Tom Selleck has been a familiar face on screens for many years now since first shooting to fame in the 1980s, and as such the veteran actor’s personal life has always been in the spotlight.
While he’s managed to stay mostly scandal-free, back in the day he did find himself at the centre of some very interesting rumors after a fellow famous face moved into his neighborhood. But what really happened between the Blue Bloods star and Sophia Loren? Keep reading to find out…
After making a name for himself in the hit cop drama Magnum P.I., Tom was something of a Hollywood heartthrob in the 1980s. He constantly topped World’s Sexiest Men lists and used his ruggedly handsome looks to sell everything from deodorant to red wine.
In 1971 he married his first wife, Jacqueline Ray. Sadly, things weren’t meant to be and they split just over a decade later. Tom had more success with his second wife, the actress and performer Jillie Mack who he met in 1982.
Despite their 14 year age difference, the happy couple welcomed their first and only child together, a daughter named Hannah in 1988. The same year, they moved into a 65-acre ranch in California’s Hidden Valley formerly owned by Dean Martin. However, their marriage wasn’t without its challenges – especially when an Italian bombshell moved into the neighborhood.
Sophia Loren and her husband, film producer Carlo Ponti, bought the 40-acre property next door to Tom and Jillie’s sometime in the 1980s. While it’s not known how friendly the neighbors were, Tom’s wife had a joke about allowing the actor his chance to woo the actress and model.
According to The Telegraph, Jillie gave Tom permission to have a liaison with the stunning actress – but only under certain circumstances.
“It had to happen just like this,” he explained. “If I was on my way to Home Depot and she was out on the driveway in her bathrobe and she said exactly these words: ‘Thomaso, would you like a cappuccino?’ I could go in.”
However, as Tom said: “But it never happened and she sold it.”
Sophia moved away from California, putting the ranch property on the market. Today it is owned by actor Jamie Foxx, although according to the Django Unchained actor, Tom has yet to meet his new neighbor. Speaking to Contact Music, Jamie said: “He’s my neighbor but I don’t know how to say hi… celebrities, we don’t like to bother anybody, so we don’t talk. I’ve gotta find a way to say hello.”
