The Real Reason Why Anna Faris Exited Sitcom 'Mom' After 7 Seasons
Anna Faris is breaking down the reasons for her shocking exit from the sitcom Mom in 2020.
"I do think the intensity, towards the end, I think I started to lose my focus," Faris, 49, shared on an episode of the "Happy Sad Confused" podcast earlier this month. "I never had a job - I mean, besides waitressing - for over three months before."
The show, which aired from 2013 to 2021, followed mother-daughter duo Bonnie Plunkett (Allison Janney) and Christy Plunkett (Faris) who are recovering addicts living in Napa, California. Farris made her departure one year before the show came to a close.
"It was a complicated time," Faris said. "I think I should work it out, probably on more podcasts. … I'm always hesitant to really chew into my experience on Mom because seven years is a huge chunk of time. And filled with any chunk of time that seven years gives. And being a part of an intense, amazing project."
She continued, "I have people that come up to me … and I feel really moved that I have touched lives."
Farris surprised fans when she revealed her exit from the series in 2020.
"The past seven years on Mom have been some of the most fulfilling and rewarding of my career," Faris said in a statement to Us Weekly at the time. "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."
At the time, Warner Bros. Television, CBS and Chuck Lorre Productions also confirmed Faris would be leaving the show, sharing in a joint statement to Us, "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."
The season 8 premiere revealed that Christy (Faris) received a "full scholarship" to Georgetown Law in Washington, D.C.
"A lot of parents would be a puddle of tears right now, but you know what I think of them? Selfish. Not me ‘cause I'm focusing on what she's going to get, not what I'm going to lose, which is the most beautiful little girl a mother could ever have," Bonnie shared as she and her husband, Adam Janikowski (William Fichtner), began to sob.
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This story was originally published June 18, 2026 at 11:37 AM.