Actress Emmy Rossum was left outraged when a mountain lion trespassed on her Hollywood Hills property and started drinking from her pool during the holidays. Rather than feel fear or wonder as she watched the big cat slurp, the native New Yorker got angry and tried to shoo the creature away. The Phantom of the Opera star says, “I was sitting in my back yard… and there’s this clearing… and there was a mountain lion that came walking through the clearing and was drinking out of my pool. “I didn’t have the fear instinct; I had the New York ‘outraged’ instinct. I was like, ‘What the hell are you doing? Get off my property!’ Then I called Animal Control.” Rossum admits the encounter made her realise she’s a world away from New York: “We’re not in Manhattan any more!”

Source: Contactmusic.com

Emmy Rossum was apprehensive about taking a role in the U.S. adaptation of British TV show Shameless because she felt uncomfortable about the graphic sex scenes and gritty content. The Phantom of the Opera star appears opposite William H. MACy and Joan Cusack in the new series, which focuses on a dysfunctional family living in Chicago, Illinois. Rossum didn’t want to audition for the role of Fiona Gallagher initially, because she was put off by the nudity, swearing and shocking storylines, but her agent persuaded her to give it a go. She tells the New York Post, “I was loathe to do that (the sex scenes), but she’s a really interesting character and it’s rare for actresses to get good opportunities. My agent said, ‘People would never see you in that role… it’s a great part… you have to fight for it.’ “So, although I felt a little guilt, I got the script and auditioned four times. It’s not necessarily pretty writing. No time for sweet sayings. Mostly grip and grope – making love on the floor, the father’s drunk, cops come… He hits the kids.” Rossum also struggled to come to terms with her appearance on the show, adding, “I wear no make-up. None. My hair’s frizzed out. (But) I’m OK with not looking my best…”

Source: Contactmusic

Emmy Rossum has revealed how cast members on the US remake of Shameless pass the time between takes: making up rude songs. The 24-year-old, lauded for her angelic singing in The Phantom Of The Opera, said she and co-star William H Macy enjoyed composing naughty ditties during their downtime. “Bill Macy brings his ukulele to set and we make up funny songs – dirty songs,” Emmy laughed. The actress – who plays Fiona, the oldest daughter in the raucous Gallagher brood – said there was an opportunity to flex her vocal chords on the show. “There’s one scene later in the season where we discover that Bill’s character can play the piano, and we’re all singing ‘I Will Survive.’ But I was instructed to sing poorly,” she added. Emmy won high praise from William, who plays drunken dad Frank in the Showtime series, adapted from Paul Abbott’s original Channel 4 show. “Really, the heart and soul of the thing is Emmy Rossum,” he said. “She does the heavy lifting on our show.”

Source: The Press Association