Melora Hardin Makes Bold Confession About ‘Child Prostitute’ Role on ‘Magnum, P.I.’ With Tom Selleck

Michelle Stein August 20, 2026, 9:26 am

Melora Hardin, Tom Selleck — Jim Britt /American Broadcasting Companies via Getty Images; CBS via Getty Images

What To Know

Melora Hardin discussed her experience playing a 15-year-old sex trafficking victim alongside Tom Selleck on a 1983 episode of Magnum, P.I.
She made a confession about Selleck and fondly recalled a memorable scene where his character hugged hers.
The original Magnum, P.I. aired from 1980 to 1988, with a reboot running from 2018 to 2024.

Melora Hardin recently made a bold confession about playing a “child prostitute” on Magnum P.I. with Tom Selleck.

During the August 11 episode of the Hey Dude… The 90s Called podcast, the former child actress, 59, opened up about what it was like to work with Selleck, 81. Hardin portrayed Nancy Perkins Gillis, a 15-year-old sex trafficking victim, in Season 4, Episode 2, which aired in 1983.

“This is such a sweet picture to me because he’s this very big man, right?” Hardin said while holding up an old Polaroid snapshot of herself and Selleck. She then admitted, “And I had such a huge crush on him.”

She explained, “We have a scene where he, like, saves, and he hugs me. Another thing that they would never do on TV anymore — the detective hugs the 15-year-old streetwalker… We have this scene where I’m, like, crying and he’s found me, and he’s like, ‘Your father’s really worried about you and you need to go home.’”

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In that scene, Selleck, who played Thomas Magnum, hugged Nancy — and Hardin immediately wanted another take.

“He hugs me in this big hug, and he’s this giant man with this big barrel chest, and he puts his arms around me and hugs me,” she recalled. “It’s like this big, really good hug because he’s a good hugger.”

When the director asked if anyone wanted to try it again, Hardin raised her hand. “The whole crew burst into laughter because they knew that’s why I wanted to do it again,” she shared. “It was so sweet.”

The original Magnum P.I. aired for eight seasons from 1980 to 1988. In addition to Selleck, it starred John Hillerman, Roger E. Mosley, and Larry Manetti, among others. In 2018, a reboot premiered starring a completely different cast; it aired for five seasons before ending in 2024.

Magnum P.I., streaming on Philo