the show » cast
  • Tom Selleck as Francis "Frank" Reagan, the Police Commissioner of New York City and widowed father of Danny, Erin, and Jamie. His second son, Joe, was killed in the line of duty on May 15, 2009 (15 months before the beginning of the series). Frank was a Marine officer during the Vietnam War and often serves as the moral center of the family. He has an indifferent attitude towards politics, often taking on the mayor and numerous reporters who misinterpret his actions. He tries hard not to judge people, and tends to purse his lips together when hearing bad news or the horrific details of an ongoing case. His wife Mary died September 14, 2005. The death of his wife, son, mother and the thousands who perished on 9/11-he was working in the North Tower when the South Tower collapsed-weigh heavily on him, and the person who is best at lifting his spirits is his father, who often talks to him late at night when he cannot sleep. Frank is a devout Catholic and has good relationships with his local church and his city's archdiocese, to whom he talks about personal and police matters. Frank lives in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn along with his father.
  • Donnie Wahlberg as Detective 1st Grade Daniel "Danny" Fitzgerald Reagan. On the job for 15 years (as of season 1), Danny took a leave of absence from the force to serve two tours in Fallujah as a Marine. He is happily married with two sons and lives with his family in Staten Island. He is old-school; his hotheadedness and harsh methods of detective work sometimes get him in trouble, which his father worries about. When asked if his son "crosses the line" and violates procedure from time to time, Frank answered, "I think he walks on the line" (season 4, episode 19). Danny is hard on other policemen and detectives when he feels they are unprofessional or not doing their duty to its utmost. He is currently assigned to the Detective Squad of the 54th Precinct, and partnered with Det. Maria Baez. His previous partners include Det. Jackie Curatola, Det. Kate Lansing, and Det. Candice McElroy. He is a recipient of the US Flag Bar, World Trade Center Bar, NYPD Medal of Honor, NYPD Combat Cross (with gold award star), NYPD Commendation or Commendation-Integrity, and NYPD Meritorious Police Duty award. In "Love Stories", he and Baez are awarded the NYPD Medal for Valor for their actions in "Partners".
  • Bridget Moynahan as Erin Reagan, Assistant District Attorney and single mother. She is divorced from Jack Boyle, a criminal defense attorney, and in the season three episode "Old Wounds", she finally changes her name back from Erin Reagan-Boyle to just Erin Reagan. Erin is almost raped and killed in the season one episode "Re-Do", though Frank saves her life by shooting her attacker dead. She is mostly by-the-book in matters of criminal justice, often to the annoyance of Danny and her grandfather. Almost two years later, in the season five episode "Sins of the Father", she indicates that she was not yet born during a shooting that took place almost 39 years earlier. In "Working Girls" (2.20), Erin is offered the position of Deputy Mayor of Operations by Mayor Poole, but she turns him down. In "Ends and Means" (3.20) Erin is promoted from Senior Counsel to Deputy Bureau Chief of the Trial Bureau. In the season four episode "To Serve and Protect", Erin is taken hostage and shot in the arm at the courthouse. She is saved by Danny after he says a coded message, "Please, don't hurt my family," after which she dropped to the ground and Danny shot her assailant. It is revealed that their father taught them this when they were young, as a plan in case one of them was ever held at gunpoint. In the season four finale, she filed a complaint against her boss, Bureau Chief Harris, upon learning she had abused her power. In season 5, it is mentioned that she graduated from Columbia Law School.
  • Will Estes as Jamison "Jamie" Reagan, a younger police officer and recent Harvard Law graduate. Like his father, he is mostly silent on his political beliefs. He was the one who continues Joe Reagan's investigation into the Blue Templar in season one. In season two, he takes advantage of a chance opportunity to go undercover in the Sanfino crime family. He is stationed at the 12th Precinct, and is partnered with Sgt. Anthony Renzulli (his training officer) in seasons one and two, Officer Vinny Cruz in season three, and Officer Eddie Janko since season four. In season four, he begins to express concerns because both his father and brother had made detective by that point in their careers (Frank in three years, Danny in three and a half), while he is still a patrol officer. He is a recipient of the U.S. Flag Bar, NYPD Exceptional Merit award, and NYPD Firearms Proficiency Bar.
  • Vanessa Ray as Officer Edit ("Eddie") Janko (season 4-present), a younger police officer and Jamie's current partner. As of season five, Eddie's probationary period has ended and she is a full-fledged police officer. She is of mixed Hungarian and Serbian descent; her mother immigrated from Serbia and she herself is fluent in the Serbian language. Her real first name is pronounced "eh-DEET". Feisty and strongly opinionated, she is very passionate when it comes to her job. Her father was a financial advisor before his company was revealed to be involved in a Ponzi scheme, ruining a lot of good people, and he is serving a prison sentence. There has been significant romantic tension between Eddie and Jamie since the middle of season four, the two even sharing a kiss, but Jamie has chosen not to act on his feelings after learning he would lose Eddie as a partner and not wanting to risk ruining their friendship. Despite Jamie backing off, Eddie shows occasional signs that she still has romantic feelings for him.
