Why Anna Faris Left 'Mom'

Anna Faris recently announced some shocking news about her future with CBS series Mom. On Friday, Faris shared that she will be leaving Mom after seven seasons. Why is Faris leaving the show? According to her statement, the star is moving on to pursue other opportunities.

Faris released a statement about her departure from Mom. In that message, she noted that the past several years that she spent on Mom were some of the most amazing ones of her career. She also expressed that she will now be able to take on new projects, as leaving the show will grant her more time to pursue other opportunities. "The past seven years on Mom have been some of the most fulfilling and rewarding of my career," her statement read. "I'm so thankful to Chuck [Lorre], the writers, and my amazing castmates for creating a truly wonderful work experience. While my journey as Christy has come to an end, allowing me to pursue new opportunities, I'll be watching next season and rooting for my TV family."

TV Line reported that Faris' character Christy would not be recast. Instead, she will be written out ahead of the Season 8 premiere. Allison Janney, who portrays Christy's mom Bonnie, will be the sole star of the show. Production for Season 8 is set to begin on Sept. 14 in Los Angeles. There hasn't been any news on the premiere date for the upcoming season, but the show is said to be eyeing a November return. WBTV, CBS, and Chuck Lorre Productions also released a statement about Faris' departure from Mom. Their joint statement read, "From the inception of Mom, Anna was the first and only choice for the role of Christy. We are so proud of the stories we have been able to tell during Anna's seven years with us. We wish Anna all the best, and we thank her for her beautiful portrayal."

Deadline reported that both Faris and Janney, who have been with the show since it's premiere in 2013, are in the middle of two-year contracts that they signed last year, making this news all the more surprising. Faris' exit was reportedly finalized early in the show's hiatus, which has been on the longer side due to the current coronavirus pandemic. The writers have been writing the new season without the actor's character. It's currently unclear how they will write her character out of the series.