Starring in a procedural TV show can give many actors their breakout roles, turning them into international stars. Actors like Matthew Gray Gubler, Pauley Perette, Mariska Hargitay, and Emily Deschanel rose to stardom thanks to their roles in shows like Criminal Minds, NCIS,Law & Order, and Bones. The stars of these series often make a name for themselves exclusively through their work as Detective So and So. However, there are other times when an actor has already made a name for themselves in a completely different genre before landing a role in a procedural. Such is the case of David Boreanaz.
Before starring in their breakout roles, actors like NCIS‘sMark Harmon made appearances in many similar procedural-esque shows, such as Adam-12, Emergency!, St. Elsewhere, and Chicago Hope. Already fairly entrenched in the world of procedurals and soap operas, these actors didn’t have to make too much of a transition when it came to these newer roles. On the other hand, David Boreanaz’s journey to become a procedural heavy hitter with roles in shows like Bones wasn’t entirely linear.
Updated on February 6, 2024, by Florencia Aberastury: David Boreanaz is a talented and prolific actor who forged his path and became one of the most recognized faces on television. This article has been updated to include more information about his career, as well as to bring the article up to current CBR standards.
David Boreanaz Got His Start On Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer was David Boreanaz’s first recurring role on television.
Before landing the role of Angel, Boreanaz appeared in an episode of Married… with Children.
David Boreanaz’s popularity in Buffy the Vampire Slayer earned him a spin-off series, Angel.
For fans of police procedurals, David Boreanaz is now Seeley Booth, a suave and upstanding belt enthusiast and FBI agent extraordinaire. More recently, he is Jason Hayes, the fierce leader of the most intense unit of Navy SEAL soldiers in the world. Pushing a bit further back into his history though, and suddenly it’s clear that this swashbuckling funny-guy and grizzled war hero typecast wasn’t always his forte. Boreanaz actually got his start in a more bloody way — as the brooding love interest Angel in the beloved late ’90s series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer thrust David Boreanaz into the spotlight as a typical teen heartthrob. In Buffy, Angel was somewhat of a blueprint for other, more modern vampire bad boys, such as Twilight‘s Edward Cullen, and True Blood‘s Bill Compton. David Boreanaz got the opportunity on Buffy to define a genre. From Stefan Salvatore to Roman Godfrey, the beautifully tragic pretty boy bloodsucker can trace its roots straight back to one very soulful vampire: Angel.
David Boreanaz Broke Into Procedurals with Bones
David Boreanaz played the role of FBI agent Seeley Booth in a total of 246 episodes of Bones.
Besides starring in Bones as agent Booth, David Boreanaz also directed 11 episodes of the procedural show.
David Boreanaz’s discovery as an actor sounds just about as fairytale-ending as any well-timed Buffy resurrection. He embodied the phrase “the right place at the right time” when a normal day walking his dog turned into the opportunity of a lifetime. The most important criteria that casting director Marcia Shulman had for the brooding beauty was just that: otherworldly looks. Luckily for Boreanaz, his sharp features were just what the undead doctor ordered.
More surprising than his origin story, however, is what he decided to do after Boreanaz’s impressive run on Buffy and its subsequent spin-off, Angel. It would seem that the “leading man” romantic role would be his go-to after so many years playing exactly that, but staying true to his unconventional path to fame, Boreanaz found his next leading man in an unexpected place. Beloved procedural Bones ran from 2005 to 2017 — an impressive 12 years — and grew a dedicated fan base to rival the likes of other well-known genre shows, such as NCIS and Criminal Minds. The concept behind Bones was undeniably alluring; with none of the easy identification methods available from a fresh corpse, genius anthropologist Temperance Brennan spent her time chasing not only the identity of the killer but that of the victim as well.
Besides a solid idea, Bones also had the signature procedural staple of a quirky cast of mismatched personalities. However, tying together all these characters was none other than swashbuckling FBI agent Seeley Booth. Boreanaz delighted fans with the sort of range he had been previously unable to show in Buffy and Angel. His by-the-book lawman perfectly balanced out more unconventional characters such as Dr. Brennan and Angela Montenegro. Booth was even the first to give Dr. Brennan the nickname “Bones,” the titular character of the show.
Bones Let David Boreanaz Shine
David Boreanaz reprised his role from Bones in an episode of American Dad as well as in a crossover episode with the television series Sleepy Hollow.
Boreanaz also appeared in Family Guy’s episode “Road to the North Pole,” playing a hilarious version of himself called “Aurora Boreanaz.”
Though delightful in both his subtle quirks and affectionate teasing, there is a deeper layer to Seeley Booth where fans really get to see Boreanaz shine. Put into many harrowing situations and forced to make tough decisions, Boreanaz dug deep to tug on the heartstrings of his audience. From heartbreaking cases to harrowing life-or-death situations, Booth’s time working with the Jeffersonian team was definitely not always an easy one. Nonetheless, he took the bull by the horns when it came to exploring all the ups and downs of his beloved character.
After the end of its impressive runtime, Bones earned its place in the police procedural hall of fame. Having played the same characters for so long though, many were left wondering what was next for their favorite “squints.” David Boreanaz, with the same gusto that he always holds, smoothly transitioned into yet another leading man role as Jason Hayes on the military action series SEAL Team.
From Buffy To Bones And SEAL Team, David Boreanaz Proves His Versatility
SEAL Team is David Boreanaz’s third leading role on television, after Angel and Bones.
Besides being the star of the series, Boreanaz is also an Executive Producer on SEAL Team, and has directed a total of 6 episodes so far.
Well over 20 years after the start of his career, David Boreanaz is still alive and kicking as one of the most prolific television actors of the last decade. Though not entirely varied, his most well-known roles being only the aforementioned three, Boreanaz’s career has kept him on the periphery of the public eye for much longer than many working actors can ever dream of. He found his footing in a cult classic like Buffy and moved his way into yet another series with a passionate viewership. Unlike other actors from fairly well-known TV shows, such as Michael Weatherly and Bones’ own John Francis Daley, Boreanaz stuck out the entire runtime of his hit shows, affording him the luxury of steady employment and an extremely dedicated audience.
Though not entirely a household name, David Boreanaz takes the cake as one of the most well-known small-screen actors of his time. Older fans remember him as a brooding, angelic vampire with a penchant for popping out of dark corners. Newer audiences followed his progress as the charismatic Seeley Booth, a through-and-through good guy and eventual family man whose heroic antics bordered on fantastical. Now, a whole new generation will know Boreanaz as intense American thoroughbred Jason Hayes, with the actor once more winding his way into the hearts of an entirely new fan base in the blink of an eye.
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