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Woman Crush Wednesday
Woman Crush Wednesday is here again! Our crush this week has been a long time coming (10 seasons to be exact) and we couldn’t be more excited to share her story with you. From romantic comedies to action-packed thrillers to inspirational dramas, this actress has mastered it all. Let’s give it up for the one and only…Shanola Hampton!
WHO’S THAT GAL: Shanola Hampton
WHY WE’RE CRUSHING: Hampton has been with Showtime’s critically-acclaimed comedy series Shameless since its premiere in 2011, and this actress is still on board as we approach the release of its tenth season on Sunday, November 10. As one of Showtime’s highest rated productions, Shameless has undoubtedly not only entertained viewers, but connected with them better than most. Focusing on the Gallagher family and set in Chicago, Shameless follows the drama and hilarity of an unorthodox group of individuals, with William H. Macy’s character Frank Gallagher as an unlikely patriarch and Emmy Rossum’s Fiona as the eldest sibling and substitute parent. Hampton stars as Veronica “V” Fisher, the Gallagher’s neighbor and another helping hand to ensure that the kids don’t sink while Frank blows his disability check on whiskey.
When Veronica was introduced early in Season 1, we absolutely fell for her. With her sharp mind, serious sass, and unwavering enthusiasm for life, we figured this woman would be a powerhouse, and someone we could root for throughout the series. And we were right! Over the past ten seasons Veronica has proved to be nothing short of remarkable, and Hampton’s performance is entirely responsible for that. In this kind of show, every character faces struggles. But Hampton’s Veronica continues to conquer all obstacles in her path and – more often than not – does it with a greater moral compass than any other character on the show. While the transition wasn’t seamless, Veronica has also managed pretty well to embrace motherhood and support her twins. And if all that wasn’t enough, her relationship with Kevin (Steve Howey), while definitely atypical, is also totally off the charts.
While Shameless is easily Hampton’s biggest role, don’t think she got these 10 seasons handed to her. Early on in her career, the actress – like many others – worked as a bartender to make a living, often having to change from work clothes to audition clothes in her car. But no matter the obstacles, she was always prepared and professional, telling the Chicago Tribune, “I’ve always tried to be the actress that’s prepared, which means I’m off-book when I go into auditions.” Eventually, Hampton’s hard work paid off after she went through 7 auditions – that’s right SEVEN – in front of Shameless creator John Wells, finally earning the title of “V” at last. Wells clearly saw the same spark in her that we do, that thing that makes Hampton so perfect for this role. With Fiona/Rossum gone this season, we can’t wait to see Hampton take an even larger step into the spotlight.
WHERE YOU’VE SEEN HER BEFORE: If you’ve seen Shameless, then you know that this actress has been with the cast from the very beginning. But if not, no sweat! Hampton is no stranger to the screen. She started out her career in the early 2000s, appearing briefly in numerous series like Scrubs, Reba, and Related. Her feature film titles are impressive as well, with roles in romantic comedies like The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green and You Again, starring Kristen Bell, as well as the horror-comedy Suburban Gothic, with Matthew Gray Gubler and Kat Dennings. Hampton landed one of her biggest roles in 2013 playing an aspiring poet in an abusive relationship in the film Things Never Said. For her performance, she won Best Actor at the American Black Film Festival. Most recently, Hampton starred in the 2017 short Do No Harm and the TV movie Three’s Complicated.
WHERE YOU’LL SEE HER AGAIN: Beyond her role in the upcoming tenth season of Shameless, you’ll get to see this actress in the psychological thriller Through the Glass Darkly, co-starring Robyn Lively. The indie film follows two women who team up to solve the disappearance of a local girl. It was recently announced that Hampton will also appear in the action, anthology film American Bullet, which contains a number of short, war stories from different storytellers. It’s clear to see, from Shameless to some of her current projects, that Hampton has a unique knack for moving between and mastering different genres and projects. So while we certainly hope there’s more seasons of Shameless on the horizon, we know that Hampton will be able to shine in Hollywood nonetheless.
