Emmy Rossum responds to age gap criticism around her role in the ‘Crowded Room’

Photo credit: ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images

Written by: Kira Wilkerson

In the new Apple TV+ mini series Crowded Room, Emmy Rossum plays Candy, the mother of young criminal Danny Sullivan, played by actor Tom Holland.

In real life, Rossum is 36, only 10 years older than Holland. However, Rossum has defended the 10 year age gap between her and her co-star as she explained in an interview with Entertainment Tonight that “Candy’s a super young mom, she’s almost a child in her own right when she becomes pregnant at age 16. You watch as I age from 25 to 35, which is actually younger than I am now.”

Rossum explains that she “fell in love with the relationship between mother and son and the closeness and everything that they’re grieving in later episodes,” which led her to take on the role after reading the script.

The Crowded Room premiered on June 9 and is set in New York City during the summer of 1979. The show, based on a true story, follows Danny Sullivan’s life following his arrest after a shooting at Rockefeller Center. It highlights Sullivan’s discussions with investigator Rya Goodwin to understand his struggles with his mental health and how the shooting ultimately transpired.

Rossum says that “the show has a lot to say about love and empathy and understanding of those who are different than we are.” Holland adds that “It’s a story about heartbreak. It’s a story about love. It’s a story about betrayal. And, most of all, it’s a story about a young kid’s determination to survive.”