Mom made its Season 8 premiere in 2020 without star Anna Faris after she announced in September that she would not be returning to the popular CBS sitcom. While many fans worried they would kill Faris' character Christy off to explain her sudden departure, the writers took the much better option of sending her off to law school on the east coast as a happy ending.

While Faris' decision to move on from the show seemed sudden to cast members and longtime fans, it was a decision the 43-year-old star felt she had to make in order to explore different career options.

According to Newsweek, Faris was only halfway through her contract, which would expire at the end of Season 8, when she announced her departure in September. Before her decision to leave Mom was announced, Faris signed on to star in and produce a new project called Summer Madness, an independent comedy in which she will be playing twins.

For the cast, especially co-star Allison Janney, it was particularly upsetting.

Fans will certainly be keeping their eyes open for new projects from the comedically gifted Faris, and thankfully they can still get updates on their favorite character Christy through the storyline of Mom, even if she isn't acting on the show anymore.

Faris's departure wasn't the only thing that changed for the cast of Mom. As production resumed following the COVID-19 pandemic, the necessary safety measures drastically changed the filming process.

In September, Janney shared a behind-the-scenes video on Twitter, showing herself, Pressly, and the production team wearing masks.

The pandemic will not, however, be addressed in the actual show.

So what's next for Mom now that one its biggest characters has exited? With her daughter moved out, Janney reports that her character, Bonnie, will be focusing on a different relationship, and that's the one with her husband.

Keep watching to see This Is Why Anna Faris Has To Leave Mom.

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