Donnie Wahlberg Reveals Emotional Moment with Tom Selleck During Blue Bloods Finale: “Waterworks Turned On”
It takes a lot to bring a tough guy like Tom Selleck to tears. So, if he’s crying, you can bet everyone around him is feeling the emotion too.
During the filming of the Blue Bloods finale, Donnie Wahlberg, Selleck’s co-star, found himself caught up in the moment. “On the last day, I was shooting my squad room scenes—it’s where I hold court as Danny Reagan—and Tom came in just to watch,” Wahlberg shared on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live.
“When he shows up to say goodbye, it really hits you. As I was filming, I looked across the room and saw him—he’s tall and standing in the back corner with tears in his eyes. That’s when the waterworks turned on for me. I could cry just thinking about it,” Wahlberg said. He described feeling immense gratitude, not sadness, but admitted, “Everyone was crying, of course. The last day was heartbreaking.”
CBS announced the series would end after 14 seasons in November 2023. Wahlberg and co-star Bridget Moynahan expressed being “more upset and sad” than happy about the cancellation, and Selleck recently voiced his frustration. “I’m not going to turn into a bitter old guy saying, ‘Get off my lawn!'” he stated. “But if you told a network, ‘Here’s a show that guarantees you’ll win Friday night for the next 15 years,’ they wouldn’t believe it. My frustration is that the show was always taken for granted because it performed so well from the start.”
Wahlberg reflected on the emotional weight of the finale, saying, “In one sense, the 14 years flew by, but in another, it’s been a huge part of my life. I didn’t even know my wife when we started.”
When Cohen asked if the finale felt like a proper send-off for the Reagan family, Wahlberg responded that he believed the audience would find it satisfying. “There’ll be a lot of tears—probably the same kind we had on set. There’s a very emotional scene in the middle that will resonate deeply. Overall, I think it feels like a finale that’s hopeful and forward-thinking.”
As for what lies ahead, during a recent Paramount Global shareholders meeting, co-CEO Brian Robbins mentioned Blue Bloods as one of the company’s most valuable IPs, hinting at potential future franchise extensions.
While Wahlberg appears at peace with the show’s ending, Selleck remains hopeful that “CBS will come to their senses.” The second half of Blue Bloods‘ final season premieres on CBS on October 18.
