EXCLUSIVE: “They actually discovered the heartbeat within the badge and in honoring that, they undoubtedly saved the themes of household, particularly a legislation enforcement household and neighborhood,” says Boston Blue director and government producer Anthony Hemingway of the Blue Bloods spinoff showrunners Brandon Sonnier and Brandon Margolis and the transfer of Donnie Wahlberg’s Danny Reagan to The Hub.
Set to debut tonight on CBS lower than a yr after the Tom Selleck-led NYPD household drama wrapped up its well-watched 14-year run, Boston Blue not solely finds the hot-tempered Reagan scion in a brand new metropolis, however with a brand new companion who’s the eldest daughter of a really well-connected Boston legislation enforcement brood. Performed by Star Trek Discovery captain Sonequa Martin-Inexperienced, Detective Lena Silver each is a kindred spirit to Wahlberg’s Reagan and a foil, because the NYPD Detective faces not solely skilled challenges, but in addition elevated duties as a father or mother as his personal son Sean (Mika Amonsen) walks the beat himself.
Having directed tonight’s Boston Blue pilot episode, Hemmingway additionally finds his self within the skyscrapers and courtrooms of LA with Ryan Murphy’s Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, Niecy Nash-Betts, Teyana Taylor, Matthew Noszka starring Sarah Paulson and Glenn Shut All Truthful, that launches on Hulu on November 4. An EP too on the all-female authorized agency drama, The Wire and American Crime Story vet helmed 4 of the 9 episodes of All’s Truthful’s first season. As nicely, as Deadline revealed final yr, Hemingway is reuniting with Energy actor Omari Hardwick for the Wall Road-set function No Proper Manner.
rStill, as we speak’s all about Boston Blue and the fraternity it seemingly has already turn out to be.
Simply ask the Brandons.
“Anthony Hemingway is a visionary storyteller who helped us transfer the Blue Bloods universe ahead by injecting the fascinating visuals and nuanced depth of character into the pilot that he brings to all his work,” Sonnier and Margolis advised Deadline of the filmmaker. “His dynamic digital camera is all the time trying to find the which means behind the second and thru his distinctive model and swagger, he delivered an thrilling cop present with the center of a household drama. Anthony is a grasp of his craft and helped mould Boston Blue into an elevated crime drama together with his visible model, emotional course, and eager sense of story.”
A sure mainman had his personal take.
“Anthony obtained this present on each stage,” Donnie Wahlberg declares.
“He was the right director for the primary episode,” the Boston-born actor first on the Boston Blue name sheet provides. “He set a really excessive bar for the remainder of the administrators and for the sequence itself. He’s so New York, so he was tuned into Danny’s transition. He might additionally relate to Lena and her tackle this New Yorker displaying up in her metropolis. He understood the significance of, and had an ideal contact when it got here to, melding our two Reagan males with The Silver household.”
Simply again from the Boston Blue premiere in NYC earlier this week and the LA premiere Thursday on the DGA, Hemingway chatted with me in regards to the Blue Bloods spinoff. He additionally dug into the BTS and on-screen connections between the unique present and Boston Blue, the chances of All’s Truthful, the standing of No Proper Manner, and the significance of independence.
DEADLINE: How did you get linked up with Boston Blue?
ANTHONY HEMINGWAY: Donnie Wahlberg and I am going again a number of a long time. He’s a nationwide treasure, that man. He’s such, only a lovely spirit, lovely human and an incredible actor. So, I get a name from my agent, mainly saying this new pilot spinoff for Blue Bloods is beginning Boston Blue they usually’re concerned about you. You already know, I’ve a really lengthy relationship with Jerry Bruckheimer and his staff. Shortly after I’ve my directing debut on The Wire, I moved to L.A. and the subsequent present I did was CSI: NY, and that launched me into the Bruckheimer household, so I’ve been with them for a pair a long time now So, when it got here to Boston Blue, I’m like, nicely, ship me the script and let me test it out.
DEADLINE: Clearly, you didn’t move…
HEMINGWAY: I used to be floored, Dom. I actually was excited as a result of the Brandons wrote one thing particular. Not solely did they honor what many die-hard Blue Bloods followers expect, they took it a lot deeper and additional. They discovered a means to determine coexist two faiths, , Judaism and Christianity, which to me, was so touching my coronary heart.
DEADLINE: How so?
HEMINGWAY: It speaks to the which means of issues that I like to do. They actually discovered the heartbeat within the badge and in honoring that, they undoubtedly saved the themes of household, particularly a legislation enforcement household and neighborhood. So I learn the script, instantly, obtained excited, went in, had a gathering, and, , the remainder is historical past.
Additionally, CBS actually backed us up, trusted us. They believed in what The Brandons’ wrote they usually believed in my imaginative and prescient to broaden the legacy of Blue Bloods, whereas telling a recent, human perspective of Boston. That form of belief and help may be very uncommon in as we speak’s system. I believe general what it speaks to its relationships, and that’s one thing that I foster.
(L-R): Sonequa Martin-Inexperienced as Lena Silver, Bridget Moynahan as Erin Reagan Boyle, and Donnie Wahlberg as Danny Reagan Photograph: John Medland/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.
