Callie Thorne gets to play with fire in ‘Rescue Me’

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If Callie Thorne’s Sheila Keefe had a theme song, it would be Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire.”

The ode to flaming desire animates Thorne’s character, who returns for her fifth season of FX’s “Rescue Me,” the testosterone-fueled dramedyabout a dedicated crew of emotionally flawed New York City firefighters. And, as always, her character, the perpetually high-strung widow of a firefighter killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, is carrying a torch for her deceased husband’s cousin, firefighter Tommy Gavin (Denis Leary).

Although most of the action of the series surrounds Gavin and his colleagues, Thorne, 39, has proved to be a reliable touchstone of the series, often stealing scenes from Leary and other cast members. Her Italian American character is known for throwing tantrums, flaunting her sexuality and relentlessly pursuing Tommy with various schemes that inevitably backfire.

(Photo by Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) Read more Callie Thorne gets to play with fire in ‘Rescue Me’