Long before Shameless made her a household name, Shanola Hampton was already building an unstoppable career. Before Shameless and her lead role in NBC’s TV series, Found, Shanola Hampton got her start on stage. Shortly after, she transitioned into movies and TV series such as The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green, Scrubs, and Criminal Minds. She garnered major fame as a regular on Shameless from 2011 to 2021. But Shameless was just the beginning, Found proved she’s only getting started.
In Found, she plays Gabi Mosely, a public relations specialist and crisis manager dedicated to finding missing persons — especially those overlooked by society. Gabi goes against her job description and uses unorthodox methods to succeed in her cases. She works closely with her team and the family and friends of those missing to bring them home. What is most intriguing is how distinct yet powerful Hampton’s characters in Shameless and Found are.
The Plots of ‘Shameless’ And ‘Found’ Are Contrasts, But Shanola Delivers Stellarly on Both
In 2011, Shanola Hampton bagged her pivotal role as Veronica Fisher on Shameless. The series about the dysfunctional Gallagher family had many electrifying performances from the cast, but Hampton was undoubtedly one of the most beloved cast members. Playing a series regular in 134 episodes from Seasons 1 to 11 of Shameless, Shanola’s character developed admirably over the years. Hampton’s Veronica was the fiercely protective and resourceful best friend of Fiona, the central character in Shameless, played by Emmy Rossum. While her role in Found couldn’t be more different, playing Gabi Mosely allows Hampton to explore a darker, more psychologically complex character who fights to bring justice to the overlooked.
Unlike Shameless, which is a raw and often chaotic family dramedy grounded in dark humor and flawed relationships, Found delves into moral ambiguity, gripping tension, and ethical dilemmas. This shift allows Hampton, who plays a kidnapping survivor that saved herself when society stopped looking, to deliver a more intense and layered performance exploring themes of trauma and justice far removed from her previous role. Found takes this complexity a step further when it’s revealed that Gabi has tracked down her kidnapper, and well, kidnapped him herself. This unique duality of finding missing persons while keeping a man chained up in her basement provides Hampton a one-of-a-kind playground to showcase her range and versatility as a performer.
With ‘Found,’ Shanola Hampton Took Her Career Growth to New Heights
Before her performances in Shameless and Found, Shanola Hampton proved her mettle in different ways. In 2020, she debuted as a theater actress at the Tiffany Theatre. After starring in the musical The Gift, she made her way to the screen, where her acting prowess made waves for her. The actress also got stints on TV shows such as Reba, Popular, Scrubs, Criminal Minds, and, of course, the beloved Shameless. The TV show did not only showcase her growth as an actress, but she also made her directorial debut in Season 11 Episode 8. After the show ended, Hampton moved on to other projects, such as 2021’s Deadly Illusions, where she appeared as Elaine Fuller. In 2022, she was cast in one episode of The Neighborhood, playing the role of Nicki. Shortly after, she landed her fan-favorite role as Gabrielle ‘Gabi’ Mosely in Found.
Delivering a standout performance in Found, Shanola Hampton has won not only hearts but also numerous award nominations and accolades. In 2025, she was nominated for Best Actress in a Drama Series at the Critics Choice Awards. She was also nominated for Best Actress in a Drama Series at the Image Awards (NAACP) in the same year. In 2024, Shanola won the Gracie Allen Award for Actress in a Leading Role – Drama for her performance in Found. Sadly, Found was cancelled in May 2025. However, it’s definitely still worthy of your attention.
For those who missed its network run, Found is currently streaming on Peacock.
