EXCLUSIVE: Denis Leary, Rescue Me Cast Reflect on 9/11 [video]
Posted 09.09.11 by Chris
After a seven-season run, Denis Leary's firefighter drama Rescue Me had its series finale Wednesday, just days before the 10th anniversary of 9/11, an event that very much played a role in the F/X show. Leary's character, Tommy Gavin, struggled with the deaths of his cousin and best friend, both killed at Ground Zero in the show.
At the wrap-up party, Leary and the cast of the show talked to ReelzChannel about what it meant to play NY firefighters post-9/11.
The interviews are part of ReelzChannel's 9/11: Ten Years Later. The one-hour special looks at how 9/11 affected movies, entertainment, and pop culture, including how the entertainment industry responded with segments on the Concert for New York and the birth of the Tribeca Film Festival.
Leary, whose cousin died while serving as a firefighter in 1999, talked about working with real firefighters on the set of Rescue Me.
I think the most important thing for us creatively, was not just that we were telling a story of these fictional guys but we were very lucky to have great firefighters giving us the fire scenes and helping us create the fire scenes so I think that’s the thing I hope ultimately everybody walk away with a sense of what it’s like to be in a fire and how scary it is.
9/11: Ten Years Later also features exclusive interviews with Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg. You can watch it today at 4PM ET / 1PM PT and Saturday at 7PM ET / 4PM PT. ReelzChannel is Dish 299, DirecTV 238, and available on your cable system.