“Bones” aired for 12 seasons from 2005 to 2017, and by all accounts, star David Boreanaz had a mostly great time during that time. Heck, Boreanaz even revealed that he has the perfect stage for a “Bones” revival, once again voicing his desire to return to the show and his positive outlook on the previous 12 seasons. However, there are a few things the former “Angel” star isn’t too fond of — one of which involves the aesthetic change that’s the opposite of what Booth and Boreanaz are known for.
Since Boreanaz broke out as Angel on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” in 1997, he’s been known for his clean-shaven look. While there have been plenty of handsome young men sporting beards over the years, Boreanaz’s vampire boyfriend has always been a more clean-shaven guy, and that continued on his spin-off series, “Angel,” which aired from 1999 to 2004. By the time the actor was cast as Seeley Booth on “Bones” in 2005, he had been on TV for nearly a decade sporting a clean-shaven look. This happened to be perfect for Booth, a former Army Ranger and Special Forces soldier who became the FBI’s liaison to the Jeffersonian Institute on the show.
Throughout “Bones,” Boreanaz mostly appeared in classic Boreanaz style, with a shaved face and only the occasional beard. However, at the beginning of season 10, the actor was asked to grow a beard after Booth was framed and sent to prison.
David Boreanaz Doesn’t Like Booth’s Beard
In the season 9 finale of “Bones,” a conspiracy theory blogger is murdered before he can meet Booth, prompting an investigation. But as Booth and a team from the Jeffersonian Institute investigate the mysterious death, things quickly spiral out of control, with classified details of the FBI agent’s service record being hacked and leaked. Booth quickly realizes that he, his wife, and their daughter are in danger, and evacuates them from their home before he is attacked by three Delta Force agents. Although Booth is able to kill the attackers, he eventually succumbs to his injuries. In the hospital, he wakes up handcuffed to his bed and charged with the murder of three FBI agents.
When we meet him again in the season 10 premiere, “The Conspiracy in the Corpse,” Seeley Booth, framed for the murder of FBI agents, is in prison while Brennan and the Jeffersonian team work to clear his name. This is where we see an unusually unshaven Booth, which poses an uncomfortable problem for David Boreanaz.
Back in 2014, as “Bones” was preparing to air its 10th season, Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel sat down with TVLine for a video interview where they discussed the show’s length and the then-new season. When asked about his beard, Boreanaz revealed that he “would rather not have a beard” but had to do so for the sake of his character and the prison storyline. “I think it’s interesting for him,” he continued, “It makes sense for his character because of what he’s going through.”
While it may be practical, it’s clear the actor himself isn’t fond of the change. “It itches,” he said. “My little girl doesn’t like it, she’s like, ‘Take it off, please.'” When asked if he’d keep it, Boreanaz said, “It’ll be something that can be shaved off in episode 21.”
Clearly, the beard isn’t a big deal to the actor, even if it is a little annoying. Aside from that aesthetic annoyance and the “Bones” storyline, which Boreanaz declared was just “bad television,” the actor seems to look back on the show with fondness. That bodes well for the Fox procedural’s return, which in an age of “newstalgia” is sure to happen soon.
