Emmy Rossum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Emmy Rossum
Rossum in 2010
Born	Emmanuelle Grey Rossum (1986-09-12) September 12, 1986 (age 38) New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actress singer songwriter
Years active	1993–present
Spouse(s)	Justin Siegel ​ ​ (m. 2008; div. 2010)​ Sam Esmail ​ (m. 2017)​
Children	2

Emmy Rossum (born September 12, 1986) is an American actress and singer. She has won awards like the Saturn Award and Critics' Choice Movie Award. She was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award.

Emmy grew up in New York City. She started performing professionally as a child with the Metropolitan Opera. Some of her early roles were in films like Genius (1999) and Songcatcher (2000). When she was sixteen, she got a big role in Mystic River (2003).

Rossum also starred in the science fiction film The Day After Tomorrow (2004). She earned great reviews for her role as Christine Daaé in the movie The Phantom of the Opera (2004). She also acted in films such as Poseidon (2006) and Beautiful Creatures (2013).

On television, Emmy Rossum is well-known for playing Fiona Gallagher in the TV show Shameless (2011–2019). Since the mid-2010s, she has also directed and produced TV shows. One example is the 2022 Peacock series Angelyne, where she also starred.

In 2007, Rossum released her first music album, Inside Out. She also released a Christmas EP called Carol of the Bells that same year. In 2013, she released another album titled Sentimental Journey.

Early Life and Education

Emmanuelle Grey Rossum was born on September 12, 1986, in New York City. She is the only child of Cheryl Rossum, who worked as a corporate photographer. Her parents separated before she was born.

Emmy's mother is of Russian Jewish background. Her father is Protestant with English and Dutch roots. Rossum identifies as Jewish. She has said her mother taught her "Jewish ethics and morals."

When she was seven, Emmy joined the Metropolitan Opera Children's Chorus. She could sing "Happy Birthday" in all 12 musical keys! For five years, she sang on stage with the chorus. She performed with famous singers like Plácido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti. Rossum sang in 20 operas in six languages. These included La bohème and Turandot. She also worked with director Franco Zeffirelli in Carmen.

Emmy became more interested in acting. She took classes at The New Actors Workshop in New York City. She also worked with acting coach Terry Knickerbocker.

Rossum went to the Spence School, a private school in Manhattan. She later left to focus on her acting career. She earned her high school diploma at age fifteen through online courses from Stanford University. After that, she studied French, art history, and philosophy at Columbia University.

Acting Career

Emmy Rossum first appeared on television in August 1997. She played Abigail Williams in the soap opera As the World Turns. She also had a guest role in Snoops. In 1999, she was nominated for a Young Artist Award for her role in the Disney Channel movie Genius. In 2000, she played a young Audrey Hepburn in the TV film The Audrey Hepburn Story.

Early Film Roles

Rossum made her film debut at age 13 in Songcatcher (2000). She played Deladis Slocumb, an orphan from Appalachia. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and won an award. Emmy was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for her first film role. She even sang a duet with Dolly Parton on the Songcatcher soundtrack. Variety magazine called Rossum "One of the Ten to Watch" in 2000.

In Nola (2003), Rossum played the main character, who wanted to be a songwriter. Her first big studio film was Clint Eastwood's Mystic River (2003). In it, Rossum played Katie Markum, the daughter of a character played by Sean Penn.

Breakthrough Roles

Rossum had a major role as Laura Chapman in the disaster film The Day After Tomorrow (2004). She then auditioned for the role of Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera (2004). This was a movie based on Andrew Lloyd Webber's famous musical. For her performance, Rossum was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. She also won a Critics' Choice Award for Best Young Actress and a Saturn Award.

In 2006, Rossum appeared in Poseidon. This was a remake of the disaster film The Poseidon Adventure. She played Jennifer Ramsey, the daughter of Kurt Russell's character. Rossum said her character was strong and active, not a damsel in distress.

Television Success

In December 2009, Rossum joined the cast of the Showtime TV series Shameless. The show is based on a British series. Rossum played Fiona Gallagher, the oldest sister in a large family without a mother. She acts as a guardian for her five younger siblings. The show and Rossum's acting received a lot of praise.

Emmy Rossum also started directing. She directed an episode of Shameless in season seven. In August 2018, Rossum announced she would leave Shameless after nine seasons.

In 2019, it was announced that Rossum would star in Angelyne. This drama series was co-produced by her husband, Sam Esmail. It was her first main role after Shameless. The series was based on a true story about a famous LA billboard model named Angelyne.

Music Career

After her role in The Phantom of the Opera, Emmy Rossum was offered deals to record classical music. However, she chose to make an album of more modern pop music. She felt that radio music often lacked "emotional honesty." She described her music as "pop music, but not Britney Spears bubblegum pop." She wanted it to feel like David Gray or Annie Lennox. Rossum has mentioned Sarah McLachlan and Whitney Houston as some of her musical inspirations.

Albums and Performances

Rossum's album Inside Out was released on October 23, 2007. It reached number 199 on the U.S. Billboard charts. To promote the album, Geffen Records included her song "Slow Me Down" on a compilation album. Later that year, Yahoo and MSN featured her as an artist to watch. In December 2007, Rossum released three Christmas songs on an EP called Carol of the Bells.

She sang the national anthem at a NASCAR race in 2007. She also performed at events like the Hollywood Christmas Celebration in Los Angeles. In 2009, she joined Counting Crows as a special guest on their "Traveling Circus and Medicine Show" tour.

In 2010, Rossum sang a song called "Cruel One" on singer Alex Band's album We've All Been There. She sang with Band and Chantal Kreviazuk on the track.

Rossum released the album Sentimental Journey on January 29, 2013. Unlike Inside Out, this album was a collection of cover songs from the 1920s to the 1960s. Sentimental Journey reached number 92 on the U.S. Billboard charts and number one on the Jazz Albums chart.

Emmy Rossum describes her voice as a lyric soprano. She continues to train her voice at ZajacStudio.

Charity Work and Advocacy

Emmy Rossum has been involved in many charity efforts. She was an ambassador for YouthAIDS. In 2008, she became a spokesperson for Pinkitude, a clothing line that helps raise awareness for breast cancer.

In 2010, she appeared in public service announcements for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Action Fund. She also works with Global Green USA to raise money for environmental protection. In 2015, Rossum worked with the Best Friends Animal Society to encourage people to adopt animals.

On May 26, 2009, Rossum attended a march in West Hollywood, California. This march protested a court ruling about Proposition 8.

In February 2024, Rossum was one of many celebrities who signed an open letter. This letter, from Creative Community for Peace, spoke out against efforts to remove Israel from Eurovision 2024 during the Israel-Hamas war.

Personal Life

Rossum and her husband Sam Esmail in September 2018

Emmy Rossum married Justin Siegel in February 2008. They divorced on December 28, 2010.

In 2013, Rossum started dating writer and director Sam Esmail. They got engaged in August 2015 and married on May 29, 2017. They have two children: a daughter born in May 2021, and a son born in April 2023.

Rossum has coeliac disease, which means she cannot eat gluten. She also has ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and has been on medication for it since she was a child.

The famous designer Vera Wang was married to Rossum's cousin, Arthur P. Becker. Rossum has described herself as "a spiritual person, but not especially religious."

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations

Discography

Albums / EPs

Singles

Soundtrack Appearances

Music Videos

Images for kids

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  Rossum in 2011

See also

In Spanish: Emmy Rossum para niños