Tom Selleck, 79, has always prioritized his family above all else. Living on his 63-acre ranch in Los Angeles, he cherishes his time with his wife, Jillie, their daughter, Hannah, and his adult son, Kevin, from his previous marriage to Jacqueline Ray.
At the peak of his Magnum, P.I. fame, Selleck made a bold decision to take a three-year break from acting when his young daughter was hospitalized with viral pneumonia. Although he was set to film Christopher Columbus: The Discovery in Spain, he chose family over career. “I missed all the rehearsals… and then I went, but I didn’t like that,” he says, reflecting on the choice. He soon realized that his family was what truly mattered. “I quit Magnum to have a family, and now I’m jumping at every movie that comes along,” he admits.
During his time off, Selleck reconnected with his loved ones, and by the late ’90s, his career gradually regained momentum with roles in In & Out, The Closer, and Friends. Despite his success, he acknowledges the challenge of balancing fatherhood with his professional life. “The work comes first… you find a way to make that compatible,” he shares.
Now, as Blue Bloods nears its final season, Selleck enjoys the quieter moments of life, reading scripts and unwinding at his ranch with Jillie. Looking back on his journey, he reflects, “A cigar and a glass of whiskey is a nice way to end the day… I’ve had a very good life.”
Selleck’s memoir, You Never Know, will be released on May 7 and is available for preorder.
