For over 25 years, David Boreanaz has maintained a nearly uninterrupted presence on television, seamlessly transitioning from one successful series to the next with remarkable staying power. His journey from vampire Angel on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel, to FBI Agent Seeley Booth on Bones, and now Navy SEAL Jason Hayes on SEAL Team has introduced characters that resonate deeply with audiences across genres. This consistency stems from specific personality traits and acting techniques that have become Boreanaz’s signature—making his roles uniquely his own while remaining fresh.
What makes Boreanaz’s television career particularly remarkable is the way he has developed these traits over time, refining them for each new character while maintaining the core elements that viewers connect with. Whether playing a centuries-old vampire, a former military sniper turned FBI agent, or a modern-day special forces operative, Boreanaz brings recognizable yet evolving traits to each role. This approach has helped him build one of the most consistent television careers, spanning from 1997 to 2024 with virtually no breaks—a feat few actors can match.
Discover how dark intensity, physical presence, and dry humor have shaped David Boreanaz’s 25-plus-year television career from Angel to SEAL Team’s Jason Hayes.
The dark, tormented soul quality that made Angel so compelling in the late 1990s remains Boreanaz’s trademark in all of his leading roles. As Angel, his performance focuses on a vampire cursed with a soul, forced to reckon with centuries of terrible deeds—perfect territory for dark intensity. This same quality runs through Booth’s military trauma and Hayes’ struggles with PTSD and the burdens of leadership. As television critic Alan Sepinwall notes, “The way Boreanaz can convey inner conflict without saying a word has become his signature.”
This intensity has matured over time, becoming more subtle and less dramatic. While Angel’s darkness sometimes veers into melodrama (which is fitting for the genre), Booth’s intensity is more subtly expressed through protective instincts and moral codes. In SEAL Team, the character’s intensity reflects the divided emotions of a special forces operator, revealed through controlled outbursts rather than constant anxiety – demonstrating how Boreanaz has refined this aspect of his acting toolkit.
Physical Presence and Athletic Background
Boreanaz brings a natural dynamism to his roles, making the physical abilities of his characters believable. His experience playing high school football at Malvern Preparatory School has provided the foundation for this aspect of his performances. Angel’s fights have a balletic quality, while Booth’s fight scenes reflect his FBI training with precise movements. As Jason Hayes, Boreanaz performs many of his own stunts, bringing authentic physical intensity to the SEAL Team’s military operations.
His commitment to physical authenticity has deepened over the course of his career. For SEAL Team, Boreanaz trained with actual Navy SEALs to capture their specific movements and tactical approaches. “There’s a way they move, a language to it,” Boreanaz explained in a 2019 interview. “You have to respect that because these guys have trained their whole lives to move that way in survival situations.” This commitment has elevated his action scenes beyond the flashy Hollywood style to something truly believable.
Dry Humor
While not immediately apparent during his dark vampire days, Boreanaz’s gift for deadpan humor has become central to his characters. Angel has his moments of unexpected wit, but it’s Booth who frequently uses irony and humor to balance out the darker nature of his work. Booth’s comedic chemistry with Emily Deschanel’s Brennan has been a defining aspect of Bones’ 12 seasons. As Hayes on SEAL Team, Boreanaz brings a dark sense of humor that reflects how military personnel use humor to cope with extreme stress.
This development shows his growing confidence as a performer. Bones creator Hart Hanson commented: “The great thing about David is that he can go from being intense to being funny
