'Blue Bloods' Star Tom Selleck Praises Nick Cordero After Actor's Passing During 'The Talk' Appearance

While on The Talk Thursday, Blue Bloods star Tom Selleck reflected on the work of Nick Cordero, [...]

By Daniel S. Levine

While on The Talk Thursday, Blue Bloods star Tom Selleck reflected on the work of Nick Cordero, the Broadway actor who died following a long battle with the coronavirus last spring. Cordero appeared in only three episodes of Blue Bloods, but his work clearly left a mark on Selleck, who praised Cordero's performance on the show. The Tony-nominated actor died on July 5 after over 90 days in the hospital. Blue Bloods paid tribute to Cordero by dedicating the Dec. 18 episode in his memory.

Selleck told The Talk hosts he wanted to share a word about Cordero, especially since his widow, Amanda Kloots, is now a co-host on the CBS daytime talk show. "I did want to say something about Nick, you know, he did a show," Selleck said. "But when you're so good to move a writer to write another episode for you, that's a real validation as an actor, and the kind of actor he was. And when the crew goes, 'Yay he's coming back,' that's a validation for him as a person." Kloots teared up after the living legend praised her late husband. She replied, "That would mean the world to him."

Cordero starred in three episodes during Season 8, which aired in 2017 and 2018. He also appeared in two episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 2015 and 2019. Early last year, he and his family moved to Los Angeles, and after a brief trip back to New York, Cordero tested positive for the coronavirus at the end of March 2020. He died just over three months later and is survived by Kloots and their 1-year-old son, Elvis.

Selleck also talked about the future of Blue Bloods, which recently introduced Will Hochman as Joe Hill, a grandson Selleck's Commissioner Frank Reagan never knew he had. Joe is the son of Frank's eldest son, the deceased Joe Reagan. On The Talk, Selleck said he was "so proud" of the way Joe's introduction at the end of Season 10 was handled. Joe also appeared in the first few episodes of Season 11, but he left New York after his true parentage was discovered by the public.

"I was so proud of the way we handled it, I think people didn't think it was a gimmick or anything," Selleck explained on The Talk. "Will Hochman is just a wonderful actor...I don't know what I'm supposed to say because we certainly want him to come back, but I don't know what's official and what isn't. It's a very interesting story, particularly for Frank Reagan, to meet his grandson, and it always makes me emotional when I talk about it."

Blue Bloods airs Fridays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS. Repeats are airing for the next two weeks. The next new episode will air on Friday, Feb. 1.

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