There’s nothing like a good family dinner scene, and the Reagan family dinners on 'Blue Bloods' have become legendary. But even the most iconic moments can have some quirky behind-the-scenes stories. Tom Selleck, the man behind the beloved character Frank Reagan, shared a funny tale about one particular dinner scene that had everyone talking. It turns out that not all dinner scenes go as smoothly as they look on screen.
Blue Bloods: Celebrating a Family Legacy – A Special Look Back
On November 29, CBS aired a special episode titled Blue Bloods: Celebrating a Family Legacy. This one-hour special took fans on a journey through some of the most memorable moments in the series, with a special focus on those iconic family dinner scenes. If you’ve been watching the show, you know how much these dinners mean to the characters—and to the fans. Each dinner scene seems to have its own little quirks, like Frank Reagan’s love for buttering bread or Danny Reagan’s habit of eating way more than his fair share. But what goes on behind the scenes might surprise you.
The Quirky Rule About Chicken Cutlets
Enter Zachary Badalucco, the prop master for 'Blue Bloods' since 2021. During the special, he revealed one of the quirkiest rules about those famous dinner scenes: chicken cutlets are banned. Why? Because, as Zachary explained, "Somebody broke their fork because the chicken cutlet was so hard." Imagine that—chicken cutlets so tough they could break a fork. Sounds like something out of a cooking disaster story!
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But it gets better. A clip from a past interview with Tom Selleck played next, giving fans the full story behind this unusual rule. Tom, now 79 years old, laughed as he recounted the infamous chicken cutlet incident. "I did lose it one time a couple of years ago," he admitted. "We were having chicken cutlets, and they were overcooked—like metal. And we often use plastic knives and forks because they don’t make noise. Well, I just lost it a little bit. It wasn’t a tantrum, but I tossed that chicken cutlet like a frisbee across the room to make a point."
Tom Selleck Opens Up About the Incident
Tom also discussed the chicken cutlet matter during a May interview with Esquire. He explained that the dinner scenes require special utensils. "We have plastic forks and knives painted silver for the dinner scenes," he said. "One day, I got a chicken cutlet, and I broke two forks right in the middle of my close-up. I really got pissed. It wasn’t my finest hour on 'Blue Bloods.' I took that cutlet and threw it like a frisbee across the room, and I’ve never heard the end of it since."
Other Dinner Scene Secrets Revealed
Donnie Wahlberg, who plays Danny Reagan, also has a reputation for eating like a "madman" on set, according to co-star Will Estes. In one memorable clip, Donnie admitted that he ate six cannolis during a single scene. Can you imagine that? Six cannolis! Talk about dedication to the role.
Interestingly, the very first scene ever shot for 'Blue Bloods' was a family dinner. Back then, the cast barely knew each other. Tom met Donnie the day before the scene and met Will, who is now 46, and Bridget Moynahan the day of filming. Since then, they’ve sat at that dinner table an impressive 286 times across the seasons.
The Challenges of Filming Dinner Scenes
As it turns out, filming those dinner scenes isn’t as simple as it looks. Several cast members revealed that it can take forever—sometimes up to eight hours! Each actor has their own approach to eating during these scenes. For example, Bridget Moynahan, 53, admitted it took her a few seasons to learn how to make it look like she was eating without actually doing so.
On the other hand, Donnie Wahlberg doesn’t hold back. He confessed, "I’ll start eating during the first take, and if it tastes good, by the end of the dinner scene taping, I may have literally eaten the equivalent of 12 pork chops." That’s a lot of food, folks!
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