DEADLINE: Like with Donnie Wahlberg?
HEMINGWAY: Precisely! Donnie, is bringing years of the legacy of Blue Bloods, and now there’s the connection and the transition from Blue Bloods. As soon as he decided to do Boston Blue, to actually form of step into a brand new character, that was the wonder that we actually tapped into. Together with his son Sean within the pressure, Sonequa as his new companion, we get to actually see layers that he didn’t get to do on Blue Bloods – the vulnerability the human, and the daddy Danny Reagan is on this world.
DEADLINE: To that, it’s no secret that one Reagan from NYC reveals up within the Boston Blue premiere, Bridget Moynahan’s prosecutor Erin Reagan. So, are we going to see extra of them in Boston on this first season?
HEMINGWAY: With my government producer hat on, let me say, the plan and idea, with out spoiling something, is to proceed to seek out methods on intersecting and bringing again a few of these beloved characters.
DEADLINE: Specifics?
HEMINGWAY: Bridget coming again was lovely in so some ways. She was there to do what Blue Bloods was nice at, and that’s representing household and the way they stood for one another and by one another and supported one another. So, on Boston Blue she got here at a vital second in time in Danny Reagan’s life, the place his world was cracking fully open. Additionally, for me, it was so good as this was my first time working along with her and Bridget was actually superior.
Additionally, one enjoyable reality, nicely two: Bridget can be directing an episode and I could also be doing at the least one other one too.
I simply noticed her in New York day earlier than yesterday, and it was simply very nice to meet up with her, to listen to how her expertise went behind the lens. As for extra Reagans, I don’t need to spoil all the pieces for everybody, however there’s undoubtedly parts of Blue Bloods coming in Boston Blue that may fulfill, I believe, the hardcore followers of the unique sequence.
(L-R): Donnie Wahlberg as Danny Reagan and Sonequa Martin-Inexperienced as Lena Silver Photograph Credit score: Michele Crowe/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.
DEADLINE: It’s been fairly the week with the All’s Truthful trailer bursting data too…
HEMINGWAY: Inform me about it! I imply, let’s simply take a sec to speak about what I’ve been blessed to be part of proper now. Subsequent month, we’re premiering All’s Truthful on Hulu. The trailer dropped the opposite day, over 40 million views. That’s insane. You already know, final yr I did Netflix’s Without end with Mara Brock Akil, the Judy Blume adaptation or reimagining, and seeing the way it impacted simply neighborhood and tradition once more, permits me, tells me that I’m on the appropriate path
Right this moment, understanding the sophistication that Ryan Murphy created with All’s Truthful and tapping right into a narrative that doesn’t absolutely get to be explored is wonderful. We’re seeing the outcomes of that labor, and individuals are enthusiastic about it. Over 40 million views simply off a trailer, doesn’t sit evenly. You already know? It’s not misplaced on me.
DEADLINE: You’ve accomplished a number of work with Ryan Murphy, the OJ American Crime Story sequence and others, over that point all the pieces has modified in some ways. How does that shift look from the director’s chair?
HEMINGWAY: I believe the trade has constructed me in a means of understanding ship very successfully, and creatively, and that’s allowed me to really feel and listen to what audiences are on the lookout for. I’m all about intention, it’s all about what is supposed to do, what’s significant?
DEADLINE: Huge image, what’s that seem like in as we speak’s trade of sliding scales, AI encroachment, social media and fractured viewership?
HEMINGWAY: It’s about adapting and adjusting. There’s a steadiness to have, , and it doesn’t need to be by hook or by crook.
Determining perceive what’s necessary and what audiences are on the lookout for. They nonetheless need coronary heart. They nonetheless need authenticity. They nonetheless need the issues that make them really feel good.
DEADLINE: OK…
HEMINGWAY: I believe it’s much less about time slots or the mechanics of what it was once. We’re now in a spot the place it’s about actually listening to what the world wants and discovering these mechanisms to actually assist gas that and be a illustration of it. I believe the fabric that does all that, and clearly in an entertaining means, succeeds.
DEADLINE: Shifting to success of one other nature, what’s the present state of your Wall Road drama, No Proper Manner, that Deadline’s Matt Grober completely reported on final yr?
HEMINGWAY: We’re at present in finance elevating proper now, which is humorous for a challenge that offers with generational wealth and tries to unpack that. We’re tapping into Wall Road in a extremely main means. That entry is the place my mission is to seek out that independence, that means I can work out create the possession and, uphold the integrity of the work that I care about and need to do. We’re hoping to get into manufacturing in that subsequent yr. We’re actually shut.
DEADLINE: Is that independence your North Star?
HEMINGWAY: Sure.
It’s actually chatting with what I need to do with No Proper Manner, what I need to do with simply my very own manufacturing firm, AHP. Discover the chance once more, it’s all about entry. That’s what my mission proper now’s to get that entry, to have the possession, and to do what I really feel I’ve discovered over my tenure on this trade. I need to take that now, apply it to what I really feel the audiences are ravenous for, and ship.
