Emma Kenney

Emma Kenney Headshot

Actress

Birth Date: September 14, 1999

Age: 25 years old

Birth Place: Manhattan, New York

Precocious child actress Emma Kenney hit many career milestones early. By the age of 4, she was already taking improv classes and soon landed work in commercials for companies including Stouffer's frozen foods and oil corporation ExxonMobil, as well as receiving roles in student films. At 8, she achieved another goal ahead of schedule by creating her own film. While watching an episode of the sitcom "Sabrina, The Teenage Witch" in which the characters make a movie about vampires, Kenney was inspired to make one of her own, directing, shooting, and editing the four-minute short film "The New Girl In Town." Kenney wanted the story of a young vampire invited to a sleepover to be frightening, but the charming, inadvertently funny results, along with her youth, won over the judges at the New Jersey International Film Festival, which selected it to be part of their competition, making the young actress the subject of attention for local newspapers and television stations.

Her national reputation was raised much higher in 2011 when she was cast on the Showtime drama "Shameless" as Debbie Gallagher, the fourth-youngest child out of six in a family fathered by a shiftless drunk (William H. Macy). In 2011, she also acted in an episode of the HBO prohibition drama "Boardwalk Empire." In addition to her interest in acting, Kenney loves animals and hopes to someday open an animal shelter.

Credits

Back to Lyla

Actor
Rebecca
Movie
2022

Murder at Yellowstone City

Actor
Rebecca
Movie
2022

My Love Affair With Marriage

Voice
Sarma
Movie
2022

Shameless Hall of Shame

Actor
Debbie Gallagher
Show
2021

GMA3: What You Need to Know

Guest
Show
2020

Robert the Bruce

Actor
Briana
Movie
2019

The ConnersStream

Actor
Harris Conner-Healy
Series
2018
93%

Famous Food Truck

Guest
Show
2017

Shameless: Extras

Host
Show
2012

ShamelessStream

Actor
Debbie Gallagher
Series
2010
82%

The Talk

Guest
Talk
2010

Chelsea Lately

Guest
Talk
2007

RoseanneStream

Actor
Harris Conner-Healy
Series
1988
76%

News aboutEmma Kenney

Emma Kenney, Lecy Goranson, Ames McNamara, Jay R. Ferguson, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert, and John Goodman for 'The Conners'

‘The Conners’ Season 7 Sets Premiere at ABC: Everything We Know About the Show’s Ending

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‘The Conners’: Jackie Passes the Lunch Box Reigns to Harris in First Look (VIDEO)

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‘The Conners’ Sets New Timeslot on ABC — Find Out When the Schedule Change Begins

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‘The Conners’ Cast on Making It to Season 6 and Big Guest Stars Ahead

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‘The Conners’ Reveals Returning ‘Roseanne’ Character (PHOTOS)

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‘The Conners’ Season 5 Adds William H. Macy, Stages Another ‘Shameless’ Reunion

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‘The Conners’ Introduces New Relative, Plus Gets Super-Sized Season 5

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How the ‘Shameless’ Cast Changed Between Seasons 1 and 11

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‘Shameless’ Star Emma Kenney Dishes on ‘Bad Days’ Working with Emmy Rossum

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‘The Conners’ to Go Live for Season 4 Premiere Episode on ABC

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The ‘Shameless’ Series Finale: What Worked and What Flat-Out Didn’t

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‘Shameless’ Series Finale: The Gallaghers, for Good and for Bad, Move on (RECAP)

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‘Shameless’: Can Frank Live Without Alcohol? Plus, the Gallaghers Try to Move Forward (RECAP)

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‘Shameless’: The Gallaghers Make Some Serious Decisions as the Finale Approaches (RECAP)

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‘Shameless’: Are Pieces Falling Into Place, at Last, for the Gallaghers? (RECAP)

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Before ‘Shameless’ Ends, Relive the Characters’ Wildest Moments

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‘Shameless’: Frank Tries to Preserve His Family’s Memory in ‘Cancelled’ (RECAP)

