Following her controversial drug bust, Tatum O'Neal is back in shape and ready to reprise her role as Tommy's sister Maggie on the FX series Rescue Me, according to the actress' publicist.  Fortunately, producers of the show are also eager for her return.

"We want to bring her back, and I haven't heard anything about why she wouldn't be available to us," series co-creator Peter Tolan told TV Guide.  "It's a misdemeanor, so she's not going to do time, and nobody has said to us we can't insure her or anything like that.  So I'm assuming she's available to us and it's 'business as usual.'"

O'Neal was arrested for allegedly buying drugs near her Manhattan apartment building on June 1. When police searched her, they reportedly found two bags of drugs, one with crack and one with cocaine, as well as an unused crack pipe.  She was charged with a misdemeanor, criminal possession of a controlled substance, but was released without bail.

At the time of her arrest, O'Neal had already filmed two episodes for the fifth season of Rescue Me, which is expected for release in spring 2009.

When we last saw Rescue Me, Tommy's (Denis Leary) father died, giving Tolan even more reason to bring back O'Neal's character on the slate.

"We've already started to do some stuff with her that hooks into the death and where that sends her, Tommy and Uncle Teddy [Lenny Clarke]," Tolan said.

Meanwhile, fans can also catch Rescue Me as it burns up the small screen this summer.  The writers' strike may have delayed the fifth season of Rescue Me until next spring but that doesn't mean fans can't enjoy 10 original Rescue Me minisodes on FX and online at Sony Pictures' Crackle.  Minisodes are scheduled to air beginning Tuesday, June 24 at 10pm ET/PT.


-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: TV Guide
(Image courtesy of FX)