William H. Macy is headed to Lanford.
The Emmy-nominated actor has been tapped as a guest star for the current fifth season of The Conners. The gig will mark a Shameless reunion between Macy and former TV daughter Emma Kenney, who portrayed Debbie Gallagher opposite Macy’s patriarch Frank in the dramedy.
An airdate has not been announced for the episode in question yet, but Macy is set to play Smitty, one of Dan’s (John Goodman) best buds from high school, who pays a visit to Lanford.
The Roseanne spin-off has become a haven of sorts for Shameless fans, as it recently reunited Kenney — who plays Darlene (Sara Gilbert) and David’s (Johnny Galecki) daughter — with TV sibling Ethan Cutkosky, who joined the sitcom as Caleb, Louise and Neville’s orphaned nephew.
Macy’s addition comes after executive producers Bruce Helford and Dave Caplan teased that a “memorable” original Roseanne character would return to the current season. “I can’t reveal it, but there is someone coming from years’ past,” Helford told TVLine last month. “It was a very memorable appearance when this person was there, and this person is coming back. I think people are going to be very surprised and go, ‘Oh s—!'”
Caplan added, “It’s one that the true fans are really going to appreciate.”
The show stars Laurie Metcalf, Lecy Goranson, Jayden Rey, and Ames McNamara. Michael Fishman, who portrayed longtime character D.J. Conner in the original series, recently departed the fifth season of the sitcom.
