The Shameless Scene That Made Jeremy Allen White Very Uncomfortable

There are shows that slyly test the boundaries of decency, and those that joyfully take a sledgehammer to them. If you ever watched even a single episode of Showtime's hit dramedy "Shameless" you know it was very much a show in the latter category. In fact, during its 11-season run on the cable network, no topic was off limits, and no scenario was deemed taboo for "Shameless" creatives who seized on any opportunity to unleash squirm-inducing scenes on the small screen masses. And yes, that fact remained true from the series' first episode all the way through its last.

Of course, in taking that approach, they regularly pushed their cast well beyond their comfort zones, with even established talents like William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum showing viewers sides of themselves fans had never before seen. Ditto for many of their younger counterparts, who essentially went the trial-by-fire route once they joined the cast of "Shameless." Thankfully, the series' cast all seemed to walk through that fire relatively unscathed. That includes series breakout Jeremy Allen White, though even he recently admitted there was at least one scene on "Shameless" that made him very uncomfortable. 

Jeremy Allen White was one of several "Shameless" cast members to admit being occasionally uncomfortable on the show during a SiriusXM interview. When it came time for the actor to name his most uncomfortable moment, White settled on a scene from a Season 3 episode that finds White's character Lip Gallagher getting enlisted in a ruse to seduce a local teacher (Justine Lupe) some in his neighborhood believed to be a serial sexual child abuser.

The scene itself was no doubt difficult enough for the actor, but it seems the preparation required for the moment was just as nerve-racking. In White's own words, he regularly went above and beyond to impress his "Shameless" bosses, telling SiriusXM, "Whatever they wrote in the beginning, I had nothing to say about it and just did it." That included his troubling seduction scene, which the actor embarrassingly admitted required an unexpected bit of grooming, "I had to Nair my pubic region in order to shoot a scene with fake hair to make it look like she was shaving me." Yes, that scene is as uncomfortable to watch as it clearly was to shoot, though "Shameless" presented the beyond cringe-worthy moment with its signature mix of stark realism and pitch-black snark. 

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).