Tom Selleck Sacrificed ‘Magnum: P I’ Role for Wife Who Made the First Move & Invited Him for a Cocktail

Tom Selleck always devoted his life to his career, but when his wife, Jillie Mack, gave birth to their daughter, he stepped back from the limelight to focus on nurturing his family. Their love story certainly inspires and grows more profound and more profound as time passes.

Tom Selleck met the love of his life in 1983, a year after his divorce with Jacquelyn Ray and shortly after his relationship with Mimi Rogers ended. Selleck was filming in London for his movie, “Lassiter,” when he developed a strange liking for the musical “Cats.”

His co-star, Jane Seymour, recalled him telling her how nice the musical was, but she couldn’t understand why he kept watching about a dozen times.

(L) Tom Selleck and Jillie Mack during the 38th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards on September 21, 1986 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California. (R) Jillie Mack and Tom Selleck during the Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Awards at NATPE 2018 at the Fontainebleau Hotel on January 17, 2018 in Miami Beach, Florida. | Source: Getty Images

He would later reveal that his affection for the West End musical was because of his attraction to Jillie Joan Mack, one of the production’s participants. However, when Selleck finally met her backstage, he was too shy to ask her out, so Mack had to make the first move. The actor recalled:

“She had to go on [stage]. I was hemming and hawing, and she finally asked, ‘Do you want to meet for a cocktail?’”

When Mack’s contract ended, she headed to America and has since become the love of Selleck’s life. As a couple, they would appear on red carpet events, such as the Emmy Awards and the Hollywood Boulevard star awarding ceremony.

NOBODY KNEW ABOUT TOM SELLECK’S WEDDING FOR OVER A MONTH

Tom Selleck and Jillie Mack during the “Late Night with David Letterman” on May 23, 1985 at Studio 6A, NBC Studios, 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. | Source: Getty Images

Selleck and Mack secretly tied the knot in August 1987 and exhausted all means to keep the ceremony private. The “Blue Bloods” star asked his brother, real estate executive Bob, to arrange the wedding under their alias, Tom Jenkins and Suzie Mark, to avoid press leakage.

The minister was also kept in the dark about the couple’s true identity until minutes before the ceremony. Wedding photos were also taken through Polaroids to maintain privacy.

Tom Selleck and Jillie Mack during the 41st Annual Golden Globe Awards on January 28, 1984 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images

However, weeks later, rumors about their wedding started to swirl around. Selleck’s publicist, Esme Chandlee, initially denied the gossip, but eventually, she confirmed it without much context.

While the couple has been together for 33 years, selleck claims that he is still quite the romantic one with his wife. 

TOM WAS VERY ‘CONCERNED’ ON HIS WEDDING DAY

Tom Selleck and Jillie Mack attend the 8th Anniversary of the Grand Havana Room and the Premiere of James Orr’s Documentaries on the Fuente Family – Arrivals at The Grand Havana Room in Beverly Hills, California, United States. | Source: Getty Images

The ceremony was very solemn, with Selleck’s parents, Martha and Rob, and his brothers, in attendance. Before the event, they accompanied the couple to secure a wedding license worth $27 at the Washoe County Clerk’s Office.

When the bride and groom arrived at the chapel, they went from casual clothes to formal nuptial attires. Mack looked breathtaking as she walked down the aisle, covered in fresh roses on an emerald green carpet. Like any other couple, both Selleck and Mack were nervous, but according to the reverend:

“[Selleck] was very concerned that the service be heartfelt, very concerned for her that the service be meaningful. He is a very warm, caring man.”

TOM SELLECK QUIT HIS CAREER FOR FAMILY

Tom Selleck, Jillie Mack, and their daugher Hannah during The 56th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards – Governors Ball. | Source: Getty Images

Before tying the knot, Selleck’s life revolved around his career as the star of the “Magnum P.I.” Admittedly; he worked tirelessly 90 hours a week to pursue a beautiful job. Still, when Mack gave birth to their daughter, Hannah, he stepped back from the industry to focus on family.

“I worked 90 hours a week and did a movie break,” he said. “I quit ‘Magnum’ to have a family. It took a long time to get off the train, but I try very hard to have a balance.”

He and his wife purchased a Ventura County ranch that took up 65 acres of land and raised their daughter there. The property includes a horse corral, a 1926 ranch house, and a 20-acre working avocado farm.

Tom Selleck and Jillie Mack attend 38th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Pasadena Civic Auditorium

Living a private life was always easy for the actor, who liked to treasure his moments with family away from prying eyes. On top of it all, he prioritizes his family above all else. He said:

“I quit ‘Magnum,’ not because I didn’t like it or I was tired of it. I was tired from it, and I wanted a three-dimensional life because I didn’t have one.”

Selleck resumed his career in the ’90s, appearing in the television shows “The Closer” and “Friends” and his television movies, “Jesse Stone.” He later landed a leading role on the smash hit “Blue Bloods” as police commissioner Frank Reagan.

Jillie Mack and Tom Selleck during the Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Awards at NATPE 2018 at the Fontainebleau Hotel on January 17, 2018 in Miami Beach, Florida. | Source: Getty Images

While the couple has been together for 33 years, Selleck claims that he is still quite the romantic one with his wife. According to the actor, he wakes up earlier to ensure that there is hot water for his wife’s tea when she awakes.

Quality time together is still what Selleck loves doing on his ranch, especially since their daughter is grown up. Together, they live a simple life, growing avocados, raising horses, and spending time with their dogs.

Admittedly, Selleck and Mack have different personalities that complement each other well. In addition, they always try to make things work. “Relationships are tricky,” Selleck said. “But if you are in love with somebody and like them, you’ve got a chance at success. You become true partners.”

Jillie Mack and Tom Selleck during CBS’s “Blue Bloods” at Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre on June 5, 2012 in North Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images

Previously, Selleck shared about the longevity of his marriage and highlighted the importance of nurturing the union, which he did while taking a break from his career. Through the years, their love has only gotten deeper and more profound. 

Before his marriage to Mack, Selleck was wed to Jacqueline Ray, with whom he shares an adopted son, Kevin. Their marriage ended in 1982.