Tom Selleck Opens Up About Choosing Family Over Fame And Life On His Ranch

Tom Selleck has been one of the most famous and beloved entertainers in Hollywood for nearly forty years, but he’s never had any interest in being a celebrity. Instead, all the Detroit native cares about is living life on his ranch and spending time with his family.

The man is certainly a rarity in Hollywood. Selleck may have been seen as a sex symbol for decades, but there is a lot more to him than a handsome face and a well-groomed mustache. The former “Magnum, P.I.” star is first and foremost a proud Christian and family man.

Tom Selleck Is Interested In Family More Than Fame

“I’m a fairly private person,” Selleck, 75, told People Magazine. “And I’ve always treasured the balance between work and time with my family. It’s always about them.”

Selleck, who shot to fame in the 1980s when he was starring on his hit show “Magnum P.I.,” explained that he spends as much time as possible on his ranch in Ventura, California with his wife of 33 years, Jillie Mack.

When he’s not shooting his current show “Blue Bloods” in New York City, Selleck always rushes back to be there with her. 

“My relationships and my ranch keep me sane,” said Selleck, who shares a 31 year-old daughter Hannah with Jillie.

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He is also dad to a 54 year-old son Kevin, who the actor had with his first wife, Jacqueline Ray.

Tom Selleck Loves Working On His Ranch

Selleck’s ranch is located on 63 acres and was home to an avocado farm before the drought that devastated California. These days, the ranch includes over 1,500 native trees, and Selleck loves working on the land.

“I do grunt work and I make the rounds. I like watching things grow. It’s a retreat,” he explained.

Tom Selleck bought the ranch in 1988 after he made the decision to leave “Magnum P.I.” and take a break from Hollywood right at the height of his fame. Many would have struggled with this decision, but for Selleck, it needed to happen. 

“I knew intellectually what it would mean in terms of being a public person, but until you’ve lived it, there’s no way to understand it,” said Selleck. “I had a feeling of, ‘I don’t think I’m cut out for this.’”

And it’s not that the 1980s heartthrob didn’t love his iconic role as the mustached PI. He just wanted more out of his life.

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

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After taking a few years off, Selleck began working sporadically again in the 1990s with guest spots on shows like “Friends” and “The Closer” before taking the role of police commissioner Frank Reagan on “Blue Bloods,” which is now in its tenth season.

Full Of Gratitude

These days, Selleck is filled with gratitude both for his successful career, and for the life he has built with his family.

“I’m proud of my work, I still love what I do, and I have my family,” said Selleck. “I’ve been enormously fortunate.”

Tom Selleck’s down-to-earth, family-oriented attitude is a rarity in Hollywood, and it makes us love him even more.

An increasing number of stars seem to be so full of themselves these days, so it’s nice to see someone who far more interested in family life on a secluded ranch than the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.

This is the kind of celebrity that young people should be looking up to!