Donnie Wahlberg Returns to ‘Blue Bloods’ Set for Show’s Final Season
The Blue Bloods cast is back at work. Danny Reagan actor Donnie Wahlberg recently shared an update from the set of the CBS series, which is heading into its 14th and final season.
Donnie Wahlberg heads back to work on ‘Blue Bloods’
In a typical year, Wahlberg and his fellow Blue Bloods actors would have been back at work months ago on new episodes of the cop drama. But the months-long writers’ and actors’ strikes delayed production on season 14. Now, with the labor disputes finally resolved, the show’s stars are beginning work on the final 18 episodes. On Nov. 27, Wahlberg shared a brief update from set confirming that production was underway.
“Happy Monday! Reagan & Baez are back on the set! Let’s go,” he captioned the short Instagram video of himself and Marisa Ramirez, who plays Detective Maria Baez.
While Wahlberg is excited to be filming new Blue Bloods episodes, stepping back into Detective Danny Reagan’s shoes after so much time away was a bit of a challenge. In a behind-the-scenes video posted to his Instagram story, he worked on getting back into character before a scene.
“When I’ve been away from set so long that I forgot how to Danny Reagan,” he captioned the video.
‘Blue Bloods’ ending with season 14
Blue Bloods Season 14 will be the last for the show. On Nov. 20, CBS confirmed the show would wrap up run in 2024 after nearly 300 episodes.
The final Blue Bloods season will be split into two parts. Part 1 will have 10 episodes and will premiere on Friday, Feb. 16 at 10 p.m. ET on CBS; episodes also stream live on Paramount+. Part 2 will have eight episodes and will air in the fall of 2024.
“For the past 13 years it has been an honor and a privilege to work on a show that not only celebrates the men and women who protect and serve in New York City, but also displayed the importance of family,” series star Tom Selleck said in a statement after the cancellation was announced. “Working alongside these incredible actors, writers, producers, directors and crew has been a dream come true and I’m grateful to have been a part of this extraordinary group for over 275 episodes. Thank you to CBS Studios and CBS Network for their steadfast support and we offer heartfelt gratitude to the fans who gathered with us for dinner every Friday night.”
Blue Bloods is one of CBS’s highest-rated scripted series. However, the show reportedly only landed a season 14 renewal after Selleck and the rest of the cast agreed to take a significant pay cut. According to Deadline, CBS demanded a 25% salary reduction for the show’s main actors and producers in order to control costs. They agreed to the reduction in order to keep the hundreds of other people who work on the show employed.
Source: Deadline
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