Blue Bloods star Donnie Wahlberg will soon be getting his own spin-off show with fans now eager to know more about the actor.
CBS viewers were devastated when it was announced last year that the popular police family drama Blue Bloods would conclude after 14 seasons.
However, there’s good news for fans as Donnie Wahlberg is set to reprise his role as Detective Danny Reagan in a spin-off series.
Boston Blue will see Danny moving to Boston, where he’ll be assigned a new partner and fresh crimes to solve but without the support of his family so how will he cope with these new challenges?
Bad boy reputation
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Donnie Wahlberg gained fame at a young age when he joined the iconic 1990s boy band New Kids On The Block at the age of 15.
He briefly joined the band alongside his actor brother Mark Wahlberg, when the group was originally named Nynuk.
Mark left after a few months to kickstart his own music career as rapper Marky Mark. The group soon changed its name to New Kids On The Block and went on to produce hits like You Got It, Step by Step, Tonight, and I’ll Be Loving You.
Donnie quickly earned the title of the band’s “bad boy” and addressed this label with Yahoo Entertainment: “I understand why I might’ve been known as the bad boy of New Kids, but I think I was probably just as charitable, and just as much about giving back then, as I am now.
“It’s just that probably wasn’t as important for people to pay attention to, for whatever reason.
“If I went into a community of people shopping for Christmas, or if I donated food to a bank, it probably wouldn’t get as much attention back then.
“The press, quite frankly, didn’t really pay attention to that; it was far less eventful to talk about something charitable that I did than it would be to talk about me getting into a fight.”
The Sixth Sense
One of Wahlberg’s most significant early roles was in the 1999 horror film The Sixth Sense, where he played Vincent Grey, a mental patient.
He shared a throwback image from the movie last year, expressing his disbelief that the film is now over 25 years old.
“#Throwbackthursday How in the world is this movie, The Sixth Sense, over 25 years old now? ! ? ! Wow!”
“I will never really understand how I got that part, but it was most definitely the start! #thankful.”
In an interview with USA Today, Wahlberg revealed that he lost 43 pounds for the role, which was not an easy feat.
“I starved myself. I would fast for two days, then only eat steamed cabbage and drink beet juice. I would chew gum all day, and I would literally walk around the streets to burn thousands of calories. I didn’t shower for weeks.
“That was as close as I could come to this guy. I definitely had to suffer in the only way I could.”
Anxiety
The 55-year-old celeb got candid on Instagram about his battle with anxiety, opening up to followers: “To whomever is struggling with fear today, I know a 15 second reel may not change your life.
“I also know that it’s not easy to live without fear, worry or anxiety. It’s something that I’ve worked on, and continue to work on, every single day since I was an anxiety riddled little kid.”
“That said, if this reel can give you a little boost, a little bit of hope or even ease your worry for a brief 15 seconds – then it’s worth me sharing!”
Famous wife
The famous actor made headlines not just for his work but for his personal life as well.
Donnie first tied the knot with Kimberly Fay back in 1999, parting ways in 2010, before stepping out with former Playboy Bunny and actress Jenny McCarthy in 2014.
The couple, who have no kids together but three with previous partners, sparked their romance after an appearance on Andy Cohen’s Watch What Happens Live and further ignited their chemistry the next year on her talk show.
Family talk
Besides his love life, fans adore him for his familial ties, notably being Mark Wahlberg’s brother and one of nine siblings.
In a reflection tinged with regret, the cherished Blue Bloods star thoughtfully revealed to Variety: “It’s not that I’m not committed to my family, but I live in a different state than my siblings.
“I think when you come from a big family, you can stay close, but my career has taken me all over the world, and it still does.
“My sister always calls and says, ‘Come on, Mom’s gone now, let’s all fly to Boston and do Thanksgiving.’
“Maybe I need to hop on a plane and do a little bit more of those occasions with the siblings and encourage Mark Wahlberg to get on a plane and do the same.”
Boston Blue
While Donnie hasn’t commented on the Blue Bloods spin-off Boston Blue, which he’s set to lead, he shared his enthusiasm with TV Insider last year about returning to his character Danny.
He commented: “I, for me personally, would say whatever happens next, if it’s done with the spirit of Blue Bloods and done with the care that we tried to put into Blue Bloods every week, it would be something that I would look forward to watching or being a part of either way.”
Fans are eager for the new series which is rumored to debut in the 2025-2026 season.
Blue Bloods is available to watch on CBS.