Emmy Rossum went from being a relatively unknown actress to becoming a household name thanks
to her role as Fiona Gallagher on the hit Showtime series Shameless.
She's a smart, driven woman whose career keeps reaching new heights, and she's worked hard
at ensuring that she's respected and treated as an equal in the industry.
Here are a few things you may not know about Emmy Rossum.
Early years
Rossum was raised by her single mother, Cheryl, and has spoken about her childhood and the
difficulties she faced not having a father.
In a lengthy and moving Facebook post, Rossum wrote,
"I had a single mom.
I have a single mom.
This isn't a secret.
Growing up in a school — and a world — filled with mostly two parent units was difficult
for me.
Father's Day still is difficult for me."
Rossum then went on to admit that although she didn't have a mother and a father who
were there for her, her mom was always enough.
"She is enough.
She wasn't perfect, no one is, but for me she was the best mom ever."
As a child, Rossum started singing and was trained in opera.
Later, she was part of the 2004 film, The Phantom of the Opera, starring alongside Gerard
Butler.
But before her breakout role, she used to sing for food.
She told Interview magazine,
"There is a butcher on the East Side — I would go in, with my babysitter or my mom,
and they'd be like, 'Oh, it's the little opera girl!'
They'd go, 'Do you have a little song for us?'
I would sing them a song, and they would give me a hot dog."
Rossum demonstrated this talent for Conan O'Brien ...
In 2013, she revealed in an interview with Spin that her top song is none other than
"Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid.
She said it "was the first song [she] loved as a kid," adding,
"When I hear it, I try to take it out of the Disney context and just think of the sentiment
of the song.
It's a very sweet one."
Shoe obsession
According to Footwear News, Rossum confessed to having between 50 to 60 pairs of shoes
in 2015.
As for her favorites, Rossum mentioned Paul Andrew, Chanel, and Alaia, and said she chooses
her looks herself:
"I don't really work with a stylist, I'm self-styled, so in my world, I need more shoes."
Equal rights battle
Rossum made headlines in 2017 for her salary negotiations with Showtime for her role as
Fiona Gallagher on Shameless.
Despite being one of the main characters in the series, she was earning less than her
male costar, William H. Macy — who supported her decision to negotiate her contract.
Rossum discussed this during a live event at the Vulture Festival.
She said,
"When the show started, Bill was the first person attached … I was the last piece of
the puzzle and I'd never done TV before, I wasn't as well known, and Bill is obviously
an Oscar nominee."
However, as time went on she became a bigger part of the show, and she felt that the leadership
role between herself and Macy was "somewhat shared," which is why she decided to do something
about it.
By season eight, she had more screen time, and was making more money, than Macy.
Work-life balance
Rossum's character on Shameless has had no shortage of intimate scenes, and her baring
it all is common in the series, but this impacted her relationships offscreen.
In an interview with Huffington Post in 2014, Rossum said,
"It's definitely weird on first dates when guys have already seen your boobs."
Rossum revealed that men get the wrong idea about her because they compare her to Fiona,
but she admits to not feeling, quote, "that liberated at all."
Rossum no longer has to worry about how the show impacts her dating life, because she's
now a married woman.
In May of 2017, Rossum married Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail in an intimate ceremony in New
York.
She often shares sweet photos of herself and her husband on social media, and has previously
thanked him for his endless support.
Role reversal
In October of 2016, Rossum transitioned from in front of the camera to behind it.
She made her directorial debut on the set of Shameless' seventh season.
It's something she had wanted to do for years, although she admitted during an interview
with The Hollywood Reporter that the timing didn't feel right.
"I don't think I was ready before.
I would throw it out there as an idea and not really follow up.
And then I went to school and took a crash course in cinematography and actually felt
ready."
And although she was up for the challenge, it wasn't as easy as she thought.
She noted that the show's creator, John Wells, didn't go easy on her, which she took to mean
that he had confidence in her to, quote "not completely ruin it."
"It's been such a privilege, and it's quite exhausting, but it's quite exhilarating, and
when it all works, it's astonishing."
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