The Roseanne revival still isn't here yet, which is a bummer, but fans can take comfort in knowing the creative team is getting all the pieces put into place to make this highly anticipated project a reality. And the sitcom just cast its next big new character by adding Shameless star Emma Kenney as the daughter of Darlene and David. And the sometimes surly apple didn't fall far from the rebellious teen tree.
Emma Kenney knows quite a bit about playing an independently minded daughter within a large family, and she'll be doing something vaguely similar for Roseanne as Harris, who leads the next generation of the Conner and Healy bloodlines. According to THR, Harris will be arriving in the all-too-familiar burg of Lanford, Illinois, having previously lived in Chicago, and that's not exactly something she's cheering about. If anything, the move makes her want to strive for a life that's "better" than that of her parents and her grandparents, and she tries to make that happen through her friend circles and her apparel choices, among other things.
But while she does have the same attitude that made Darlene such a memorable character in the late '80s and early '90s, Harris will also showcase a big heart. So maybe she'll try to be a caring big sister on a regular basis, as opposed to how Darlene was constantly harping on D.J. in the original run. (To be fair, though, D.J. was kind of an idiot on a regular basis.)
Roseanne brought Emma Kenney in as the second new character added for the ABC revival, with the aforementioned younger brother as the first. Young actor Ames McNamara was previously cast to play the second-born brother Mark, who was named after David's brother, who would presumably still be Becky's husband when the new episodes kick off. Given the death of actor Glenn Quinn, just about everything involving Mark Healy is up in the air, but the name homage is a good sign that the show will handle things respectfully. Now if they could only confirm that David will be returning, since Johnny Galecki's Big Bang Theory commitments make things a little tough on that end.
As Shameless' Debbie Gallagher across all seasons of the show, Emma Kenney has proven herself as an actress who knows how to show off a tough exterior that encases and kind and compassionate soul. And for the most part, that's that only role that the actress is really known for. She voiced a character in 2013's animated adventure Epic, and she'll soon voice a role in the intriguing animated film My Love Affair with Marriage.
Harris' character sounds like she'll represent the opposite of the blue-collar approach that made Roseanne such a popular and beloved comedy during its heyday, and we can't wait to see how it all turns out. (Especially the double-Becky business.) We'll definitely be watching when Roseanne's eight-episode new season hits ABC at some point in early 2018. In the meantime, head to our fall premiere schedule to see everything else that's on the way in the near future.
