Fiona Gallagher, played by Emmy Rossum, left Shameless at the end of Season 9 because the character decided to start a new life away from her family after years of being their caretaker. Fiona had reached a turning point where she felt she had done all she could for her family, and with her siblings grown up, she chose to pursue her own path. The storyline gave her a fitting send- off in which she used the money from a real estate investment to support her family and also start fresh on her own. From the actress's perspective, Emmy Rossum left the show to pursue other acting opportunities and projects, marking a natural end after nine seasons on Shameless. She expressed great affection for the character but felt it was time to move on and stretch herself creatively. Thus, Fiona's departure was a mix of narrative closure for the character and Rossum's career interests to take on new challenges.