Donnie Wahlberg says he and BLUE BLOODS co-star Tom Selleck have a real father-son dynamic.
“Tom Selleck, I call him Dad,” he told Fox News. “At first he was kind of a little thrown by it for the first season or two, he’d be like, ‘Oh, hey, Donnie.’ Now it’s like, we’ve gotten so close.”
Wahlberg said that now Selleck calls him “son,” adding, “He’s literally like, ‘Oh, hey, son, how are you doing today?’ It’s like we’ve just become a real family, and it’s going to be a lot to not be with [them] anymore, but I’m sure we’ll stay connected after the cameras aren’t rolling.”
The actor said that family dynamic extends to the rest of the BLUE BLOODS cast and crew, too.
“There’s something about coming to work every day in New York with this crew that we have, many of whom have been here for the entire 14 years,” Wahlberg said. “They’re just incredible to work with. The cast is phenomenal. They’re like a real family.”
He also spoke about what it’s like to wrap up the final season of BLUE BLOODS.
“We’ve been through so much together that the thought of not coming to work with the people I’ve worked with for so long, it’s going to hit me in the heart at some point soon,” Wahlberg shared. “I’m really enjoying the ride right now and trying not to go there emotionally.”
Wahlberg talked about the final season while appearing on THE KELLY CLARKSON SHOW.
“The crew is phenomenal, the cast is phenomenal,” he said. “It’s one of the things that helps when I’m away from my wife, you know, my family and my kids. I have this other family that I’m surrounded by, not just onscreen but off. It’s just been the greatest blessing. It’s truly been an amazing run. I just love it. I love it so much.”
Selleck also recently shared his thoughts about the end of BLUE BLOODS, telling TV Line, “I’m not counting the days so I can do something else. I love the work. Sometimes the hours are a little harder because I’m older, but so what? I want work as long as they’ll have me.”
Movieguide® previously reported on the end of BLUE BLOODS:
The show announced last fall that it would be entering into its final season in 2024. Season 14 will be broken into two parts, with the first 10 episodes airing in the spring, followed by the final eight in the fall.
“For the past 13 years it has been an honor and a privilege to work on a show that not only celebrates the men and women who protect and serve in New York City, but also displayed the importance of family,” Tom Selleck said in a statement after the show announced it would end after the 14th season.
“Working alongside these incredible actors, writers, producers, directors, and crew has been a dream come true and I’m extremely grateful to have been a part of this extraordinary group for over 275 episodes,” he continued. “Thank you, CBS Studios and CBS Network, for their steadfast support and we offer gratitude for the fans who gathered with us for dinner every Friday night.”