Anna Faris exits Mom: Her absence will be addressed in Season 8

Deadline

Despite being in the middle of a two-year contract, Faris has surprisingly decided to leave her hit CBS comedy Mom after seven seasons to pursue other opportunities. Mom will go on this fall without her. "I hear Faris’ exit was finalized early into the show’s hiatus, and the writers have been writing the new season without her character, Christy," reports Deadline's Nellie Andreeva. "Her absence will be addressed in the upcoming season, which is slated to start production Sept. 14 in Los Angeles." Faris said of her exit in a statement: “The past seven years on Mom have been some of the most fulfilling and rewarding of my career. 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.” As The Hollywood Reporter's Lesley Goldberg and Rick Porter point out, Mom should be able to handle Faris' exit since it has evolved into more of an ensemble sitcom: "Early seasons of the show revolved primarily around Faris' Christy and her mother, Allison Janney's Bonnie," they write. "The show has become more of an ensemble in recent years as Mimi Kennedy, Jaime Pressly, Beth Hall and more recent additions William Fichtner and Kirsten Johnston have had their roles grow. All are set to return for season eight." In a statement, CBS, Warner Bros. TV and Chuck Lorre Productions said of Fair's exit: "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.”