William H. Macy, known for his role as Frank Gallagher in the hit series “Shameless,” recently shared his feelings about the actors who played his children on the show. In a podcast interview with Brett Goldstein, William expressed his pride in seeing how far the actors have come since their time on the show.
The Showtime series, which ended in 2021 after 11 seasons, featured William as the father of six children portrayed by talented actors such as Emmy Rossum, Jeremy Allen White, and Emma Kenney. Despite the end of the series, many of the actors have moved on to successful projects, with Jeremy starring in “The Bear” and Emmy in “The Phantom of the Opera.”
William revealed that he still feels a paternal sense of pride when he sees the success of his on-screen children. He described them as his “Ersatz kids” and expressed his happiness in their achievements. Despite feeling sad when “Shameless” ended, William remains proud of the actors and misses working with them.
Reflecting on his time on the show, William shared that he loved the experience and believed it helped improve his acting skills. He noted that over the course of the series, his acting abilities evolved, and he gained more appreciation from the audience.
“Shameless” was a critically acclaimed series that garnered four Primetime Emmy awards during its run. Although William was nominated multiple times for his role, he did not win the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. The show’s legacy continues to live on through its dedicated fan base and the success of its talented cast members.