“Tom Selleck’s Private Life Is His Own Business”

The actor, who has just released a new memoir, opens up about the state of television in 2024, his favorite memories from filming Magnum P.I., and what it was truly like dancing with Princess Diana at the White House. Publishers have been urging Tom Selleck to write his memoir for years, but it wasn’t until 2020 that he felt the time was right.

“I don’t have one of those sensational lives filled with dramatic events or comebacks,” Selleck tells Town & Country about his decision to finally write his memoir, You Never Know. “I didn’t have those big, flashy hooks, but I’ve had a long career. I hoped that sharing the journey might entertain people. My goal was to write something engaging; I didn’t want to do a tell-all, a book for revenge, or a political manifesto. Instead, I aimed to present a journey that people might find intriguing, despite the lack of overnight success.”

Before the book’s release, Selleck discussed his writing process, the current state of television, and the experience of dancing with Princess Diana at the White House. In You Never Know, Selleck mentions, “I once saw a list of my credits somewhere that included a bunch of shows I had no recollection of.” How was it to revisit those memories while working on the book?

Some of it was enjoyable. I would write in the afternoon around four o’clock. My office is in a small building next to the house, and in the evenings, I’d sit down with my wife Jillie and read her what I’d written. Occasionally, I’d become unexpectedly emotional while reading. It didn’t happen while I was writing, but I think memories and experiences affect you in strange ways—both good and bad. The same happened when my daughter Hannah came in and I read to her. It was an emotional experience, and writing it all down wasn’t easy. It took four years, and since I’m not tech-savvy, I wrote everything by hand using a legal pad.

What was it like writing your memoir entirely by hand?

It’s the only way I know how to write. I can’t think properly in front of a keyboard. It’s like I drive the people around me crazy on Blue Bloods because I insist on having scripts in paper form. Scrolling doesn’t help me register information the same way, so writing by hand works better for me.

Writing this memoir made it more personal. Despite being a private person, I knew I’d need to share some personal details. The challenge was deciding how much to share and drawing the line to avoid exploiting others’ stories. I was mindful of how sharing private moments might affect the people involved, especially since they weren’t there to give their consent.

One of my favorite parts of the memoir involves Princess Diana. Can you share what it was like meeting her?

Well, my publicist called me while I was in Hawaii. Washington, D.C. was quite far away, and we were in the middle of filming Magnum P.I., but she informed me that I was on Princess Diana’s personal guest list, along with Clint Eastwood and John Travolta. I was flattered but nervous, and I remember hiding in the corner with Clint, anticipating that we might be asked to dance.

I do remember dancing with her and apologizing for not knowing how to dance properly. She was incredibly gracious and seemed to be enjoying herself thoroughly. In retrospect, it was nice to see her having such a good time. The Prince also danced with my wife, who’s British, and even asked her for a second dance, which was a special moment for Jillie.