Anna Faris Says ‘It Hurts’ After ‘Mom’ Creator Chuck Lorre Admits His ‘Reluctance to Hire’ Her Was Proven ‘Correct’ After She Exited the Show
Anna Faris said Chuck Lorre’s comments about her departure from *Mom* hurt, while expressing gratitude for the job and the people she worked with. Lorre wrote in his memoir that his initial doubts about hiring her had proved correct after she left the series, prompting Faris to respond publicly.
In *Sitcom*, Lorre linked his hesitation to his difficult experience with Charlie Sheen, but said he ultimately chose Faris for the role. She played a recovering alcoholic alongside Allison Janney in the CBS comedy, which ran for eight seasons from 2013 to 2021; Faris left in 2020 to pursue new opportunities. She also said she has been sober for a year and a half and is now healthy, working and happier.
- Faris said Lorre’s memoir comments hurt.
- Lorre said his doubts about hiring her proved correct after she left.
- Faris shared that she has been sober for 18 months.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Lorre could reasonably argue that Faris’s departure, after he had taken a chance on hiring her despite concerns shaped by his experience with Charlie Sheen, confirmed his earlier reservations about the risks of relying on a lead actor. A long-running programme depends on continuity, and his account may reflect a producer’s responsibility to consider how casting decisions affect the show and its colleagues.
The case against
Faris could reasonably feel that treating her departure as proof that hiring her was a mistake reduces a complex personal and career decision to a verdict on her reliability. She left to pursue other opportunities, has expressed gratitude for the work and her colleagues, and her account of being hurt highlights the value of discussing past choices with care, particularly when they concern someone’s wellbeing and recovery.