Abigail Hawk, from the television series Blue Bloods, disclosed that her finale as Abigail Baker was filmed in a cemetery alongside central cast members.
In conversation with Screen Time, the actress shared insights before the show makes its comeback on CBS with the last set of episodes, after fans were left reeling from the abrupt decision to end the series.
Viewers are gearing up to bid farewell to Tom Selleck’s legendary character Frank Reagan, along with his family of staunch NYPD members, in the anticipated final chapters.
“My last day, Tom’s last day, gosh, quite a few of our last days on set, was at a cemetery,” Abigail admitted.
“Which is not giving anything away, but certainly dangling a little teaser”, reports the Mirror.
Without revealing whether any key characters would meet their demise, Abigail pondered over filming the concluding scenes back in June, describing it as an almost ethereal experience that left her and the team still coming to terms with the show’s finale even weeks after shooting ended.
“It was hard,” she confessed. “And I felt like I was almost watching myself because it was so surreal and I was so in it that I couldn’t see it, if that makes sense?
“It was almost like being so close to the fire that I can’t actually experience how hot it is.”
After wrapping up what has been 14 seasons working closely with Selleck, the actress acknowledged that the conclusion of the last scenes was an emotional moment for all involved.
“We had our wonderful first AD, Tom Tobin, wrap each of us out and say, ‘That’s a series wrap on Abigail Hawk, detective Abigail Baker’,” she reminisced.
“And the applause and tears were received but also, like, I just wasn’t able to process it in the moment.
“Just the loveliest thing to be hugged by our executive producers Kevin Wade and Siobhan Byrne O’Connor, who have been with us since the beginning.”
She also reflected on Selleck’s remarkable TV legacy, the star securing one of his most successful roles several years after becoming an icon with Magnum PI.
“And then to see Tom being wrapped out,” Abigail said. “This wonderful legend of a man who had lightning strike twice. He’s had such an incredible, illustrious career and would have never thought that, after the success of Magnum PI, to have this happen again and create such a venerable character.
“You could see the weight of that on him. We’ve been in touch and we’re keeping the line open. I care so deeply for him. It’s hard, you know? He’s aware of his age but he’s also just still got so much to say.
“And Len Cariou [who plays Frank’s father Henry Reagan] is the same way. You have this 84-year-old who just did this absolutely heart-shattering play, Tuesdays With Morrie, where all of us that were able [to see it] witnessed the mastery of him. He’s not done! In this industry, we hang people up. ‘You’re done’. But there’s so much life there.”
On her last day, which Abigail described as “hard”, she was pleasantly surprised by her husband’s thoughtfulness in creating a collage of the Blue Bloods’ main and guest stars.
As for the finale details, the actress kept it under wraps but shared Kevin Wade’s view that it will feel much like any other episode.
“It’s just beautifully simple and ordinary,” she expressed. “There’s a lot of peace in that, because I think it leaves it open to whatever the future might hold.
“You’re not going to see a lot of changes for [Abigail] and I’m okay with that.”
Despite this, the series conclusion promises to be an emotional ride for fans. Abigail disclosed, “When I finished reading the episode I texted Siobhan and Kevin and I wept. It is a very fitting way to complete the series. I’m not going to say finish, it’s a lovely way to complete it.
“I’m not going to say if the tears were joy or sadness because maybe it’s both.”
