Tom Selleck and Jillie Mack, his spouse, have endured the demands of Hollywood throughout their nearly forty-year marriage.
Prior to assuming the role of Frank Reagan on Blue Bloods, Selleck rose to prominence as the lead character in the 1980s television series Magnum, P.I. In addition to launching his career, this role encouraged him to pull back from the entertainment business and concentrate on his personal life.
When Selleck was appearing in the London West End production of Cats, she encountered Mack at the height of his celebrity. In 1987, the couple tied the knot, not long after Selleck made the decision to abandon Magnum, Rhode Island in favor of raising a family and living a more sedate life on a ranch in Ventura, California.
Selleck admitted to being a really private person to People in 2020. Additionally, I’ve always valued striking a balance between my family time and business. Always, it’s all about them. Selleck’s career has been governed by this sentiment, which has kept him focused on Mack and their kids.
Mack, who starred in Cats as Rumpleteazer during most of her mid-20s, was very important to Selleck. Not only did the musical signal a turning point in her career, but it also brought her and Selleck closer. Jane Seymour, Selleck’s co-star, was perplexed by his habit of regularly attending Cats performances when the actor was filming Lassetter in London in 1983. “He was always telling me how amazing Cats was,” Seymour recalled in 1984 to PEOPLE. “It was good, but I don’t think I could go back twelve times.”
Their romance took off after a dinner date set up by Mack’s agent, and he eventually relocated to the United States to be with Selleck. The pair wed in a private ceremony at a Victorian-style chapel close to Lake Tahoe, Nevada, on August 7, 1987. They were expecting to marry a “Tom Jenkins” and a “Suzie Mark,” so secretive about the wedding that not even the clergyman knew who they really were.
On December 16, 1988, the couple welcomed Hannah Margaret Selleck into the world. Mack and Selleck felt that raising Hannah on their family ranch offered the best upbringing possible. In 2012, Mack told People, “We both thought it was the best environment for her to grow up.”
Selleck went on to say that Hannah’s maturity was positively impacted by their rural lifestyle. Hannah, a distinguished equestrian today, started competitive riding at the age of ten. She then established Descanso Farm, which is dedicated to producing exceptional horses for show careers.
From his previous marriage to actress Jacqueline Ray, which ended in 1982, Selleck also had a son, Kevin. After having Hannah, Selleck and Mack moved away from the public eye to concentrate on raising their family. They eventually settled on a 65-acre ranch in Ventura, California. Formerly a functioning avocado plantation, the ranch evolved into a haven for the family. “My ranch and my relationships help me stay sane,” Selleck stated to People in 2020. “I work as a grunt and go around.” Observing things develop is something I enjoy. It’s a withdrawal.
Mack, who had brief appearances on the television shows ER, Fraiser, and Magnum, P.I., has backed Selleck’s choice to strike a balance between her personal and professional lives. Selleck never looked back on his choice to leave Magnum, P.I. “Getting off the train took a long time,” he thought to himself. “Spending time with my family is my top priority,” he remarked, highlighting the value of preserving his union with Mack.
Selleck described the two qualities about Mack that he values most in an interview with People in April 2024: her “friendship” and “sense of humor.”
He said, “I’ve had a very good life, a very lucky life,” reflecting on his life and attributing much of his contentment to the solid foundation he and Mack have created together.
