“Tom Selleck Took a 3-Year Acting Hiatus to Care for Daughter Hospitalized with Viral Pneumonia”

Tom Selleck exemplifies the role of a dedicated family man.

Residing on his 63-acre ranch just north of Los Angeles, the 79-year-old Blue Bloods star is preparing to release his new memoir, You Never Know, on May 7. Over the years, Selleck has learned to place a high priority on spending quality time with his loved ones, including his wife, Jillie, 66, their daughter Hannah, 35, and his adult son Kevin, from his previous marriage to Jacqueline Ray.

At the height of his Magnum, P.I. fame, Selleck took a self-imposed hiatus from acting to care for his daughter, who was hospitalized with viral pneumonia as a toddler. “I got off that train,” Selleck shares in this week’s cover story. During that period, he was set to begin filming the 1992 movie Christopher Columbus: The Discovery in Spain. “I had agreed to do the picture because Marlon Brando was in it,” he recalls. “I missed all the rehearsals and everything. We got Hannah home, and then I went, but I didn’t like that.”

Despite the film’s lackluster reception, Selleck valued the chance to meet Brando and still has a few letters from the iconic actor. However, Selleck believes it wasn’t worth the sacrifice. “It was never going to be worth it,” he asserts. “I quit Magnum to focus on family, and now I’m chasing every movie opportunity that comes my way.”

What started as a one-year break extended to three years before Selleck’s career picked up again in the late ’90s with roles in films like In & Out, the TV series The Closer, and as Monica’s older love interest on Friends. Reflecting on his role as a father, Selleck acknowledges the challenges of balancing his career with family life. “I think I’ve been a good dad, but you always feel like you missed some opportunities,” he admits. “In our business, work often comes first, and you have to find a way to make it work.”

Now, Selleck spends quieter moments reading scripts for Blue Bloods, which is in its final season on CBS, and enjoying life on his ranch with Jillie. “Ending the day with a cigar and a glass of whiskey is a nice way to unwind,” he says. “I’ve had a very good life.”