Anna Faris is leaving Mom after seven years, the actress announced on Friday, September 4. Her character Christy Plunkett’s absence will be addressed during the CBS sitcom’s upcoming eighth season.
“The past seven years on Mom have been some of the most fulfilling and rewarding of my career,” Faris, 43, said in a statement to Us Weekly. “I’m so thankful to Chuck [Lorre], the writers and my amazing castmates for creating a truly wonderful work experience. While my journey as Christy has come to an end, allowing me to pursue new opportunities, I’ll be watching next season and rooting for my TV family.”
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Warner Bros. Television, CBS and Chuck Lorre Productions also confirmed Faris’ shocking departure on Friday, saying in a joint statement to Us, “From the inception of Mom, Anna was the first and only choice for the role of Christy. We are so proud of the stories we have been able to tell during Anna’s seven years with us. We wish Anna all the best, and we thank her for her beautiful portrayal.”
Warner Bros. said Christy will not be recast when season 8 premieres. Production is set to begin on September 14, and new episodes are expected to air sometime in November.
Faris and Allison Janney (Bonnie Plunkett) have led Mom since the show premiered in September 2013, playing a mother-daughter duo who are recovering addicts living in Napa, California. The supporting cast includes Mimi Kennedy (Marjorie Armstrong-Perugian), Jaime Pressley (Jill Kendall), Beth Hall (Wendy Harris), Kristen Johnston (Tammy Diffendorf) and William Fichtner (Adam Janikowski).
In addition to receiving critical acclaim, Mom has taken home a number of awards over the years. Janney, 60, won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2014 and 2015 and was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2017 and 2018. Additionally, Mom was nominated for a Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Comedy Series in 2015.
Deadline reported on Friday that Faris and Janney are in the middle of two-year contracts, which they signed in the spring of 2019, making the former’s exit all the more surprising.