  • Marisa Ramirez as Detective Maria Baez (recurring in season 3, main in season 4-present), Danny's partner as of season 3, Episode 17. Before joining the 54th Precinct, Baez spent three years with the NYPD's Joint Bank Robbery Task Force until it was disbanded in 2011. She is a recipient of the US Flag Bar, NYPD Meritorious Police Duty award, NYPD Unit Citation, and NYPD Firearms Proficiency Bar. In "Partners", it is revealed that she has an older brother, Javi, involved in a drug cartel, and then further revealed that he is a police informant; he dies saving her life in a raid on that cartel. In "Love Stories", she and Danny are awarded the NYPD Medal for Valor for their actions in "Partners".
  • Len Cariou as Henry Reagan, retired Police Commissioner, father of Frank (grandfather of Danny, Erin, and Jamie; great-grandfather of Nicky, Sean, and Jack). His childhood during the 1920s and 1930s was hard due to his father, Charles, an Irish immigrant, World War I veteran and former police officer, being an alcoholic and unable to hold a job. Henry was a Marine in World War II and Korea, and joined the NYPD in 1952. Like his grandson Danny, Henry is socially conservative and hates the political correctness of modern law and order. His wife of 46 years Betty died December 2, 2001. It is later revealed that Henry and Betty had another son, Peter Christopher, who died of leukemia at the age of 18 months over a year before Frank was born. Among the awards and decorations worn on his uniform include the US Flag Bar, World Trade Center Bar, NYPD Medal of Honor, NYPD Combat Cross, NYPD Meritorious Police Duty award, NYPD Excellent Police Duty award, NYPD Unit Citation Bar, NYPD Award of Commendation, NYPD Firearms Proficiency Bar, and NYPD Award of Merit. Cariou, separated in age from Selleck by only six years, wears make-up and a dental prosthetic to appear older.
  • Amy Carlson as Linda Reagan, wife of Danny and mother of their two sons. She loves her husband and the Reagan family, but at times Danny's obsessive attitude toward collaring criminals makes her wonder whether he views his job as a higher priority than his family. In seasons one and two, she is a stay-at-home mom, but she returns to her nursing job at St. Vincent's Medical Center in season three. (Beginning in season 5, Carlson is listed among the main cast in the opening credits sequence.)
  • Sami Gayle as Nicole "Nicky" Reagan-Boyle, Erin's daughter who aspires to become a cop like the rest of her family. As of season 3, episode 3 ("Old Wounds") she is 16 years old. In season five, she is a high school senior preparing for college, and has committed to attend Columbia University, her mother's alma mater. She is a very curious young girl and is not afraid to question her uncle Danny and great-grandfather about police matters, often challenging their old school conservatism. (In the pilot episode, Nicky is portrayed by Marlene Lawston. Beginning in season 5, Gayle is listed among the main cast in the opening credits sequence.)
  • Nicholas Turturro as Sgt. Anthony Renzulli, Jamie's first partner and Training Officer. He was also the Training Officer for Jamie's late brother Joe. Renzulli knows the beat of his precinct very well and often offers Jamie good advice when he needs it. He believes Jamie will make a great cop, and often pokes fun at him for abandoning a lucrative law career. Starting in season three, he moves to an apparent desk job managing the patrolmen of the 12th Precinct. He is a recipient of the US Flag Bar, World Trade Center Bar, and NYPD Meritorious Police Duty award.
  • Jennifer Esposito as Detective 1st Grade Jackie Curatola (episodes 4 through 51), Danny's previous partner. Esposito's character is divorced and is regularly the recipient of passes or ogling from her uniformed colleagues and perps alike, much to her annoyance. The character takes a leave of absence from the precinct after the events of "Nightmares" (season 3, episode 7), claiming she needs a break from the stress of her job. In actuality, CBS placed Esposito on medical leave under disputed circumstances after executives at the TV network had learned Esposito's doctor advised the actress to lessen her workload in order to help her cope with her celiac disease.
  • Bruce Altman as Mayor Frank Russo (season 1).
  • Robert Clohessy as Lieutenant Sidney "Sid" Gormley, Special Assistant to the Commissioner (effectively Chief of Department), who acts as the Commissioner's liaison to the rank and file. Formerly the supervisor of Danny and the other detectives at the 54th Precinct. He was promoted from Sergeant to Lieutenant in 2015 ("Sins of the Father", season 5, episode 10). He nominated Danny and Baez for the NYPD Medal for Valor for their actions in "Partners."
  • Abigail Hawk as Detective 1st Grade Abigail Baker of the Police Commissioner's (Detective) Squad, Frank's primary aide. In "Manhattan Queens" (season 4, episode 14), Baker was harassed by Suffolk County Police Department Deputy Chief Sam DeLuca, who had a romantic interest in her. In the same episode it is revealed that she is from Ocean Bay Park and her parents still live there. She is a recipient of the following awards and decorations: US Flag Bar, World Trade Center Bar, NYPD Medal for Valor, NYPD Meritorious Police Duty award, and NYPD Excellent Police Duty award.
  • Peter Hermann as Jack Boyle, a high-priced defense attorney and Erin's ex-husband (season 3-present). When Danny was framed for possession of narcotics in "Framed" (season 3, episode 12), Henry hired Jack to represent him. In season four, he and Erin briefly got back together, although it didn't last.
  • Gregory Jbara as Garrett Moore, NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Public Information, who becomes Frank's de facto chief of staff. Before becoming Frank's DCPI, Garrett was a reporter.
  • Andrew Terraciano as Sean Reagan, Danny and Linda's younger son.
  • Tony Terraciano as Jack Reagan, Danny and Linda's older son.