FX's
Rescue Me has proven to be a big hit among viewers and critics, and actress
Tatum O'Neal believes the show's ability to present heavily dramatic storylines infused with humor not only makes it successful, but also sets it apart from other television shows on air.
"It's a little like life, you know?" O'Neal said to
The Canadian Press. "I don't think it would be any good if you were just seeing flawed characters.”
Moreover, O'Neal said that
Rescue Me, a show about "people dying in fires, marriages and break-ups, man's sexuality at 50 and all that stuff,” would become overly sentimental without the hilarity.
Having gone through numerous personal trials, O'Neal knows a thing or two about surviving hardship. She said learning to find something funny about her own imperfections is what helped her to overcome her problems.
"It is the only way to cope sometimes," she told
The Canadian Press.
The daughter of hot-tempered actor Ryan O'Neal and alcoholic actress Joanna Moore (
Touch of Evil), Tatum O'Neal grew up in the spotlight, and at the tender age of 10, took home her first Oscar for her work on
Paper Moon. As an adult, she married John McEnroe, and after having three children, filed for divorce. She released her autobiography,
A Paper Life, in 2004. The book tells of the abuse she received from her father and her battle with drug addiction.
She auditioned for
Rescue Me when the show was casting for its second season, and successfully landed the role of Maggie Gavin, firefighter Tommy's (
Denis Leary) alcoholic and troubled sister. Despite how closely the character resembles her past life, Tatum O'Neal has no qualms about playing Maggie.
"There's nothing better than playing an outrageous character," she told
The Canadian Press, adding that there is a little of Maggie in “all the great characters I have gotten to know,” including her mother. This season, Maggie continues to let her addictions take control, causing more tension between her and husband Sean Garrity (
Steven Pasquale).
Although the success of
Rescue Me has placed her back on the map, O'Neal knows there's a chance can get pulled out of the series anytime.
"Characters come and go on
Rescue Me. I could go at any time," O'Neal said. "Nobody can get too comfortable on this series. I could get drunk and die."
-Lisa Claustro, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: The Canadian Press
(Image Courtesy of MSNBC)