Blue Bloods has captivated audiences with its iconic Sunday family dinners, where the Reagan clan dissects legal, ethical, and life’s complexities around the table. But behind those seemingly authentic scenes lie fascinating, lesser-known stories about the cast and production that bridge the gap between on-screen drama and real-life intrigue.
The Surprisingly Authentic Dinner Table: From Real Food to Plastic Utensils
One of the most intriguing facts about Blue Bloods’ signature dinner scenes is that the food is completely real! While these meals can take anywhere from four to six hours to film, the food on the table is genuinely prepared and often eaten by the cast and crew once filming wraps. However, a small yet surprising detail: they initially used real silverware, but the clinking noise proved too loud for sound recording. So, they switched to plastic cutlery to ensure better audio quality.
This commitment to the dinner scene even inspired Bridget Moynahan (who plays Erin Reagan) to write a cookbook, The Blue Bloods Cookbook: 120 Recipes That Will Bring Your Family to the Table, directly inspired by the on-screen family meals.
The Unexpected “Father-Son” Dynamic: Tom Selleck and Len Cariou’s Real Ages
On the show, Henry Reagan (Len Cariou) is the father of Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck). In real life, however, the age gap between Tom Selleck and Len Cariou is surprisingly small, only about six years. This makes their on-screen “father-son” relationship all the more impressive, as both actors portray their roles so convincingly that few viewers realize the real-life age difference. Len Cariou, despite not being much older than Selleck, perfectly embodies the seasoned, wise former Police Commissioner and family patriarch.
Real-Life Brothers Play On-Screen Siblings: Sean and Jack Reagan
Another fun fact about the younger cast members of Blue Bloods is that Danny Reagan’s two sons, Sean and Jack, are played by real-life brothers, Tony and Andrew Terraciano. This explains their natural and believable chemistry on screen as they portray the close-knit sibling relationship within the Reagan family. Their real-world connection undoubtedly contributes to the authentic and heartwarming family moments seen in the series.
NYPD Detective on Set: Ensuring Utter Authenticity
To ensure the show’s authenticity regarding the New York City Police Department, Blue Bloods has a former NYPD detective named James Nuciforo present on set at all times. His job is to review and revise scripts to ensure that police procedures, terminology, and plotlines are portrayed as accurately as possible. He even provides dozens of pages of notes for each script, inserting police jargon to enhance realism. As a result, Blue Bloods has earned the admiration of many real-life police officers who appreciate the show’s meticulous attention to detail.
These behind-the-scenes stories not only highlight the professionalism and dedication of the Blue Bloods cast and crew but also add an extra layer of intrigue to one of television’s most beloved police family dramas.
