Emmy Rossum: Nude 'Shameless' Scenes Hurt Dating Life
The actress reveals men had 'preconceived notions' about her after watching her on-screen persona, with one date hesitant to be associated with her due to his political ambitions
Emmy Rossum, who played Fiona Gallagher on 'Shameless' for nine years, has opened up about how her nude scenes on the show affected her dating life in her 20s. The actress, who was 24 years old when 'Shameless' premiered in 2011, shared her experiences on the 'Pretty Tough' podcast with Maria Sharapova.
Rossum stated that her character's nude scenes made dating difficult due to 'preconceived notions' that men had about her. She recalled one instance where a date was hesitant to be associated with her because of her 'Shameless' scenes, as he wanted to pursue a career in politics. The date told Rossum that he wanted to be president someday, but was concerned about the potential impact of dating her on his career.
The actress found this conversation to be 'insane' and noted that it was just one example of the 'bizarre' conversations she had with men who had preconceived notions about her. Rossum believes that these notions were due to her body being 'her art' and people getting 'confused' about who she was as a person.
Before 'Shameless', Rossum had already established herself as a talented actress, starring in films like 'The Day After Tomorrow', 'Mystic River', and 'The Phantom of the Opera', for which she earned a Golden Globes nomination. However, it was her role as Fiona Gallagher that brought her the most attention and, subsequently, affected her dating life.
## Why it matters The impact of on-screen personas on an actor's personal life is a significant issue, especially for women who are often objectified and judged based on their roles. Rossum's experiences highlight the challenges that actresses face in their personal lives due to the public's perception of them. As Rossum noted, when you're trying to figure out who you are as a person and an artist, having preconceived notions about you can be difficult to navigate.
Rossum left 'Shameless' after season nine in 2019, but her experiences on the show have had a lasting impact on her. Her story serves as a reminder that actors are not their characters and that they deserve to be respected and understood as individuals, rather than being judged based on their on-screen personas.
