Fiona Gallagher, Emmy Rossum’s iconic character from the TV show Shameless, is a complicated person—she’s the child of addicts who was forced to raise her siblings and run her household from a young age, but she’s flawed and imperfect, often messing up and seeing her progress thwarted because of her own decisions. That being said, she’s also incredibly strong-willed, hard-working, and loyal, ready to do anything to protect her people or her place in life—even when it feels like everything is working against them.
These are the best quotes from one of the best characters in Shameless, mirroring the funniest and most heartbreaking Fiona Gallagher moments of the show:
1.
“I don’t mean to be mean. It’s just genetic.” — Fiona Gallagher (Emmy Rossum)
2.
“He is a black hole of endless need that will suck the life out of you.” — Fiona Gallagher (Emmy Rossum)
3.
Fiona Gallagher (Emmy Rossum): How do I look?
Veronica Fisher (Shanola Hampton): Like me.
Fiona: Oh, sh*t.
4.
“I trust you. That’s bigger to me than ‘I love you.’” — Fiona Gallagher (Emmy Rossum)
5.
“It’ll be a family outing. Like Disneyland, only with abortions.” — Fiona Gallagher (Emmy Rossum)
6.
“You have to let me go. You have to let me let you go.” — Fiona Gallagher (Emmy Rossum)
7.
Debbie Gallagher (Emma Rose Kenney): God, who buries her mother with meth?
Fiona Gallagher (Emmy Rossum): Shouldn’t you be asking what kind of mother leaves her kids meth?
8.
Fiona Gallagher (Emmy Rossum): Don’t ever hit one of my kids again.
Frank Gallagher (William H. Macy): Your kids? They’re my—
Fiona: Never again!
9.
“Can we order a burger or something? The hotel probably gave us something hard to pronounce.” — Fiona Gallagher (Emmy Rossum)
10.
“This is about what you didn’t do. It’s about what I did. And you know what? I did a f*cking great job. Debbie is class president. And Lip, he’s top of his class. Ian was promoted in ROTC and he tested out of English. And Carl made something blow up for his science fair. And you know what? They did it all, no thanks to you. Because you weren’t here!” — Fiona Gallagher (Emmy Rossum)
11.
Carl Gallagher (Ethan Cutkosky): So I can steal a car and nothing will happen to me?
Fiona Gallagher (Emmy Rossum): You steal a car and I’ll smother you in your sleep .
12.
Fiona Gallagher (Emmy Rossum): I don’t know who I am anymore. I mean, since clearly I’m not the big sister taking care of everyone.
Lip Gallagher (Jeremy Allen White): Maybe that’s good.
Fiona: How?
Lip: Because there’s more to you than that.
13.
Debbie Gallagher (Emma Rose Kenney): How do you test a man for loyalty?
Fiona Gallagher (Emmy Rossum): You don’t need a test. What got a d*ck, it ain’t loyal.
14.
“I was nine! Nine, and taking care of you. Taking care of all of us.” — Fiona Gallagher (Emmy Rossum)
15.
Monica Gallagher (Chloe Webb): Liam belongs with me.
Fiona Gallagher (Emmy Rossum): He doesn’t even know who you are.
Monica: I’m his mother.
Fiona: You were my mother too!