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‘Shameless’: To Stay or Not to Stay Is the Gallagher Family’s Big Question (RECAP)

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‘Shameless’: Frank’s Hard-Partying Lifestyle Catches Up to Him in Episode 6 (RECAP)

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‘The Conners’ Famous Couch Is the Scene for a Showdown in Sneak Peek (VIDEO)

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‘Shameless’: Lip & Tami Have a Ghostly Setback in ‘Slaughter’ (RECAP)

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‘Shameless’: The Milkovich Fam Causes Chaos Next Door in ‘Nimby’ (RECAP)

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‘Shameless’: Frank’s Expertise (Yes, Weed) Pays Off & Debbie’s Party Flops (RECAP)

Cameron Monaghan as Ian and Noel Fisher as Mickey and in Shameless
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‘Shameless’: The Gallaghers Adjust to COVID With Mixed Results (RECAP)

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‘Shameless’: The Gallaghers ‘Make the Yards Dangerous Again’ in Season 11 Trailer (VIDEO)

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‘Shameless’: COVID Hits the South Side in First Look at Final Season (PHOTOS)

Shameless - Jeremy Allen White as Lip Gallagher, Kate Miner as Tami Tamietti, Ethan Cutkosky as Carl Gallagher, Steve Howey as Kevin Ball, Shanola Hampton as Veronica Fisher, William H. Macy as Frank Gallagher, Emma Kenney as Debbie Gallagher, Christian Isaiah as Liam Gallagher, Cameron Monaghan as Ian Gallagher, and Noel Fisher as Mickey Milkovich - Season 10

‘Shameless’: Find Out When the Final Season Premieres on Showtime

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‘Shameless’: Go Behind the Scenes of the Final Season With the Cast (PHOTOS)

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The Good, Grimy Fun of ‘Shameless’ Season 10 Arrives on Netflix

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‘Shameless’ Finale: Love’s in the Air for the Gallagher Family & Friends (RECAP)

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‘Shameless’: Mickey the Groomzilla, Frank Is Haunted and More (RECAP)

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‘Shameless’: Lip’s Big Decision, Ian’s Relationship Status & More From ‘Now Leaving Illinois’ (RECAP)

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‘Shameless’: Debbie’s Dilemma and Trouble in Paradise for Ian & Mickey (RECAP)

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‘Shameless’: Ian & Mickey’s Misunderstanding and Frank’s Predicament (RECAP)

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‘Shameless’: Carl’s Mission, Ian’s Issue & Debbie Meets a Stranger in ‘Citizen Carl’ (RECAP)

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‘Shameless’: Frank’s Baby Steps, Debbie’s Hunt & More From ‘Adios Gringos’ (RECAP)

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‘Shameless’ Episode 4: Frank’s Friendship, Lip’s Struggles & More (RECAP)

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‘Shameless’: Ian & Mickey Have the Talk, Liam Finds a Role Model & More From ‘Which America?’ (RECAP)

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‘Shameless’: Being Locked Up Is the Opposite of Bliss for Ian & Mickey (RECAP)

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Fiona’s Gone and a New Gallagher Arrives in the ‘Shameless’ Premiere (RECAP)

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‘Shameless’ Sneak Peek: Debbie Takes Control of the Gallagher House (VIDEO)

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ABC Releases ‘The Conners’ Teaser Trailer & New Images (VIDEO)

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How ‘Roseanne’ Cast Members Have Responded to the Cancellation & Controversy (So Far)

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Sammi Hanratty as Kassidi and Ethan Cutkosky as Carl Gallagher
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‘Shameless’ Newbie Sammi Hanratty on Crazy Kassidi and the Season 8 Finale

Episode 701

‘Shameless’: Frank and Fiona are Sick of the Gallaghers in Season 7

Emmy Rossum as Fiona Gallagher and Emma Kenney as Debbie Gallagher in Shameless - season 6, episode 1

‘Shameless’ Returns For Season 6 With Guns, God and Teenage Pregnancy