Denis Leary Falls in Love With Puppy

Denis Leary, who stars as a firefighter on the critically acclaimed FX show “Rescue Me,” is a comedian at heart. But it’s no laughing matter when the former star of “The Job” admits to a serious case of puppy love.

“I bought my daughter a Chihuahua and I fell in love with it,” says the actor in an interview with People. “So now I carry Coco around with me all the time.”

Leary, who was nominated for a Golden Globe and Emmy Award for his role as Tommy Gavin, a divorced firefighter trying to balance his dangerous job with the needs of his three children, does offer a hearty laugh when asked about being named one of People’s “Sexiest Men of the Year” for the last two years running.

“It’s almost certain proof that the apocalypse is just around the corner,” says the actor, who got his start in Hollywood as a standup comedian. “Or that William Dafoe absolutely refused to do the photo shoots.”

“Rescue Me” appears on FX on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT.