David Boreanaz

Profile: DAVID BOREANAZ DIGS UP BONES - PART 1

The Angel/Buffy actor trades his creature of the night persona to become part of the FBI on Fox’s new procedural drama

It’s not easy being a creature of the night and for eight years David Boreanaz occupied those dark corners playing tortured vampire with a soul Angel on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.

Now the actor gets to play around in the daylight with the new Fox drama BONES which debuts tomorrow night. Boreanaz plays FBI agent Seeley Booth who teams up with a forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel) to solve crimes by digging through bones.

iF MAGAZINE: Did they develop this role for you?

BOREANAZ: I read the script, really liked it a lot and loved the character. I loved that there were these characters that were so interesting. It drove this pilot and you can see beyond the pilot which was a magical thing when you’re reading something. The character for me, is a chance to break out with something really great. I hold him very close, because he fits the very simple, all-American, straight-shooter with a great gut instinct kind of a guy. There’s a lot of good stuff to play with in that. It wasn’t developed for me, but it kind of fell in my lap and it was like putting on a coat that felt right. And when Emily came on board, it was pretty magical. I had a lot of fortunate things going on with the show including this role.

iF MAGAZINE: How is it working with creator Hart Hanson?

BOREANAZ: I’m really blessed to have someone like Hart. It’s the first time I’ve worked with someone who has allowed me to collaborate in a way that is accepted. You throw an idea out, you don’t get the nod of the head, you get, "let’s do that and see where you can take this character, let’s hone him now."

iF MAGAZINE: How is the show developing?

BOREANAZ: What we’re seeing is the development of how these two characters work together when they’re so opposite. There’s that constant back and forth between each other. What’s right, what’s wrong. What’s annoying, whose annoying who. When they work together and they’re symbiotic, it’s amazing what they can accomplish. He really looks at her in high regards. He thinks she’s the best. And there’s definitely an attraction.

iF MAGAZINE: Will the series continue to be the "bone-of-the-week" mystery?

BOREANAZ: That was one of my main questions too when I got on board. You take the decomposed body that was murdered. The throughline is the procedural. It is called Bones, but it’s not going to be just about bones. We’re doing one right now about the death penalty.

iF MAGAZINE: Will there be arcs or will there be self-contained episodes?

BOREANAZ: They will be self-contained, but the arcs will kind of really revolve with the characters and I think that’s really for me even more interesting, because you’re going to see these characters lives, and going to be invested in them and you’re going to want to root for them to hook up. You’re going to root for them to go to bed.

iF MAGAZINE: Are there dark secrets of the characters?

BOREANAZ: Everybody has dark secrets of the past. They can go anywhere with this guy. He came from a military background. He was a sniper. There’s so much you can do with him. The thing I’m using now. I’m making him an ex-gambler. Gambling is a big vice for him that he has under control now. I was searching for a vice and I came up with gambling. The prescription drug and booze has been done before.