Blue Bloods star Donnie Wahlberg opened up about a touching and emotional moment shared with his longtime co-star, Tom Selleck, during the final day of filming for the show’s 14th and final season. Known for his portrayal of NYPD detective Danny Reagan, Wahlberg revealed how Selleck’s heartfelt gesture left him teary-eyed.
As the cast wrapped up their last scenes, Selleck, who portrays Danny’s father Frank Reagan, made a rare appearance in the squad room—something that had never occurred before in the series. Wahlberg, deeply moved by the gesture, recalled the emotional atmosphere on set, especially seeing the emotional impact it had on Selleck himself.
In an interview with TV Insider, Wahlberg shared the significance of the moment: “The last day on set was filled with a lot of tears,” he began. “My final scenes were filmed in the squad room, which is where Danny and Baez had done most of their work. Tom Selleck has never been in that room—he didn’t come to the squad room much during the show’s run. But on the final day, he came in to watch us film. Seeing him there, the emotion on his face, it just turned on the waterworks for me.”
The iconic family dinner scene, where the Reagan family gathered for their final moments together, was especially poignant for Wahlberg. He described the filming of that moment as “probably the single most emotional day on the Blue Bloods set in the history of the entire show.”
Throughout the show’s 14-season run, Wahlberg and Selleck’s on-screen father-son dynamic became one of the series’ most beloved relationships. But the bond between the two extends far beyond the script. Wahlberg has often referred to Selleck as a father figure both on and off the screen.
Back in February, the 55-year-old actor revealed in an interview with Fox News Digital that he affectionately calls Selleck “Dad” when they’re not filming. “At first, he was a little thrown off by it,” Wahlberg admitted, “but now it’s just natural. We’ve become so close over the years. Now, he’ll respond with, ‘Oh, hey, son, how are you doing today?’ It’s like we’ve become a real family.”
Wahlberg’s emotional farewell to the Blue Bloods set wasn’t limited to Selleck alone. The entire cast formed an unbreakable bond over the years, with co-stars such as Will Estes, Bridget Moynahan, and Vanessa Ray all expressing their sadness at the show’s conclusion. Moynahan, who played Erin Reagan, shared her own feelings about leaving the series in an interview: “It’s bittersweet,” she said. “14 years with a group of people, we were a family on and off the screen. I miss them on a daily basis.”
Despite the heartfelt farewell, Wahlberg expressed optimism about maintaining the relationships beyond the cameras. “I’m sure we’ll stay connected after the cameras aren’t rolling,” he said.
The Blue Bloods finale, which marks the end of its 14th season, has stirred up mixed emotions among both the cast and the show’s passionate fanbase. CBS confirmed in May that the long-running series would come to an end, despite fans’ heartfelt pleas for its continuation.
As the Reagan family prepares to say their final goodbyes, the series will go down in history as a lasting legacy of both family dynamics and police procedural storytelling. The final season continues to air, with Blue Bloods wrapping up its beloved run this December.
