Tom Selleck’s kids, Kevin and Hannah Margaret Selleck, were raised away from the public eye.
The actor now lives on a 65-acre ranch in Ventura, California, which he bought in 1988.
Apart from his two kids, actor Donnie Wahlberg also became a son to Tom after the two spent over ten years playing father-son in the CBS drama series, “Blue Bloods.”
American actor and producer Tom Selleck has been married twice. His first marriage was to Jacqueline Ray, a model and actress who appeared in movies such as “In The Flick” and “Magnum, P.I.” The two married on May 15, 1971 and divorced on August 10, 1982.
Selleck married again on August 7, 1987, to actress Jillie Mack, who has starred in movies such as “Frasier” and “Silverfox.” The couple is still together.
The 78-year-old has two kids whom he has kept out of the spotlight but has a tight bond with. His first child, Kevin, was his first wife’s son from a different father, and when Tom married her, he adopted the boy. Even after the ex-couple divorced, he continued to be a father to Kevin.
Meanwhile, Selleck welcomed his second child and first daughter with Mack, Hannah Margaret, on December 16, 1988.
The father of two has been a frequent actor in TV crime dramas for over four decades. He currently stars in the police procedural drama series, “Blue Bloods,” which has been airing on CBS since September 2010 and is filmed in New York City.
Selleck, who lives on a ranch, prefers to keep his life out of the limelight despite being a sought-after Hollywood actor. The TV star’s 65-acre ranch in Ventura, California is where he and his wife have raised their kids since 1988.
Before the actor moved to the California ranch, he lived in a Los Angeles apartment, which he decorated with the assistance of designer James Blakeley III.
Before moving to the Los Angeles apartment, Selleck and his wife lived in Oahu, Hawaii, in a three-bedroom and three-bathroom house. The action series “Magnum P.I.” in which the actor starred was filmed in this house during the 1980s.
Selleck revealed he is a “fairly private person” who stays sane due to his good relationships and his ranch. He said his ranch was previously a working avocado farm that still houses more than 1,500 native trees.
The producer noted that he maintains the trees by himself, saying, “I do grunt work, and I make the rounds. I like watching things grow. It’s a retreat.”
The ranch was built in 1930 and was previously owned by Dean Martin, who sold it to car dealer Fletcher Jones for $250,000 in 1969. In 1988, Selleck paid a little over $5 million when he bought the ranch from Fletcher.
This ranch, where Selleck raised his kids, was built in a Spanish colonial style and has eight bedrooms, staff accommodations, stables, corrals, a tack room, a tennis court, and a heliport.
The ranch also boasts a swimming pool, an adjacent cabana, a three-hole putting course, and a practice green. Selleck described his ranch as a great contrast to the acting business:
“Acting is an abstraction; you do something, it’s up on a piece of film, and everybody argues whether it’s good or bad. But on a ranch, you dig a hole and plant an oak tree, and I’ve probably planted a thousand of them; it’s real, it’s there, and you can watch it grow.”
Selleck’s love for his ranch is evident, and it is the place he managed to keep his kids out of the media’s scrutinizing glare. The actor is reportedly a loving and supportive parent who is dedicated to his kids.
An insider revealed that Selleck is a “good dad” who is close to his kids and would “do absolutely anything for his son and daughter.” When his son was reportedly struggling with addiction, Selleck never acknowledged the situation to the public, but he convinced him to check into rehab and get clean and he has been ever since.
The “Friends” actor also adores his daughter Hannah, whom he sees as a lovely young lady. The pair love spending time together riding horses.
Selleck is a hands-on father even at 78. “You never stop being a dad even though your kids are grown,” he confessed.
The actor has proven over time that he values his children even with his busy work schedule that comes with a successful acting career. “I’ve always treasured the balance between work and time with my family. It’s always about them,” he said about his family.
In the seventh season of “Magnum P.I.,” Selleck stepped away from acting to lead a quieter life with his family. He noted that the decision was also made so he could attain a sense of privacy:
“I knew intellectually what it would mean in terms of being a public person, but until you’ve lived it, there’s no way to understand it. I had a feeling of, I don’t think I’m cut out for this.”
Selleck added that he did not leave acting not because he no longer liked it or was tired of it but because the career exhausted him when he could not easily create a three-dimensional life of family, himself, and work.
The actor took a self-imposed hiatus after quitting “Magnum P.I.” Although he wanted to stay away for a year, his break took longer because he didn’t like the offers fronted to him. However, he admitted that the break was beneficial:
“I put up with the articles that said he’s disappeared, he’s done. And you do get done, I’m well aware of that. It was a big lull, but it put a lot of things in perspective.”
Selleck slowly got back into acting when he starred in the popular sitcom “Friends” in the 90s and joined yet another police procedural series, “The Closer.” In 2010, the actor joined “Blue Bloods,” where he plays New York City Police Commissioner Frank Reagan.
Today, Selleck says he is grateful for his long-standing career and the strong family bond he has created with his wife and kids. “I’m proud of my work, I still love what I do, and I have my family. I’ve been enormously fortunate,” he said proudly.
