One of the most iconic and beloved elements of Blue Bloods has always been the Reagan family dinners. These weekly Sunday dinners, where the entire family gathers around the table to share a meal and discuss everything from their personal struggles to professional dilemmas, have become a hallmark of the show’s legacy. Fans have long admired the intimacy and realism of these scenes, as the Reagans bonded over hearty food and complex conversations. However, as the cast of Blue Bloods has revealed, there’s more to these dinners than meets the eye. Over the course of the show’s 14 seasons, the cast developed a series of tricks to make it look like they were eating, when in reality, they were anything but.
At a recent PaleyFest event, Tom Selleck, who played the family patriarch Frank Reagan, finally let fans in on the secret: the cast had been faking their way through those Sunday dinners for years. As Blue Bloods nears the conclusion of its 14th and final season, Selleck and his co-stars revealed just how they managed to pull off the illusion of eating while filming those lengthy dinner scenes.
The Challenges of Filming Family Dinners
Filming a scene that revolves around food sounds simple enough—after all, who wouldn’t want to indulge in a delicious meal while working? However, as any actor who has ever filmed an eating scene can tell you, it’s not as enjoyable as it sounds. When a scene involves multiple takes, close-ups, and different camera angles, what starts as a few bites of food can quickly turn into an unmanageable amount. Eating the same dish over and over again for hours on end can be physically uncomfortable and even ruin continuity in a scene.
For Blue Bloods, where the family dinners are a central part of almost every episode, the challenge of pretending to eat without actually consuming too much food became a routine part of the cast’s job. Over the years, each actor developed their own methods to make it look like they were enjoying a meal without actually eating too much.
Tom Selleck: The Roll Butterer
Tom Selleck, who portrayed Frank Reagan, has been the steady anchor of the show’s family dynamic for over a decade. He’s also one of the more experienced members of the cast when it comes to faking his way through dinner scenes. According to Selleck, his personal trick is to butter rolls during the meal.
“I butter rolls,” Selleck admitted during the PaleyFest panel. “That’s my trick. I keep my hands busy, and it looks like I’m doing something with the food, but I’m not actually eating it.”
By keeping his hands occupied with the task of buttering bread, Selleck can avoid eating too much while still appearing engaged in the meal. It’s a simple yet effective strategy that has helped him navigate countless family dinner scenes over the years.
Bridget Moynahan: The Food Masher
Bridget Moynahan, who plays Assistant District Attorney Erin Reagan, has her own unique approach to faking her way through the Reagan dinners. Rather than focus on buttering rolls, Moynahan is a “food masher,” a technique that involves moving food around on the plate to make it look like she’s eating.
“She keeps her hand real active and combines her potatoes and everything,” Selleck shared about his co-star’s technique. By mashing her potatoes and mixing them with other items on her plate, Moynahan creates the illusion of having eaten, without actually consuming large amounts of food.
This tactic not only helps maintain continuity between takes but also keeps Moynahan from getting too full or uncomfortable during long filming sessions.
Donnie Wahlberg and Vanessa Ray: Learning the Ropes
For Donnie Wahlberg, who plays Detective Danny Reagan, and Vanessa Ray, who plays Eddie Janko, the process of mastering the art of fake eating took some time. Wahlberg, known for his energy and enthusiasm, took a more lighthearted approach to the challenge.
“We all have tricks,” Wahlberg said at the PaleyFest panel. He didn’t go into detail about his own specific methods but acknowledged that over the years, the cast had all developed their own ways of getting through the meals without overindulging.
Vanessa Ray, who joined the cast later in the series, revealed that she initially didn’t realize her co-stars were pretending to eat. When she first started filming the dinner scenes, Ray would eat the food without hesitation, thinking everyone else was doing the same. However, it didn’t take long for her to catch on.
“I didn’t know everyone else was pretending when I first started,” Ray admitted. “I quickly learned to join Bridget’s potato mashing club.”
Like Moynahan, Ray adopted the tactic of moving food around on her plate to give the appearance of eating without actually taking too many bites. This helped her fit in with the rest of the cast and avoid the discomfort that can come with filming multiple takes of an eating scene.
The Legacy of the Reagan Family Dinners
The Reagan family dinners have become one of the most beloved and iconic aspects of Blue Bloods. These scenes serve as the emotional core of the show, offering a window into the Reagan family’s personal lives and providing a space for the characters to connect, argue, and reconcile. It’s during these meals that the family often discusses their differing opinions on issues such as law enforcement, politics, and personal values, reflecting the real-life complexities of balancing professional duties with family dynamics.
The fact that the cast had to navigate the logistical challenges of fake eating while still delivering powerful performances adds another layer of appreciation for these scenes. Despite the trickery involved, the actors never let it detract from the authenticity of the family interactions. Instead, they used their fake eating strategies to maintain continuity and focus on the dialogue and emotional beats of the scene.
As Blue Bloods enters its final season, fans will likely look back on the Reagan family dinners with even greater fondness, knowing the behind-the-scenes efforts that went into making them feel so real. These moments of togetherness, filled with laughter, arguments, and love, have left a lasting impact on viewers and will remain one of the show’s defining features.
Final Thoughts
While the Reagan family dinners on Blue Bloods may have looked like simple, heartfelt gatherings on-screen, the truth behind those scenes is a testament to the professionalism and creativity of the cast. Over the course of 14 seasons, Tom Selleck, Bridget Moynahan, Donnie Wahlberg, Vanessa Ray, and the rest of the ensemble developed clever strategies to navigate the challenges of filming eating scenes without actually consuming too much food.
Their tricks—whether it was buttering rolls, mashing potatoes, or simply moving food around on the plate—allowed them to maintain the illusion of a family meal while focusing on the heart of the show: the conversations and connections shared around the dinner table. As fans prepare to say goodbye to Blue Bloods, these Sunday dinners will remain one of the most cherished aspects of the series, forever ingrained in the show’s legacy.
