The veteran actor will join Kevin Kline in his latest project
Blue Bloods star Len Cariou has made a major career move away from his iconic role as Henry Reagan in the hit police procedural show, which was unexpectedly cancelled after 14 seasons in 2024.
The 85-year-old, who portrayed Henry throughout the entire series from 2010 to 2024, has joined the cast of American Classic, an eight-part comedy series from MGM+.
Greener pastures
© Getty ImagesLen will star alongside Hollywood legends Kevin Kline, Laura Linney and Jon Tenney, with the show following a Broadway star who returns to his family-run theater only to find it turned into a dinner theater by his brother.
He will play Kevin’s father in the project, who is an “Actor, a puppet maker and the founder of the Millersburg Festival Theater”.
The actor took over the role following the tragic death of Harris Yulin, who passed away at age 87 in June.
While a release date has not been announced, the series is reportedly scheduled to begin production in New Jersey in 2025.
This comes after Blue Bloods was unceremoniously canceled in 2024, causing a wave of backlash from fans and cast members alike.
A spinoff series titled Boston Blue is in production, and will follow Danny Reagan (played by Donnie Wahlberg) as he navigates a whole new city.
© CBS Entertainment“I’ll just say, the journey of developing this show, it’s really fun letting Danny be a fish out of water to be in this new world,” Donnie told Parade.
“It’s also important to remember where he comes from and what the Blue Bloods legacy is. We’re keeping all of that at the forefront of our thoughts as we build this thing.”
Callous cancellation
© Michael Parmelee/CBSNo other cast members have been confirmed for the show. They each shared their disappointment and frustration over the cancellation in the lead up to season 14.
“It’s too bad. Doesn’t make any sense,” Len told TV Insider in November. “We’re still, I think, the best-watched show on Friday nights, even though we’re canceled.”
Bridget Moynahan, who plays Erin Reagan on the show, also expressed her sadness over the abrupt ending, telling TVLine Spotlight that she didn’t “quite understand it”.
© CBS“I mean, we have incredible ratings…and there’s a loyal fanbase that would make the time on a Friday night to sit down and watch it, or make time over the weekend,” she told the outlet. “There’s a younger generation coming in and appreciating the great stories, but also the good values.”
“You’re hard pressed to find those values in stories on television right now,” she added.
Tom Selleck also chimed in on the conversation, after portraying patriarch Frank Reagan for 14 seasons.
© CBS via Getty Images“I’m kind of frustrated,” he told TV Insider in October. “During those last eight shows, I haven’t wanted to talk about an ending for Blue Bloods but about it still being wildly successful.”
He continued: “I’m not going to turn into a bitter old guy saying, ‘Get off my lawn.’ I don’t believe in holding grudges, but if you were to say to the television network, ‘Here’s a show you can program in the worst time slot you got, and it is going to guarantee you winning Friday night for the next 15 years,’ it would be almost impossible to believe.”
“It’s going to take a long time to sort all of this out,” he added. “It’s just going to take a while.”
