In an interview with Collider, Jeremy Allen White discussed “Shameless” and his own process for portraying Lip. As it turns out, the show’s penchant for the outrageous and the unpredictable meant that White had to find his own equilibrium in order to bring Lip to life in a nuanced way.
When asked about whether or not it’s fun to play a character in a show that could go in any direction, he responded, “Yeah, not having limitations is great, but it also sometimes makes things a little difficult. A director will always tell you … ‘You go as big as you want, and I’ll tell you when to come down.’ And I found that on ‘Shameless,’ you can’t follow that rule because they will never tell you to come down. So, I’ve had to find my own balance with when it makes sense to get [that] upset or angry.”
For White, it was predominantly about portraying the strength of a real person in those situations. “Most people, in situations like the Gallagher kids, would be absolute messes. You really have to pick and choose those moments where the characters break down a bit because they are so strong,” he elaborated.
Despite all of Lip’s academic potential, White also saw him as a true family man. He liked the struggle Lip showed over having to choose between staying with his family or leaving for college. Though audiences at the time collectively wanted Lip to go to college, White said he disagreed with the audience and instead wanted him to stay in the neighborhood to face the dysfunctional comfort of his family.
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