I've always wondered whether or not actors actually eat during meal scenes on TV shows, and Tom Selleck recently revealed how he handles Blue Bloods dinner scenes on the hit series. Spoiler alert: he doesn't eat all that food during the show's iconic family dinners. That would be a lot of food for any given Blue Bloods season.
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What is it About?
Blue Bloods has been on CBS for eleven seasons now, and the show, featuring Sunday dinners shared by the Reagan family, has been renewed for yet another season as well.
The show stars Selleck as Commissioner Francis Reagan AKA Frank Reagan, the family patriarch. New Kids on the Block member Donnie Wahlberg plays his son, Danny Reagan, and Frank's daughter, Erin Reagan, is portrayed by Bridget Moynahan. His youngest son, Jamie Reagan, is played by Will Estes, and former police commissioner Henry "Pop" Reagan, his father, is played by Len Cariou. Other cast members include Sami Gayle, Vanessa Ray, and Amy Carlson.
The series follows the fictional Reagan family, an Irish-American Catholic family in New York City who all work as police officers for the NYPD or have worked as law enforcement in some way. With characters like Eddie, Nicky Reagan, Linda, Joe, Sean, and more, it's hard not to think of the characters as real-life people.
Blue Bloods Family Dinner Scene Secret
The Reagan family is known for gathering around the dinner table every Sunday and enjoying a meal. The Reagan family dinner is a part of every episode of Blue Bloods, and different Blue Bloods stars get a moment to shine as each of the family members.
"We have to shoot everybody not just in a wide shot but in close-ups, but it's still my favorite part of the show," Selleck told TV Insider of shooting the scenes. "I sound like the fans, but it's mainly because I get to see my friends. The Reagans are close, and we're close...This format is like a weekly reunion."
Selleck also revealed that he isn't constantly eating during these scenes and that he "only eats when [cameras are] cutting to me." That's one way to save on chewing!
Speaking of, Estes noted, "Yes, the food is as good as it looks. However, anything you eat for six hours can get tough at the end. And no, we don't receive stunt pay for dinner scenes."
There you have it! Now you'll never again have to wonder just how they get through all that food during Reagan Sunday dinners.
