Tom Selleck shot to stardom in the '80s after landing his breakout role as Thomas Magnum on the hit show "Magnum P.I." However, after he married his second wife, ballerina Jillie Mack, in 1987 and had a daughter a little over a year later, he stepped back from acting to spend time with his family. Now, decades later, Tom Selleck is back on television starring in "Blue Bloods" — and his daughter, Hannah Selleck, is all grown up.
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Raised on a 60-acre avocado ranch in Hidden Valley, Calif., Hannah enjoyed a childhood others only dream of having. Despite having a celebrity father, she was mostly kept out of the spotlight while growing up. However, as both of her parents made careers in the arts, they encouraged her to follow her passions and supported her every step of the way.
For many years, she followed in her mother's footsteps and pursued ballet. Even though she proved to be a talented dancer, another passion pulled Hannah in a different direction. Not far from her family's ranch were stables where she first learned to horseback ride as a toddler. Now, at 35 years old, she has managed to turn her childhood passion into a successful career. Let's take a look at Hannah Selleck's life through the years and how her relationship with her father helped mold her into the woman she is today.
Hannah Selleck Started Riding Horses Early
Born in 1988, Hannah was riding horses at just 4 years old. At that age, her parents encouraged her to try a bit of everything — including dance, ice skating and soccer — to help her find the activities she was most passionate about. Growing up on a ranch, it's no surprise that one of those activities wound up being horseback riding.
"There happened to be a local stable very close by," she told Equestrian Living. "That's where I dove in along with other activities, but the riding just seemed to be a fit." As she got older, it became clear to everyone around her that she was talented at both ballet and riding.
Hannah Selleck Had To Choose Between Riding and Ballet
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Once she became a teenager, Hannah had to choose between riding and ballet if she intended to pursue either seriously. While this would be a major decision for most teens, the answer was clear to her. She ultimately chose to pursue riding, which she discussed in a 2015 interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "Around the age of 14, I was very good at ballet and riding. At that point, I had to choose if I wanted to excel at either one. My love was with the horses. That's when I became very serious about it."
She went on to explain how the connection she makes with horses when taking care of them drew her toward riding. Eventually, when she started competing, she fell in love with the sport as well.
Tom Selleck Encouraged Hannah To Avoid Homeschooling
Many young competitive horseback riders opt for homeschooling, as competitions require a lot of travel time. Fortunately, once Hannah started competing seriously, her parents encouraged her to avoid this route so she could still partake in typical teenage experiences. She described how she balanced competing and her education in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
"My parents encouraged me to stay in school and not do the home-schooling route, which many younger riders did. I stayed in school regularly even though I missed quite a bit of class to travel and compete, but I attended school dances and went to prom and I was able to balance it."
She continues to share how happy she is that she made that decision, as learning to balance school and riding proved to be important to the longevity of her career.
Hannah Selleck Nearly Pursued a Career in PR
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After high school, Hannah attended Loyola Marymount University so she could continue to ride five or six times per week, driving an hour and a half each way. Her original plan was to pursue a career that would ultimately support her passion for riding, so she majored in communications and got an internship with a PR firm.
"My parents were generous enough to support the riding and keep my good horses while I was in school, but the idea was that I was going to school to prepare for a career that could then support my riding," she explained in Equestrian Living. "It was really the first time that I'd been away from the horses for so long, and I wasn't very fulfilled."
Hannah lasted roughly six months at the internship before quitting for a job with her horse trainer where she would ride clients' horses, provide lessons to students and set up jumps. She managed to work her way up to assistant trainer while also pursuing her degree and continuing to compete.
Hannah Selleck Started Descanso Farms
In 2010, while still in school, Hannah started Descanso Farms, a boutique breeding and training company. Encouraged by her father, she started by breeding one of her competition horses after it retired, and her business has steadily grown since then.
"My dad encouraged it a lot," she told The Hollywood Reporter. "He liked the idea of developing the babies and developing young horses, so he was a big supporter of this idea. I had a couple top older grand prix horses that brought me along in my career, and when they weren't able to do their job anymore, I decided to breed them."
According to the Descanso Farms website, she has "produced some of the top sport horses in the world, dedicated to developing them to the peak of their potential with the utmost care and attention given to every step of the process." Not only does Hannah breed and train the horses, but she also competes with Descanso Farms horses and leases them to other equestrian jumping athletes.
Hannah Selleck's Riding Career Almost Ended In 2018
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During a 2018 competition at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Canada, Hannah's horse stopped abruptly at a jump. Unfortunately, her magnetic stirrups didn't release accurately and she fell from her horse, shattering her tibia and fibula. "Being told that I might not run again was pretty intense," she said in a 2022 interview with Modern Luxury Palm Beach.
Despite this setback, she was determined to get back to riding. Hannah required a six-hour surgery and intensive physical therapy — and, fortunately, managed to make a full recovery. Through alternative therapies and mediation, she was able to overcome her fears and get back to competing. "I think when someone says you can't do something, grit and determination kick in," she told Equestrian Life, "but it wasn't easy."
Hannah Selleck Has No Interest in Acting
Despite her father having a successful acting career, Hannah has no interest in the industry. She has done some modeling; but according to her interview with The Hollywood Reporter, she has only modeled to help out friends and for her sponsors.
"All my time goes into the horses and that's my focus. If you split your focus, it's hard to excel."
Those words couldn't be more true! These days, Hannah is focused on competing and growing her business. She recently went back to school and earned her master's degree in business administration from Pepperdine University's Graziadio Business School in 2023.
