During an engaging panel at the L.A. Times Festival of Books, iconic actor Tom Selleck sat down with Glenn Whipp to discuss his newly released memoir, “You Never Know.” Returning to the University of Southern California, his alma mater, Selleck candidly shared memories of his college days, admitting that academics were his “weak suit.” Instead, he spent his time playing basketball and famously pretending to be Kareem Abdul-Jabbar during practice against rival UCLA.
Selleck discussed the arduous four-year process of writing his memoir. Initially paired with a ghostwriter who expected a typical celebrity tell-all, Selleck ultimately decided to fire the writer and pen the book himself. He wanted the narrative to read like an authentic conversation, sharing personal details and inner thoughts without resorting to taking down others in the industry.
Reflecting on his career, the actor described his journey as a “decade of learning” and “laying bricks” before finally landing his breakout role in the series he prefers to simply call “Magnum” rather than “Magnum, P.I.” He opened up about the infamous Hollywood “what if”—being offered the role of Indiana Jones in “Raiders of the Lost Ark” by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, only to have CBS prevent him from taking the part due to his television contract. Despite the disappointment, Selleck holds no bitterness, acknowledging that the role rightfully belongs to Harrison Ford.
Selleck also recounted the humorous, accidental start to his acting career, which began with taking a theater class simply for an “easy A.” A subsequent audition at 20th Century Fox secured him a talent contract not because of his acting chops, but because the studio head was a massive fan of college basketball. To conclude the panel, Selleck offered a piece of enduring advice to college students: “Don’t be afraid to fail.”
