David Ramsey shares insights on balancing his dual roles as Mayor Carter Poole in Blue Bloods and John Diggle in Arrow. At the Arrowverse Heroes panel held at Motor City Comic Con, David Ramsey reflected on the difficulties of juggling both series at the same time.
Nevertheless, he expressed that the professionalism exhibited by the lead actors from each show significantly alleviated the pressure. He commended Arrow’s Stephen Amell (Oliver Queen) and Tom Selleck from Blue Bloods (Frank Reagan) for their remarkable flexibility and support during his travels from Brooklyn to Vancouver.
David Ramsey noted that the commute was undoubtedly exhausting. The actor dedicated six years to traveling between the two cities to maintain both of his roles. Nevertheless, he emphasized that all the traveling was worthwhile.
He referred to Blue Bloods as an amazing opportunity and remarked that it’s 15-season journey was “extraordinary.” He also mentioned that collaborating with Tom Selleck was one of the standout moments of his career.
According to David Ramsey, “I’m not merely stating this because he’s present. The leadership demonstrated by both individuals on the show, Stephen and Tom, in their respective programs, was pivotal. Clearly, when you’re part of a show that requires a robust leader, the influence cascades down. As I mentioned earlier, it was quite draining. One location was in Brooklyn while the other was in Vancouver. Consequently, I was commuting back and forth for six years. It was challenging, yet it was an amazing experience. The show was truly fantastic, running for an impressive 15 seasons, which is quite a remarkable achievement. Now, there’s even a spin-off featuring Donnie. Overall, being part of that show was a wonderful experience, especially playing the role of the mayor of New York. And Tom Selleck? Unforgettable.”
In the end, David Ramsey clarified that if it weren’t for Greg Berlanti, the mastermind and executive producer behind Arrow, he probably wouldn’t have had the opportunity to appear in both series.
It seems that Warner Bros. and CBS were initially hesitant about allowing the actor to participate in both productions, as they doubted whether one individual could manage such a demanding filming schedule.
Nonetheless, Berlanti, who had ties to CBS from his involvement in another police drama for the network, Golden Boy, truly advocated for David Ramsey.
The actor mentioned that he had to make numerous calls and put in significant effort to persuade everyone, but ultimately, he succeeded in winning over both parties. David Ramsey emphasized that none of this would have been achievable without Berlanti’s support.