It's been more than five years since Mom aired its final episode on May 13, 2021, but apparently, Chuck Lorre still has a few things to get off his chest. In his new memoir, Sitcom, the producer revisits his doubts about casting Anna Faris—and suggests her departure seven seasons later proved him right.
Lorre connected his decision to his experience working with Charlie Sheen:
“I wasn’t sure Anna would be appropriate for this kind of material. Then I thought about how badly I’d bungled my working relationship with Charlie Sheen.”
Faris portrayed Christy Plunkett, a single mother navigating addiction and recovery, alongside Allison Janney for seven seasons. When she unexpectedly left Mom in 2020, the explanation was that she wanted to pursue new opportunities.
CBS, Warner Bros. Television, and Chuck Lorre Productions praised her work, describing Faris as the first and only choice for the role.
But Lorre's current account of that departure is clearly far less gracious:
“As the years went by, it became apparent that my initial reluctance to hire Anna was, in fact, correct. After six years, she left the show for mysterious reasons that were not mysterious to anyone on the show.”
Faris, however, wasn't expecting that particular trip down memory lane.
Her departure hadn't been without emotion. In 2020, Faris described her years on Mom as among the most fulfilling of her career. Janney also called her absence a huge loss.
The Scary Movie star broke her silence on Instagram, opening with one telling word:
“Yikes. Yes, I read a few things. I really didn’t see that coming. Of course it hurts. Chuck gave me a job I loved, and for seven years, I never took a day of it for granted. I’m proud of what we made together, and nothing changes how grateful I am for those people and those years.”
But Faris had another update. After portraying a woman in recovery for seven seasons, the actress had news about her own life.
She shared a personal milestone that brought her Mom years, full circle:
“I’ve been sober for a year and a half. I was on a show about recovery, and then I lived it. Now I’m healthy, I’m working, and I’m happier than I’ve been in a long time. If anyone reading this is where I was, I hope that’s useful. It gets better. I’m proof.”
Faris has been less forthcoming about her departure. On Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused podcast, she acknowledged losing focus toward the end of Mom, describing that period as complicated without explaining her exit.
Christy, meanwhile, received a hopeful send-off to Georgetown University Law School on a full scholarship.
At the 41:43 mark, here is Faris opening up on those final days with Horowitz:
- YouTube Josh Horowitz
Her Instagram response also offered encouragement to people facing struggles similar to her own, rather than focusing solely on Lorre's criticism.
Faris' full message puts those two chapters side by side:
Support poured in from former Mom co-stars Beth Hall and Jaime Pressly. Director Jeff Greenstein publicly disputed Lorre's assessment, while Justin Long, Isla Fisher, and Olivia Munn also offered encouragement.
And Faris' Instagram comments made it clear she wasn't alone:
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Sheen's history with Lorre, meanwhile, adds another dimension to the memoir. Their public feud on Two and a Half Men ended with Sheen's firing in 2011 and a lawsuit. They eventually reunited professionally on Bookie.
Lorre recalled the concern surrounding Sheen's struggles:
“It was clear to everyone that this man, whom we’d all grown to love, was in trouble.”
You see, folks, there's a striking contrast between the compassion Lorre shows Sheen and his assessment of Faris in Sitcom. Sheen's struggles are met with sympathy, while Faris' departure is presented as vindication of Lorre's original doubts about casting her.
Whatever happened behind the scenes, why not extend Faris some of that same grace? Lorre has yet to respond to her post, but the support from former colleagues suggests his assessment isn't universally shared.
Elsewhere, Sitcom explores Lorre's years in Scientology, his experiences with Roseanne Barr and Tom Arnold, and his clashes with Cybill Shepherd on Cybill. He also claims that some original The Big Bang Theory stars resisted pay cuts intended to increase Melissa Rauch and Mayim Bialik's salaries.
After decades of creating television hits, Lorre has plenty of behind-the-scenes stories to tell. But as Faris' response demonstrates, the people in those stories don't necessarily remember them the same way.
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