series Finale Caps Off 11 Seasons: See the Cast Then and Now

The series finale of Showtime's Shameless was released on April 11, 2021 after 11 seasons on the air. Check out these photos of the cast then and now.

By Corinne Heller Apr 11, 2021 11:24 PMTags
Watch: Emmy Rossum Says Goodbye to "Shameless"

After 11 seasons, Shameless has come to an end.

The series finale of the R-rated Showtime dramedy was released on-demand at midnight on Sunday, April 11 and aired on the cable channel in the evening. Since 2011, fans have watched the Gallagher kids grow older. Liam started out as just a baby!

In fact, Carl was a child when audiences first met him. The actor who played him, Ethan Cutkosky, told The Chicago Tribune in 2014 that he was initially not allowed to watch the show due to its mature content.

"By the time I was able to watch it, I already knew about all that stuff," he said. "Half that stuff is probably going on in my school."

Over 11 seasons, fans watched the transformations of Carl and his siblings, while William H. Macy's Frank Gallagher remained the same old drunk, irresponsible, conniving and often hilarious Frank. Meanwhile, viewers bemoaned the departure Emmy Rossum's Fiona Gallagher in 2019.

"Goodbye Shameless," Macy wrote on Instagram. "End of an era."

Steve Howey, who played Kev, is bringing all the tears with his own Instagram post, which shows him behind the Alibi bar. He wrote, "Closing time #shameless."

Shanola Hampton, who plays his wife, commented, "[four red heart emojis] miss you already."

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And now, it's time to move on. But before that, let's look back at how the cast of Shameless has changed:

William H. Macy as Frank

Willam H. Macy played Frank, the alcoholic, type-B Gallagher family patriarch, on all 11 seasons of Shameless. As of April 2021, the month the series ended, the actor has been nominated for an Emmy five times for his role.

Emmy Rossum as Fiona

Emmy Rossum played Fiona Gallagher from season one to season nine in 2019, two years before the series ended.

Christian Isaiah as Liam

Liam Gallagher is the youngest sibling in the family, and since the start of the show has been played by several different actors (babies, man). Christian Isaiah took over the role for season nine in 2018.

Ethan Cutkosky as Carl

Ethan Cutkosky, whose other credits include Law & Order: SVU, played troubled youth-turned-cop Carl Gallagher on Shameless for all 11 seasons of Shameless.

Jeremy Allen White as Lip

Jeremy Allen White played Philip "Lip" Gallagher for Shameless' entire run. The actor's razor sharp-witted but hot-headed character began a family of his own towards the later seasons and stepped up to assume the parental role among his siblings after Fiona left.

Life imitated art for White: He is a proud father of two children.

Cameron Monaghan as Ian

Cameron Monaghan, aka Ian Gallagher, exited Shameless during its ninth season but returned for the next one. The actor's other credits include Gotham, The Giver and Mercy Street.

Emma Kenney as Debbie

Emma Kenney played Debbie Gallagher on all 11 seasons of Shameless. She also stars in The Conners, the spinoff of Roseanne, as Harris, Darlene's (Sara Gilbert) daughter.

Steve Howey as Kevin

Steve Howey, who was famous for his work on Reba McEntire's self-titled sitcom, played Kev Ball on the series since its debut. Kev is Veronica's husband and the Gallagher family's neighbor.

Shanola Hampton as Veronica

Shanola Hampton played Veronica Fisher, the Gallagher family neighbor, on all 11 seasons of Shameless.

Isidora Goreshter as Svetlana

Viewers first met Isidora Goreshter as Svetlana in season three. She left the show in season eight.