Dark Secrets The Cast Of Blue Bloods Tried To Hide
It might not get as many column inches as prestige TV crime shows such as “True Detective,” “The Americans,” and “Ozark,” but the CBS hit “Blue Bloods” was undoubtedly one of the most popular procedurals to hit our screens in the 2010s, regularly pulling in more than 10 million viewers. And in an era when shows are being canceled left, right, and center, there’s something impressive about one that’s managed to make it all the way to 14 seasons. By the time its finale airs in 2024, it will have run for a staggering total of 293 episodes.
Of course, many of its key cast members have brought just as much drama off screen. From arson charges and alcohol issues to prison stints and bitter splits, here’s a look at ten dark secrets that the men and women of the fictionalized New York City Police Department would rather you turn a blind eye to.
Tom Selleck was sued for stealing water
Tom Selleck found himself in hot water in 2015 after reportedly stealing 1.4 million gallons of cold water during California’s biggest drought in recorded history. In one of the most unusual lawsuits filed against a celebrity, the actor was accused of the misdemeanor by the Calleguas Municipal Water District and subsequently taken to court.
Selleck, who plays Commissioner Francis Xavier Reagan in “Blue Bloods,” eventually agreed to pay $21,000 for the amount of H2O he allegedly took for his 60-acre avocado farm. The actor reportedly used a tanker truck to collect water from a fire hydrant in Calleguas — an area which he doesn’t live in — over a dozen times across a two-year period, something which was discovered by a private investigator.
Thomas Slosson, the water board’s acting president, said in a statement (via The Guardian), “Residents and businesses within the district — the rightful users of district water — paid for the construction, maintenance, and operation of the public works necessary to meet their water needs, not those of other landowners outside Calleguas’ legal boundaries.”
Donnie Wahlberg was charged with first-degree arson
In 1991, and at the height of New Kids on the Block’s success, Donnie Wahlberg decided to indulge in some good old reckless rock and roll behavior. Unfortunately for the singer, who plays Detective First Grade Daniel Fitzgerald Reagan in “Blue Bloods,” it nearly resulted in a 20-year prison sentence.
The drama began when Walhberg decided to pour some vodka on the ninth-floor hallway of Louisville’s Seelbach Hotel before adding some fire into the mix. Although such foolishness didn’t cause any injury or any significant damage, the star still found himself on a first-degree arson charge. This was later reduced to criminal mischief, and after completing his community service, officials decided to dismiss charges completely.
At the court hearing, Wahlberg expressed remorse for his conduct (via UPI) : “I would like to apologize … I definitely accept responsibility for my actions in this very unfortunate incident.” The multi-talent also agreed to front a series of public service videos warning against the dangers of drunk driving, substance abuse, and, of course, playing with fire.
Eric Barrier spent two weeks in jail
Just weeks after first appearing in “Blue Bloods” as veteran detective Mike Gee in the tenth season of “Blue Bloods,” Eric Barrier found himself on the wrong side of the law. In fact, the star, best known for his work as one half of pioneering hip-hop duo Eric B. and Rakim, ended up spending two weeks in prison.
Barrier’s jail time had actually been long overdue. In 2002, he’d pleaded guilty to both resisting arrest and aggravated assault for an incident that had taken place in New Jersey’s Ridgefield Park the year previously. But on the advice of his attorney Paul Begrin, a man dubbed “The Baddest Lawyer in the History of Jersey” who’s since been convicted of several serious offenses including homicide, the rapper didn’t show up for his sentencing and a bench warrant was subsequently issued for his arrest.
This only came to light again in 2019 during a questioning from Vermont state police. Barrier was then jailed for two weeks before being released and placed on a year’s probation, a significant reduction from the 364 days in prison he’d been sentenced to 17 years earlier. “I’m glad it’s over,” the New Yorker remarked (via Rolling Stone) as he left the courthouse and headed straight to a reunion gig with his musical partner in crime.
