After 7 seasons of recovery, heartbreak, bonding, and also some actual situation comedy, Anna Faris has announced that she’s departing CBS’s Mom ahead of its 8th season. The departure of her character, working mom Christy Plunkett, will be addressed in the show’s eighth-season premiere, although it’s not clear, from current statements, whether Faris will actually be on hand to help send her character off.
The actress issued a statement about her departure today, noting that, “The past seven years on Mom have been some of the most fulfilling and rewarding of my career,” and that “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.” She also thanked series creator Chuck Lorre, as well as the rest of the show’s cast and crew.
Mom has been a consistent top performer for CBS since it first aired in 2013, with critics and audiences alike responding to its willingness to tackle issues like addiction, abuse, and poverty in a semi-comedic context. And while Allison Janney has gotten the majority of the award show recognition for her performance as Christy’s formerly estranged mother Bonnie, Faris has never drifted from her place at the very center of the show’s structure.
As noted by Variety, Mom is currently renewed up through an 8th season at CBS; it’s unclear, at present, whether the show will try to continue for a 9th in the wake of the absence of one of its central characters.