Anna Faris Reveals 18 Months of Sobriety After Chuck Lorre Memoir Calls Out Her 'Mom' Exit

Two days after Chuck Lorre published a memoir declaring that his original doubts about casting Anna Faris were vindicated by her departure from 'Mom,' Faris posted a response on Instagram that went further than anyone expected: she disclosed she has been sober for a year and a half.

I've been sober for a year and a half. I was on a show about recovery and then I lived it. Now I'm healthy, I'm working, and I'm happier than I've been in a long time. If anyone reading this is where I was, I hope that's useful. It gets better. I'm proof.— Anna Faris, actress

The disclosure came in the same Instagram post in which Faris addressed Lorre's memoir, 'Sitcom,' published October 13 by Dey Street Books. In a chapter devoted to 'Mom,' Lorre describes how he initially had doubts about casting Faris as Christy Plunkett, a single mother on the path to sobriety, overcame those doubts, and ultimately decided, years later, that his original hesitation had been warranted.

As the years went by, it became apparent that my initial reluctance to hire Anna was, in fact, correct. After six years, she left the show for mysterious reasons that were not mysterious to anyone on the show.— Chuck Lorre, 'Mom' co-creator, in 'Sitcom'

The book offers no further explanation of those reasons. According to TVLine, Faris' Instagram statement draws no explicit link between her exit from the show and her sobriety disclosure.

Yikes. Yes, I read a few things. I really didn't see that coming. Of course it hurts.— Anna Faris, in Instagram post

Chuck gave me a job I loved, and for seven years I never took a day of it for granted. I'm proud of what we made together, and nothing changes how grateful I am for those people and those years.— Anna Faris, in Instagram post

According to TVLine, a representative for Lorre indicated he would not be commenting.

In the memoir, Lorre explains how he arrived at casting Faris in the first place. He writes that he initially said no, fearing she might not be appropriate for the material — a concern shaped, he says, by his troubled history with Charlie Sheen on 'Two and a Half Men.' Reconsidering, he told casting director Nikki Valko he had changed his mind.

Someone's personal life is none of my business. The mom in 'Mom' would be, and should be, Anna Faris.— Chuck Lorre, in 'Sitcom'

Faris starred in the show's first seven seasons opposite Allison Janney, who played her alcoholic mother Bonnie Plunkett. News of her exit broke on September 4, 2020, before Season 8 got underway. At the time, she framed it as a chance to pursue other projects. The show continued without her for one final season, ending in May 2021; her character, Christy, was written out by being awarded a full scholarship to Georgetown Law School and did not return for the series finale.

On the 'Happy Sad Confused' podcast in June, Faris had offered a partial explanation for her exit, saying the longevity of the project had worn on her.

I do think the intensity, towards the end, I think I started to lose my focus. I'd never had a job — besides waitressing — for over three and a half months before.— Anna Faris, on the Happy Sad Confused podcast

She also described it as 'a complicated time' in her life and said she remained 'always hesitant to really chew into my experience on Mom,' according to E! News.

In the memoir, Lorre also takes aim at CBS for canceling the series, writing: 'They cancelled a show starring Allison Janney.' He writes that the show's final seasons represented it finding 'its true voice,' adding, 'There is hope and there is laughter in overcoming the seemingly fatal disease of alcoholism.'

After Faris departed in 2020, co-creator Gemma Baker told TVLine that the production felt it was 'important to honor [Faris'] decision to leave the show' and that Christy's pursuit of a legal career had brought her arc to a satisfying close. At that point, Baker stopped short of saying whether Faris had been asked to return for the finale.

Why it matters — A prominent showrunner's public memoir prompted an actress to disclose a private health struggle, turning a Hollywood dispute into a candid conversation about addiction and recovery.

Sources differ on How many seasons Faris was on 'Mom' before leaving: Six years/seasons (eonline.com (quoting Lorre's memoir directly)) vs Seven seasons (tvline.com (noting Faris starred in the show's first seven seasons))

Reported by variety.com, eonline.com, thewrap.com, ew.com, tvline.com