‘Blue Bloods’: Will Estes Was the Child Star in This Classic TV Show Reboot
Some of the cast members of Blue Bloods got their acting start on the show. But Will Estes started out as a child actor. The title of the show for his first big role is recognizable because it was a reboot of a classic. The actor talked about the downside of being a child actor and more.
‘Blue Bloods’ star, Will Estes was on ‘The New Lassie’
The original Lassie started in 1954 and ended in 1974. It followed the Martin family and their dog, Lassie. The episodes usually showed Jeff (Tommy Rettig) or Timmy (Jon Provost) getting in trouble and the collie would come to save them.
The actor started working when he was 9 years old. He eventually got his first big part in The New Lassie playing Will McCullough.
The reboot started in 1989 and ended in 1992. The McCullough family owned the collie dog, which was a descendant of Lassie. The dog then went on heroic adventures.
Estes talked about what it was like to be a child actor with liveabout.com. “I think Los Angeles can be a tough place, the industry can be tough,” he said. “I think it’s a place where values aren’t always clear, there’s a weird value set put on an actor based on whether or not you’re working.”
He continued, “A lot of kids come out here after high school or college and they don’t have a home base. I grew up here, so I had my friends and my family. It (acting) was something I did, not who I was.”
Estes continued his acting career from there. He later appeared in 7th Heaven, American Dreams, and Reunion. He then got on Blue Bloods and has stuck with it ever since.
The cop show has kicked off other children’s careers
Blue Bloods started back in 2010. It helped multiple children get their start in the business.
Andrew Terraciano started his career when he got the role of Sean Reagan. His bother, Tony Terraciano, previously voiced a character on Chuggington. His first role in a live action show was playing Jack Reagan.
So much time has passed that Tony doesn’t regularly appear on Blue Bloods anymore. That’s because the actor is attending school, and his character was written off to go to college. He does sometimes return for family dinner.
Sami Gayle got her start on As the World Turns when she was 13 years old. She then got her role as Nicky Reagan on Blue Bloods. Gayle has started to take more time to appear in other roles. On the show, Nicky moved to California because she got a new job.
The child stars aren’t the only ones who are growing on the show. Jamie has changed over time by getting married to his former partner, Eddie (Vanessa Ray). The police officer has also become a police sergeant.
