French Stewart has defended former Mom co-star Anna Faris after sitcom creator Chuck Lorre revisited his reservations about casting her and her later departure in Sitcom: A Memoir. Stewart said he was 'disheartened' by the portrayal of an actress he remembered as hardworking and kind.
Stewart shared his response on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, following the memoir's release on 13 October and Faris' own reaction on 15 October. The actor played Chef Rudy in 30 episodes of the CBS comedy, which ran from 2013 to 2021.
French Stewart Praises Faris and Criticises Lorre
In a social media post alongside a photograph of himself with Faris, Stewart described her as 'one of my all time favorite costars'. He praised her sense of humour, kindness and preparation, recalling how consistently she delivered on set.
'The vast majority of my eight years on Mom was spent working with Anna,' he wrote. 'She was Mom. The spine of the show. And a legit good person.' Stewart said he was 'disheartened' that Lorre had thrown Faris 'under the television bus' in his book. He contrasted what he saw when working with the actress and the show's creator.
'Whenever I saw Anna — I saw a woman working hard to make a good show,' he wrote. He likened his experience of Lorre to seeing 'a man trying hard not to turn into a werewolf'. The comparison was Stewart's personal description, not a claim about any specific incident.
He also said he would not trade a day of working with Faris. His post defended her professionalism but did not identify the reason she left the series.
Lorre Revisits His Original Casting Decision
In Sitcom: A Memoir, Lorre wrote that he initially opposed Faris being cast as Christy Plunkett, one of the two central characters in Mom. Christy and her mother Bonnie, played by Allison Janney, were both recovering from addiction while attempting to rebuild their relationship.
Lorre described reconsidering his objections after thinking about his difficult working relationship with Charlie Sheen on Two and a Half Men. In the memoir, he presented his earlier experience as part of his reasoning about whether to let personal concerns influence casting.
Faris went on to star in seven seasons of Mom. Lorre later wrote that his initial reluctance was 'in fact, correct', offering his own interpretation of the casting decision and the actress' subsequent exit.
He also described her reasons for leaving as mysterious while suggesting they were understood by people working on the show. The reported passage did not give a specific, independently established explanation for her departure. Although Lorre referred to six years in the account, Faris appeared across seven seasons.
Anna Faris Responds to the Memoir
Faris responded on 15 October 2026 with a statement beginning 'Yikes'. She acknowledged that Lorre's comments hurt while expressing gratitude for the comedy and the people who helped make it.
'Of course it hurts,' she wrote. Faris thanked the cast and crew and reflected on the opportunity to play Christy, a character whose story dealt with addiction, family conflict and recovery.
She also shared that she had been sober for a year and a half, writing: 'I was on a show about recovery and then I lived it.' She described feeling healthier and happier and offered encouragement to others dealing with difficult periods.
Faris did not say that substance use or sobriety explained her decision to leave Mom. Her personal disclosure should not be treated as confirmation of any implication in Lorre's memoir.
Faris Left Before the Final Season
Faris announced her departure on 4 September 2020, before production of the eighth season. At the time, she thanked Lorre, the writers and her fellow performers, and said she intended to pursue new opportunities.
The sitcom continued for one final season with Janney leading the cast and concluded in 2021 after eight seasons. Faris' character Christy had been central to the series from its 2013 premiere, particularly through her evolving relationship with Bonnie.
Stewart's defence was grounded in his own time working alongside Faris, while Lorre's memoir presented his view of the casting and departure. Faris has said the remarks hurt and expressed appreciation for the programme without giving a new explanation for her 2020 exit.
