‘Shameless’ Season 7 Cast, Updates: Oscar Nominee June Squibb Joins Line-Up in Key Role as Etta; Filming Begins in Chicago

‘Shameless’ season 7 is set to feature Oscar-nominated actress June Squibb in the key role of Etta. Filming has officially begun in Chicago.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Squibb is set to star in the key role of Etta in the incoming season of Showtime’s comedy-drama television series. Etta is described as a “salty and peppery 80-year-old” resident of Southside Chicago.

She joins the ever-growing cast composed of Emmy Rossum as Fiona Gallagher, William H. Macy as Frank Gallagher, Ethan Cutkosky as Carl Gallagher, Jeremy Allen White as Lip Gallagher, Steve Howley as Kev Ball, Shanola Hampton as Veronica Fisher, Emma Kenney as Debbie Gallagher, and Cameron Monaghan as Ian Gallagher.

The 86-year old American actress is best known for her roles in various film projects including Woody Allen’s romantic-fantasy film ‘Alice’, Martin Brest’s drama film ‘Scent of a Woman’, Martin Scorsese’s romantic drama film ‘Age of Innocence’, Frank Oz’s romantic-comedy film ‘In & Out’, and Todd Hayne’s drama film ‘Far From Heaven’.

Squibb also starred in Alexander Payne’s films ‘About Schmidt’ and ‘Nebraska’, the latter for which she earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting actress. Her recent television appearances include episodes from ‘Glee’, ‘Castle’, ‘The Millers’, ‘Devious Maids’, and ‘The Big Bang Theory’.

Season 7 is set to follow the events of the preceding season’s cliffhanger where Frank succeeded in ruining Fiona’s wedding to Sean (Dermot Mulroney). It seemed that Fiona and Sean may have finally parted ways after the failed wedding ceremony.

According to Movie News Guide, Sharon Lawrence of ‘NYPD Blue’ fame will also be joining the cast as Margo, a real-estate mogul who owns the coffee shop where Fiona is employed. Fiona looks to Margo as an inspiration as well as an authority figure.

Meanwhile, filming for season 7 has officially commenced in Chicago. According to the Chicago Tribune, cast members took to social media to share behind-the-scenes photographs of themselves filming various scenes in the locale as well as celebrating some cast birthdays in Siena Tavern.

It was revealed that the cast will be filming in areas such as the Greyhound bus station, Buckingham Fountain, as well as in the Gold Coast neighborhood.

‘Shameless’ is a comedy-drama television series created by Paul Abbot and developed by John Wells. It is a remake of the British series of the same name set in Chicago. It follows the lives of Frank’s dysfunctional family as he struggles to be a father to six children.