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Before his iconic role as the protagonist inBlue Bloods, Tom Selleck was the titular central lead in the cult 80s crime dramaMagnum P.I.The veteran star’s portrayal of a freelancing private investigator made his one of the biggest superstars on television for 8 seasons of the show.
When Selleck was expectedly called back for a reboot of the show in 2018, theThree Men and a Babystar declined the offer categorically. Having already committed to a long-standing association withBlue Bloods, the actor had no regrets and revealed that his commitment to theCBSshow was the top priority.
Why is Blue Bloods Ending after Season 14? Real Reason Will Rattle Tom Selleck Fans
Why Tom Selleck PrioritizedBlue BloodsOverMagnum P.I
Few actors get the unique opportunity to play multiple memorable characters who have stood the test of time. Tom Selleck is one star who has this envious reputation. Following his cult role in the 80s crime dramaMagnum P.I, Selleck went on to star in another hugely popularCBSseriesBlue Bloodswhich is currently in its 14th season.
During his time with the police drama, theFRIENDSactor was called upon to star in aMagnum P. Ireboot series which would have been an expected outcome considering his influence in the original show. But Selleck surprisingly turned down the offer. In an interview in 2020, Selleck toldTV Insiderabout the valid reasons he had for his rejection.
“They asked and I said, ‘Absolutely not. I’m busy with Blue Bloods.”
Selleck went on to add that he wasn’t fully certain of how the reboot would incorporate the original elements of his character. He also believed that he wanted to stick on to the memories and nuances of his version in the 80s.
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Why Tom Selleck Rejected A Cameo InMagnum P.IReboot
Tom Selleck’s extensive association withCBShas seen him in many prominent roles starting from the soap operaYoung and the Restlessto his two iconic and very different law enforcement protagonists inMagnum P.IandBlue Bloods.While Selleck was asked to step back on board for aMagnum P.Ireboot in 2018, the actor’s commitment toBlue Bloodsdeterred him from accepting the offer.
In addition, it also seemed that Selleck wanted the reboot version to trace its own path without baggage from the original. This was also the reason for the star turning down a cameo that was offered to him by director Peter Lenkov in the series. In a chat withTV Insider, he said,
“I told them that I won’t do some cameo guest spot to let the audience know I approve. I’m sure they’d like it, but I have an obligation to my version. And Peter’s [doing] his take on what a Magnum under some similar circumstances should be about.”
Tom Selleck was ultimately replaced by Jay Hernandez in theMagnum P.Ireboot which ran for 5 seasons and culminated on January 3rd, 2024.
Magnum P.I(1980) is available for purchase on Apple TV.
Sharanya Sankar
Senior Writer
Articles Published :1230
Sharanya Sankar, Writer for FandomwireHaving completed her Masters degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, Sharanya has a solid foundation in writing which is also one of her passions. She has worked previously with Book My show for a couple of years where she gained experience reviewing films and writing feature articles. Sharanya’s articles on film and pop culture have also been published on Film Companion, a popular film-based website. Apart from movies and pop culture, her interests include music and sports. She has contributed over 650 articles to Fandomwire so far.
