David Boreanaz on ‘SEAL Team’: ‘There’s This Brotherhood Aspect I Was Attracted To’
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When it came to finding the lead for the new CBS military drama SEAL Team—which follows an elite Navy squad as they juggle dangerous missions in the field and their normal lives at home—producers needed someone with great strength and enormous vulnerability to portray unit leader Jason Hayes. They found that in David Boreanaz. “David has that rare ability to convey both at the same time,” executive producer Ed Redlich says. “You can read in his eyes all that Jason Hayes has experienced as a warrior—and the tiniest doubts he is just beginning to have about his own personal abilities to deal with the continuing trauma of war.”
We sat down with the actor, fresh off his 12-year run on Bones, to talk about jumping back into TV for SEAL Team.
“Pilot” — Coverage of the CBS series NAVY SEALS, scheduled to air on the CBS Television Network.
What was it about this role that made you want to return to television so quickly? You barely took a break! In today’s TV landscape, there are so many shows. It can be a bit daunting. But SEAL Team spoke to me. There’s this brotherhood aspect that I was really attracted to—keeping the team together and going through missions, coming home and surviving, being there for each other. Then I met with executive producer Chris Chulack, and his perspective [on the story] was just great. The location where they were going to shoot, though, didn’t work for me, so I said no, thank you, and they went on to the next person. In the meantime, I kept wondering why I gave up that character. Things shifted, and two days later, I’m in New Orleans on a boat with gear on.
What kind of man is Jason? Jason Hayes is a flawed SEAL team operative leader who’s the best of the best, but he’s trying to hold it all together [personally]. He’s very comfortable on missions. He thrives on them—being in the military is his love, his passion. When he gets home he finds he has difficulty dealing with certain things, like relationships. He has two kids, he’s gone through a separation and is a hypersensitive guy.
Jason is in therapy for his issues. What do we see from him there that we don’t see when he’s elsewhere? He has PTSD, so you’re going to see a lot of vulnerability from him there. He’ll be able to talk openly about his fallen colleague, Nate [Daniel Gillies]. The therapy is very important.
Did you go through any special training for the role? Not much! I’m versed in a lot of that [physical] stuff. It’s really about the movement and getting comfortable with your gear and your kit. Just getting your uniform on, after a while, you know where everything is: your watch, your shoes, gun. And then I stayed in shape, just by playing a lot of hockey.
The show has former SEAL members working as technical advisers. How much did they relay about the toll this job can take on a person? Our consulting producer Mark Semos was very influential in me doing this show [and understanding these men]. He told me: SEAL guys go all in. If they’re going to do shots of tequila, it’s a whole bottle. There are a number of lost team members Mark still has in his phone. He can’t acknowledge [that loss] yet. I don’t even know when that can happen for him.
What is the off-screen dynamic like with you and your costars? They were all already in New Orleans for the pilot when I got there, and they were so supportive. I just wanted to hug every one of them and say, “Let’s get this done.” There was a lot of laughter. Which is good, because on screen, it’s heavy stuff.
You directed episodes of your last two shows, Angel and Bones. Any plans to do the same for SEAL Team? Yeah, I think that’s going to happen; I just want to get the show going first. We do five days out [on location], three days in studio, which is completely different from what Bones was. It’s a very challenging show. But it’s also precious—so you have to handle the way you shoot it, and pace it, with care.
SEAL Team, Premieres Sept. 27, 9/8c, CBS
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I have read several positive reviews on SEAL Team. THR actually had a real life military person review it and said it was the most authentic out of the three new military shows.
SEAL team isn't written for TV critics. It is written for CBS viewers.
I am looking forward to this. And I will make up my *own* mind on its merit past the pilot without reviews trying to influence me
Try to watch it with an open mind and without prejudice (not!Angel, not!Booth) and if you can't there are a million other TV shows out there....CBS won't care unless you have a Nielsen box nor will David, who doesn't need "backhanded support" He played Angel for 8yrs too, who actually has more of a cult following than Bones, and I heard the same teeth nashing when he started to play Booth. Same ole same ole.
Thank goodness for the majority of CBS viewers who never watch Fox or theWB and will actually watch SEAL team because they want to & are interested in the story they are going to tell highlighting the lives of the military & their families.
I wish SEAL team cast & crew all the best. Cheers.
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I hope the show turns out better than its being reviewed. Also I wonder what " shifted" for him that he went back and took that role( besides Jim Caviziel ) leaving. Oh well I will take a look but it is going to take awhile to get used to him being on another show( and yes I know he had Angel and Buffy but he wasn't on those shows for 12 years) and really hope his character doesn't end up being a carbon copy of Booth. Good luck to DB!!!
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What shifted? Probably SEAL team changed the shooting location so they could get David for the role.
My question is -- did they offer the role to David before they offered it to JC? David turned it down, then they got JC, he left abruptly, and they changed the shooting location to get David to agree to it? We'll probably never know!
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No it seems they actually offered the role to David first( this is where in the interview he states he turned it down because of location) then when JC left they went to David again and this is where the strange " shift comes in because i doubt they changed location. Why all of a sudden would the location shots work for him. But you are right we probably wont know what really changed his mind other than it spoke to him. Again i wish him the best and hope it goes well
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Maybe's David's wife said it was ok for him to film the pilot on location in NOLA because he was so restless being home and unemployed?
Or maybe his son got into that fancy private prep school and he decided he need the income?
Who knows. I'm sure they won't share it with us!
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Between this show, Valor (the CW) and SWAT (not sure what network that is), viewers certainly have their choice of shows featuring military-style, highly-disciplined people who are serving their country. Of the three, I'll probably stick with SEAL Team.
Although I'm a bit disappointed that Boreanaz says he didn't do too much "special training." I'm pretty sure that drawing a gun once a week while playing an FBI guy isn't the same as being a SEAL and learning their methods.
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There are two onset SEALs who David & the cast work with each day for authenticity. They are characters on the show too making sure everything is legit. You can find behind the scenes content of them with the cast working together.
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I saw the two SEALs mentioned as technical advisers, who are there to oversee the action scenes, but I was thinking more along the lines of personal, physical training. Boreanaz is already nice to look at but get him into SEAL shape....??? 😉
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I also meant to say, I have high hopes that SEAL team will open eyes & hearts to what the military go through both professionally & personally. That's what is going to hook me to the show and going by the producers & David this is going to happen. I don't know about anyone else but just that little insight into the real life Jason Hayes really hit home. 😩
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