‘My mum prefers Tom Selleck!’
Jay Hernandez, the star of the new Magnum PI reboot, talks about going clean-shaven for the role and how his mother would rather see Tom Selleck in the role
Some 30 years after the original 1980s hit US show ended, a rebooted, modern-day version Magnum PI comes to Sky One.
Gone is Magnum’s famous moustache – this time round a slick Jay Hernandez takes on the part of the charismatic private investigator Thomas Magnum, originally played by Tom Selleck.
‘I felt like anybody who came in and tried to do the moustache was going to be
a swing and a mess because Tom owned it and it was his,’ says Jay. ‘He brought that to the character.’ The new Magnum PI follows Magnum after his return from Afghanistan as he sets up a new life in Hawaii as a security consultant for wealthy never-seen author Robin Masters. The Tudors’ Perdita Weeks plays a female Higgins, a former British agent who assists Magnum’s crimesolving. Also look out for a cameo from singer Cyndi Lauper.
‘Magnum is still a war vet, and still drives a red Ferrari,’ says Jay. ‘So there’s a lot from the original, but there are some changes, too.’
However, it’s not been easy for Jay to take on the role, especially as his mum was a huge fan of Tom Selleck. ‘When I told her I was doing Magnum PI, she said, “Who’s going to be Magnum? Please tell me it’s Tom Selleck.” My own mother!’ ● Magnum PI is on Sky One
‘Tom owned the famous moustache’