Real Reason Why Blue Bloods’ Tom Selleck pushed bosses to make a major name change

Tom Selleck transformed a well-known character on CBS’s long-running NYPD drama Blue Bloods by using his celebrity influence.

In an exclusive interview with HELLO!, actress Abigail Hawk, 42, told us that Tom, 79, wasn’t fond of the name given to her character in the first season of the show and expressed his disapproval right away.

Abigail played Detective Melissa Baker in the first few episodes of the first season, but she was usually just called “Detective.”

But by season two, Abigail’s on-screen persona had changed to Detective Abigail Baker, replacing Detective Melissa Baker.

“Once Tom got his way and we started building this much more personal version of a police commissioner, he sat down with the showrunners, which I believe at the time were Mitch and Robin Burgess,” she shared with HELLO!

“We’re going to keep Abigail here as the Commissioner’s primary aid and special assistant,” he stated. However, Melissa is just such a common name that I don’t like it. We’re capable of more than that.

The actress was profoundly affected personally by Tom’s demand that Abigail use her true name for her character.

“Then, legal quickly cleared Baker as a last name, and the more time Tom spent with Melissa, the more he said, ‘I think Abigail fits this character,’ and I don’t want to call you anything else,” she disclosed.

It was the first time in my life that I had ever had a truly positive opinion of my name. I detested it as a child.”

“Suddenly there’s an intelligent woman behind it, there is capability,” she continued. Then, by the fifth or sixth episode of the first season, Abigail Baker was born.”

The announcement that Blue Bloods had been canceled by CBS and that its 14th season, which would consist of 18 episodes divided into two parts, was made in November 2023.

Many of the show’s stars have expressed their disappointment over its cancelation, including Abigail, who is not ready to entertain the idea of a spin-off, despite pleas from fans.

“I don’t want to spin off right now, this is very fresh for me and I’m still grieving because we all wanted to continue, this is not something any of us wanted,” she shared.

“We thought there was so much more we could tell, share, and create, but I do believe that some characters—Abigail Baker, in particular—could have quite a fascinating and remarkable life after leaving the Reagans’ world.

“She’s this woman of mystery and there’s so much that we could just uncover and pull out of her.”

“I just love this simmering energy that she has,” Abigail went on. She exudes charisma and you can’t help but become engrossed in her activities, whether she’s at her desk or just sitting quietly. Her nonverbal cue is a kiss from the chef, so I leaned in when I realized it was a wonderful way to get on camera!

She also doesn’t have to speak until it’s very essential, and when she does, it’s well-meaning, so I believe she has a lot of promise. I find her to be entertaining.”