John Ventimiglia was charged with drunk driving
John Ventimiglia may have stood for law and order as the New York City Police’s Chief of Department Dino Arbogast in the early seasons of “Blue Bloods.” But it’s fair to say that the actor hasn’t been quite as upstanding in real life.
In 2006, Ventimiglia was charged with several offenses including drug possession and drunk driving after he was spotted driving erratically on the streets of Brooklyn by police. Not only did the actor test well above the legal limit when stopped by police, a zip-lock bag in his possession was discovered to have cocaine residue. The New Yorker was later given a $500 fine and a 90-day suspension of his license, although thanks to a plea deal, his drug charge was dropped.
This wasn’t the first time that Ventimiglia found himself in legal trouble, either. Five years earlier, the star was sued by “The Brown Bunny” director Vincent Gallo for assault and battery with the New York Supreme Court ruling in favor of the provocative director.
Vanessa Ray struggled with alcohol issues
During a candid 2022 appearance on “Women on Top,” a podcast hosted by her former “Pretty Little Liars” castmate Tammin Sursok, Vanessa Ray revealed that she’d once had a problem with alcohol which only started when she landed a role on “Blue Bloods.”
Ray, who plays Jamie’s officer wife Eddie Janko-Reagan in the hit procedural, previously consumed no more than three drinks a year. But with far more time on her hands now that she was no longer busy looking for work, the actor started partying a little too hard. And the fact that she was living apart from her husband didn’t help matters, either.
Ray opened up about everything from the impact that her alcohol intake had on her marriage to the time she ended up in floods of tears after being denied service at one particular bar. After starting to drink pretty much every day, the star decided it was about time to get some help. But she still gives herself a hard time over how long it took for her to make this move.
Jennifer Esposito’s bakery was sued for $43 million
In 2012, Detective 1st Grade Jackie Curatola actor Jennifer Esposito opened up a gluten-free bakery on East 10th Street in New York after being diagnosed with celiac disease. Unfortunately, within just four years, Jennifer’s Way found itself at the center of a $43 million lawsuit.
Esposito, who claims that she left “Blue Bloods” because she was pushed out due to her condition, was accused by her investors — including then-husband Louis Dowler — of bringing the company into disrepute. Not only did she allegedly redirect online customers to her own official website, but according to court documents (via Fox News), she “promoted and instilled a groundless and downright false sense of fear that the very same products with the same recipes, coming from the same facility, that she once stood behind, are now unsafe to consume.”
Unsurprisingly, Esposito, now wed to Jesper Vesterstrøm, had already filed for divorce by this point. And to make things even more dramatic, the actor was then accused of skipping town for a new life in Denmark around the same time, too. But she soon set the record straight, posting on Facebook, “Sadly the only scandal here is that you don’t do any research to what you’re writing and call yourself ‘news.’ I’d actually love a vacation at the moment but am in my bakery where I usually am, baking as I do for the people of this community.”
Tom Selleck was accused of being homophobic
In 1991, Tom Selleck sued Globe International for $20 million after its tabloid magazine The Globe failed to print a retraction for an article which insinuated that the future “Blue Bloods” star was closeted. The actor may have won the case, but he also lost many of his gay followers for what was perceived to be a slight.
Selleck insisted to Entertainment Weekly that the lawsuit wasn’t motivated by any homophobic fears. He said, “I thought suing the tabloid was right. I didn’t think in terms of giving them more publicity. There is a very important issue here about how people lie. If truth and justice can still be used in the same sentence — and I think they still can — then this thing will work itself out just fine.”
But the actor, who went on to play gay in 1997 comedy “In and Out,” didn’t do himself any favors when the subject came up in a 2009 interview with CBS News. He said, “It has nothing to do with being gay. It has to do with … you made a choice in your life and you’re married, and it would turn your life into a fraud.” The Village Voice was particularly scathing, writing in response, “Note to all celebs announcing their straightness: Sexuality isn’t a choice!”