Selleck’s children are thriving in their own fields, largely in part due to the actor’s encouragement for them to follow their own passions..
Kevin was part of the band “Tonic” from 1993 to 1996, in which the band released the hit album “Lemon Paradise,” which features popular songs such as “Open Up Your Eyes” and “If Only You Could Sing.”
As a singer and songwriter, Kevin also wrote a song for the soundtrack of the hit horror movie, “Scream 2.” He also dipped his toes into acting when he landed a part in an episode of “Magnum P.I.”
The songwriter is married to Annabelle Selleck, a costume designer and actress known for the 1998 drama series, “All Saints.” The couple has six children together.
Meanwhile, Selleck’s daughter Hannah is now grown and has developed a passion for horseback riding. She also built a career in this sector becoming a professional equestrian. She said her parents encouraged her to take this path after she graduated from Loyola Marymount University:
“From a young age, they always encouraged me to follow my passion, and my passion is the horses. My father said he would help support me but that I had to turn professional, letting go of my amateur status.”
The producer’s daughter has won several medals in her career of choice, including the 2010 Blenheim Summer Classic in California.
The horse-riding pro has also created a horse breeding company called Descanso Farm. She credited her father for her taking this bold step, saying, “I have my own breeding operation, which my dad encouraged me to start when some of my top mares retired.”
Selleck and his co-star Donnie Wahlberg on “Blue Bloods’ have become so close that they refer to each other as son and father.
Hannah revealed her other reason for starting the company was to produce horses that could be bred from a young age and given an opportunity to have an extended sports career:
“We want to show that we can produce horses in the States, having them on the ground as foals and bringing them up through the young horse classes. But we don’t want to just get the horse to the ring quickly; I want to make it right so that it has a long career.”
Horses bred from Descanso farm now compete successfully throughout the US and Europe as Hannah has dedicated her time and efforts to developing top-quality horses for sale. However, she explained that she did not have a big team and preferred to focus on producing quality to supplying quantity horses.
Aside from developing horses to reach their highest potential, Hannah wants she wants to focus on her own show career as well as savor it:
“You want to enjoy that moment that you’re in, whether it’s in the show ring or training the young horses at home, because we are so, so lucky to work with these animals every day.”
In an interview with Equestrian Living, Hannah said she spends most of her time producing young horses and participating in competitions. However, she noted she also wanted to take time to enjoy her life:
“My goal right now is to enjoy each moment. We are goal-oriented as athletes, but you’re also constantly thinking about future plans, where you want to be, and what I need to do…to get this result. But now I want to focus on not only having the goals but also being more present.”
In addition to her sports career, Hannah is a model who has appeared on the cover of magazines such as Horse & Style, Palm Beach Illustrated, and Equestrian Living.
Apart from Kevin and Hannah, Selleck has another person in his life who is proud to call him father. The actor has also referred to this person as his “son,” and the two shower each other with praises.
The Person Who Became His Second “Son”
“Blue Blood” stars Selleck and Donnie Wahlberg act as father and son in the hit TV series. Donnie plays police detective Daniel Reagan, Frank’s son, in the series.
After playing 13 seasons together, Selleck and his co-star Donnie Wahlberg have become so close that they refer to each other as son and father. The father-son relationship between Selleck and Wahlberg has transcended the screens; in real life, the two consider each other as family. Wahlberg commented on their relationship:
“I call him dad now, and he calls me son. I mean, that’s how we talk to each other off-camera. First, he used to kind of grumble at me, like, this music guy’s kind of weird. And then now he calls me son.”
Donnie also said that when he lost his mom, Anna Wahlberg, at 78, to dementia, Tom supported him. “He’ll come in and give me a big hug. You know, you get a hug out of Tom Selleck; that’s a big deal,” he disclosed.
The co-actors also share a penchant for being generous. When Wahlberg left a $2,020 tip on a $78.46 bill at an IHOP in St. Charles, Illinois, Selleck also left a $2,020 tip on a $204.68 bill at Elio’s restaurant in New York City.
The TV father and son were taking part in the #2020TipChallenge when they showcased their generosity. However, Selleck did not tell Wahlberg about his act of generosity as much as they did three dinner scenes together on set. When Wahlberg found out, he was sweetly surprised:
“I found out that my TV Dad #TomSelleck has generously accepted the #2020TipChallenge at Elios Upper East Side! Love ya dad. I didn’t start it, but I’m proud to be part of it. To those who gave even the smallest extra amount this year, THANK YOU.”
Wahlberg and Selleck have also had a great professional relationship. In 2014, Wahlberg directed the “Manhattan Queens” episode on “Blue Bloods.” He was delighted to direct it but gave all the credit to his TV dad:
“I’m smart enough to know that you don’t really direct Tom, so I just came at it from an actor’s point of view, gave Tom the comfort and space to do what he felt comfortable doing, and then just sort of adding some little finishing touches from there.”
Wahlberg described Selleck as a perfectionist who is dedicated to his work and has magnificent ideas on how to make scenes he directs special. He added that Selleck is so devoted to his work that he can generate 500 ideas in a week before people even have a table read.