After portraying Sean Reagan for 14 seasons on Blue Bloods, Andrew Terraciano is now revealing how he learned his longtime role had been recast for the upcoming Boston Blue spinoff.
“I got a call the day I was graduating,” Terraciano, 22, exclusively told Us Weekly. “Someone had spoken to my mom first, and she called me in tears. That’s when I heard, ‘They might be looking for a different Sean.’Terraciano later reached out to Donnie Wahlberg, who played his father on the show, to talk through the news.
“Shortly after we got the news, Donnie called me,” he recalled. “It was a really beautiful moment hearing from an old friend, but also from someone you respect deeply and have learned so much from. Our time on Blue Bloods was incredible, and whenever we talk, we’ll always be friends and family first. I’m glad so many other people now get to share in that experience.”
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Terraciano launched his career on CBS’ Blue Bloods, appearing in nearly 300 episodes between 2010 and 2024. While attending New York University, he expanded his craft, performing in several short films and even writing one himself.
His role as Sean Reagan also gave him the chance to work alongside his real-life brother, Tony Terraciano, who portrayed Jack Reagan, Donnie Wahlberg’s eldest onscreen son. But when the Blue Bloods spinoff Boston Blue premiered in October, the character of Sean was taken over by Mika Amonsen.
“It’s beautiful, because you’ll always remember every line, every day you had the privilege of being that character,” Terraciano told Us of his long run on the series. “And it doesn’t mean for a moment that someone else can’t step in and do something beautiful with it too.”
Terraciano reflected on the idea of Sean living on through a new actor, saying, “I had the joy of playing Sean, and I got to send him off into the world. Now somebody else gets that joy. We both get to show what we do and then send Sean forward into the world again.”
Before Terraciano addressed the recasting publicly, Amonsen had already voiced his admiration for the original Sean.
“I definitely felt a lot of pressure at first. I wanted to honor the actor who came before me, because I wanted to respect Andrew as much as I possibly could,” Amonsen told Us in November. “There were even certain visual choices I kept little things like hair styling and the way he carried himself to stay true to Sean.”
He explained that he worked deliberately to pay tribute to Terraciano’s interpretation of the character.
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“I really want to keep Sean as close as I can to what people love and to the version Andrew created,” he continued. “When I booked the show, everything happened so fast. Within about a week, I was fully thrown in. I binged as much as I could, and I found the later seasons helped the most. I wanted to understand who Sean had become toward the end of the show how he’d grown into adulthood and what his relationship with Danny looked like.”
After rewatching key moments, Amonsen found subtle ways to honor Terraciano’s work while making the role his own.
“I wanted to honor Andrew’s portrayal of Sean as much as I could, while still bringing something of myself to the character,” Amonsen explained. “The showrunners, Brandon Sonnier and Brandon Margolis, have given me so much freedom to explore this new dynamic with Donnie. When I watched Andrew’s performance, I noticed a lot of similarities between us just who we are as people and our energy. It’s very upbeat. I’m naturally that way too, and it was comforting to realize I didn’t need to change that part of myself. I could keep that and still make the role my own.”
Terraciano, meanwhile, has been touched by the response he’s received from longtime Blue Bloods viewers since the series wrapped.
“I can’t say I expected it, but I appreciate it so much. It means everything to know people love the character I helped create,” he shared. “I really didn’t see it coming. But the outpouring of love from the community and the love that continues to come toward the show has been incredible.”
He added, “Hundreds, if not thousands, of people rely on a show like this for their livelihoods. It’s amazing that a part of that character still lives on. That someone can look back and say, ‘I want to pay homage to that. I want to respect that. I want to build something beautiful from it.’”
Related: Which Blue Bloods Stars Have Returned for Boston Blue So Far?
Terraciano hasn’t watched the spinoff yet, choosing to focus on school for the moment but he’s eager to see the finished product, especially now that Boston Blue has been renewed for season 2.
“I’m going to give it the time and respect it deserves,” he said. “And as far as returning in some way? I told Donnie on the phone, if he says the word, I’ll be there. Not just for Blue Bloods or Boston Blue, but for anything in life.”
For now, Terraciano is pursuing his master’s degree while looking ahead to new acting opportunities.
“At the end of last spring, I had the incredible chance to work on my friend, director Sabrina Carlier’s, production of Annie Baker’s The Antipodes,” he explained. “It was not only my first play ever, but the experience completely pulled me into the world of theater. It reminded me how much love I have for every form of acting.”
He added, “I recently helped produce a friend’s short film as well, and it only made me more excited for whatever opportunities come next. I look forward to every chance I get to act.”
He concluded, “When you find a passion like this, it sticks with you you can’t shake the desire to keep acting and creating in any form. More than anything, I’d love to be an actor for the rest of my life. And honestly, I’m a huge Star Wars fanatic, so I’d do anything in that universe. I’d also love to try my hand at a sitcom.”
Blue Bloods is currently streaming on Paramount+. Boston Blue airs Fridays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.
