The One Actor Who Left Blue Bloods Star Tom Selleck ‘Starstruck’
Tom Selleck is a Hollywood legend in every sense. He’s appeared in a number of excellent movies and TV shows, including high-profile parts on long-running series like “Magnum P.I.” and “Blue Bloods.” His name is ubiquitous now, but it’s important to remember that he was once a fresh-faced actor just trying to make it in the entertainment industry. And early on in his career, he had a chance to work with a legend who genuinely left him starstruck.
While promoting his new memoir, “You Never Know,” Selleck spoke with Town & Country about his career at large. When asked if he had any memorable encounters with famous faces, he replied, “I probably got a little starstruck with Mae West. I didn’t get starstruck with [James] Garner, even though I just deeply respected his work, loved his work.” Selleck and West worked together on the 1970 film “Myra Breckinridge,” a notoriously lambasted film that marked the former’s first theatrical feature film role while also being one of the latter’s final projects. It may not have been the best movie ever, but Selleck getting to work with a major starlet like West before she passed away was undoubtedly significant for the young actor.
Sadly, James Garner doesn’t receive the designation of being “starstruck-worthy” for Selleck, as the two worked together on some episodes of “The Rockford Files.” Garner played Jim Rockford, one of the greatest detectives in TV history, and Selleck would follow in those footsteps by playing private investigator Thomas Magnum on “Magnum P.I.”
Tom Selleck also discussed his encounter with Princess Diana
For an up-and-coming actor, getting a chance to work with Mae West, star of films from the 1930s like “Goin’ to Town” and “I’m No Angel,” surely must’ve been an honor. While West takes the cake as far as the most awe-inspiring actor Tom Selleck got to work with, his memoir discusses another famous woman who was pretty incredible to meet — Princess Diana.
The actor told Town & Country how he met Diana, Princess of Wales at the White House in 1985, and the only reason he was there was a special request from the princess herself. He flew all the way from Hawaii, where “Magnum P.I.” was filmed at the time, to Washington, D.C., to see her, and he spoke of the experience, “I do remember dancing with her. I just remember apologizing that I never [learned] to dance,” he recalled. “She was gracious. She was also, by the way, having the time of her life.” Selleck was in good company too, as only two other actors were invited to the event — John Travolta and Clint Eastwood.
While Selleck was starstruck meeting West, getting to be in the company of Princess Diana was a similar astounding moment for the prolific actor. He further explained, “I’ve gotten to meet a lot of people and I’m always a little starstruck, but I get over it. I mean, I can carry on a conversation. Dancing with Princess Di was a cut couple notches above that! Oh yeah, I was starstruck.”
Tom Selleck’s transformation from those days to “Blue Bloods” is definitely impressive, to where plenty of people would be starstruck to meet him in person now.
