As the second half of BLUE BLOODS Season 14 kicks into gear Oct. 18, the cast is lining up to talk about the show’s patriarch, Tom Selleck, who plays NYC commissioner Frank Raegan on the show.
Donnie Wahlberg was the first to talk about his on-screen dad: “It can never be overstated how much he’s committed to the show. He stays behind and works on the show in post-production. He works on the scripts before they’re even brought to the cast. He is just really dedicated to the show and he treats it very seriously. He is to BLUE BLOODS as Frank Reagan is to the NYPD and to the Reagan family.”
Bridget Moynahan said, “He shows up and gives a hundred percent — whether it’s to Donnie, or to me, or to that guest star who’s on for one or two scenes — there’s no difference. He’s always present and respectful and welcoming, so it’s been a pleasure.”
Will Estes noted Selleck has always kept the show’s core at heart.
“I don’t think we’d still be here [without him],” he said.
Vanessa Ray said, “There’s something about Tom when you meet him for the first time — and it doesn’t stop after you meet him, [but you] look him in the eye and he’s an oak tree. He’s an enormous man. Then he’s got this gentle voice and he looks [at you] and you’re just like, ‘Am I going to cry? Am I going to laugh?’”
“Certain actors can look at you and all you have to do in the scene is play off of them,” she continued, “There’s something about him that is so outrageously present and there for you — he always has your back.”
Sami Gayle says the actor taught her so much that she “could write a book.”
She shared a few of the things Selleck taught her: “The secret to comedy is timing and not trying to be funny…life’s not fair, but you can be…but I think the most important is how crucial it is to watch yourself in editing. I spent many hours with Tom in the editing room, learning what shot sequences best served characters’ journeys, and how I, the actor, could better serve those shots. I identified my habits (sometimes, ones I didn’t like), and we’d discuss how to improve. Those sessions made me a better actor, and I am infinitely grateful that he included me.”
Robert Clohessy said, “Tom never did less than 200%. He was always fully committed to making it a great show. A great professional, who forced you to do your best.”
Abigail Hawk recalled her first day on set with Selleck, who she was in awe of from the start.
“Tom really and truly was The Brawny Man incarnate,” she joked.
Andrew Terraciano said, “There’s a ton of wisdom and information that each member of the cast and crew have given us. Tom, in particular, always serves as an example of the importance of hard work, and the importance of loving what you do. He comes to set every week with his script read, analyzed, and memorized, so that he can discuss various ideas — he does the research and comes prepared.”
“Then, he sits there, with an incredibly serious look on his face, and starts cracking jokes,” he continued. “It might seem strange or paradoxical to say that, but he proves that you have to love what you do, and you have to have fun doing it.”
His brother Tony Terraciano agreed, calling Selleck a “role model.”
He said, “He showed up each day so prepared with not only material for his character, but tips for other actors and ideas for how to make the scene overall make more sense. This is a skill that I try to work on each day. Focusing on my responsibilities and preparing myself, but also thinking outside the box in terms of the flow of the day and figuring out how to make the production work both for the team and the audience. I hope to be capable of this in my professional career just as he taught me to do.”
