Cameron Monaghan on Playing Closeted Gay Teen in 'Shameless'

If you've been watching the raw Showtime dramedy 'Shameless,' you'll definitely recognize Cameron Monaghan. The scene-stealing 17-year-old plays Ian, the tough-as-nails gay son of Frank Gallagher, his alcoholic single father (played brilliantly by William H. Macy). As if that wasn't angsty enough, Ian is also dating his married Muslim boss. Oh, and he hasn't come out to most of his family and friends yet. And did we mention he shares a run-down home in a low-income neighborhood with his five brothers and sisters?

If you're thinking that Ian sounds like one of the most complex characters on TV right now, you're right. That's what drew Monaghan to the role. He's been acting since he was 8, getting his big break in the TV movie 'The Music Man' with Matthew Broderick. Since then, he's been in everything from 'Click,' playing Adam Sandler's son, to TV shows like 'Monk,' 'Criminal Minds' and 'The Mentalist.'

This April you can catch Monaghan on the big screen in 'Prom,' about a group of high schoolers getting ready for their big night. TV Squad caught up with Monaghan to get the scoop on what it's like to work with William H. Macy, what's going to happen with Ian throughout season 1 of 'Shameless,' and what we can expect from his character in 'Prom.'

TV Squad: What drew you to 'Shameless'?
Cameron Monaghan: It was a great script, unlike anything I'd ever read before. Besides that, William H. Macy is one of those people I've looked up to acting-wise for pretty much my entire life, so just getting to work with him was an unbelievable opportunity.

What's it been like working with him?
Oh, it's been awesome. He's one of the most humble, down-to-earth guys you can imagine. He's really great. Extremely professional, too. He's as talented as I thought he was. I watch what he does with these scenes and it's incredible.

Is he a method actor? Does he seem like he's drunk all the time on set?
[Laughs] No! He never is, it's all acting.

What do you think sets 'Shameless' apart from everything else on TV right now?
It's very raw. It's completely honest in a very brutal way. We never hold back on any subject, and we're not afraid to offend anybody. I think that's what separates it. It has a certain energy and tone that not a lot of shows have or will ever achieve.

What's your favorite part about the Gallaghers? They're obviously a very unusual family.
I like how they always stick together. They have this really amazing survival instinct. They say that no matter how bad it gets or what kind of situations they're going to get into they're always going to pull through because they care about and love each other.


What are some of Ian's biggest issues throughout the show?
Well his biggest issue obviously is that he's gay in a neighborhood that's completely intolerant of something like that. He's afraid to come out to anyone in his neighborhood, or even his own family, because he doesn't know if they'll accept him. And he's also going out with a married Muslim man, Kash, who owns the shop he works at, so that adds some more controversy on top of it.

Do you think he'll stick with Kash for awhile, or do you think he'll have some other love interests?
There will definitely be other love interests. As the series goes on, I think he sees some things about Kash that he didn't see at first. And people fall in and out of love with each other.

What about Ian's relationship with his father, Frank? Does that create some issues for him since his father is drunk all of the time?
Oh, definitely. Ian and Frank don't have a great relationship. They have some mutual bad feelings for each other. Frank has always been somewhat antagonistic with him. Ian said in the first episode it's because he reminds him of his mother. Ian despises him because he's never been a father for him. He's drunk and he's never there and all he wants is a good parent.

What sorts of things can we expect from Ian for the rest of the season?
Without giving too much away, he's able to see how brave and caring he is. He'll stick his neck out into dangerous situations and do things for other people he cares about, and sometimes he endangers himself and sometimes he does things he's not comfortable with.

I understand that you're also in the movie 'Prom.' Can you tell us a bit about your character?
Yeah, sure. Corey is really high-energy. He's kind of a big geek. He's really into music. He's very outgoing. I don't think he even completely realizes he's a geek, or if he does he's very, very comfortable with his nerd-dom.

And you just did a guest spot on 'NCIS'?
That was awesome. It's a very, very emotional role. My character's father has been killed with an axe. He's a skater with somewhat of a dark side.

Any parting words about why people should watch 'Shameless'?
We're rude, we're crude, we're fun and if that sounds like something you would enjoy, you'll definitely enjoy our show.


'Shameless' airs Sundays at 10PM ET on Showtime.