Jeremy Allen White, famous for his role as Philip Lip Gallagher on Showtime’s Shameless, faced a significant challenge after the series wrapped up. Over eleven seasons and 134 episodes, White became deeply connected to his character, but playing Lip for a decade eventually took its toll on him.
In a 2022 GQ interview, White revealed that while he loved Shameless and everyone involved in it, he began to feel trapped as the show went on for so long. He confessed that at times he found it hard to distinguish himself from Lip, leading him to question his identity as an actor. “It was an upsetting head space to be in,” White admitted. “As the show was ending, I was questioning if I existed only on this show. What else is there? Am I an actor? I was definitely having a lot of doubt when I was finishing Shameless.”
This uncertainty drove him to seek a new challenge, which he found in his role as Carmy Berzatto in the series The Bear. In this show, White plays a chef who inherits a Chicago restaurant after his brother’s death. The struggles of Carmy felt familiar to White, making it a compelling next step for him.
Despite some similarities between Lip and Carmy, White embraced the new role with a mix of excitement and anxiety. He was concerned about how audiences might compare the two characters but knew he had to take the risk. “If I didn’t try it now, I’d regret it forever,” he said.
You can catch The Bear now streaming on Hulu, and for more insights into Jeremy Allen White’s journey, check out the GQ magazine website.
