David Boreanaz Bids Farewell to His ‘SEAL Team’ Character

Your kids [with wife, actress Jaime Bergman, 48] both appeared on episodes of Bones. How do you feel about your kids getting into the business?

They are artists of their own soul. I am there to support them for whatever they’re interested in doing — athletically, spiritually — whatever that profession may be…. My son [Jaden, 22], he’s a musician, he’s a writer, he’s a beautiful, beautiful soul. In the past couple of months, I’ve seen pictures of me when I was just starting out, and I could see myself in him. It’s a very big moment to see that your child is taking on an endeavor of the arts. Same with my daughter [Bella, 14]. She’s athletic. She rides horses, and she’s a big jumper. And you tap into that athleticism of where you were at that age, at 14, and how exciting that was, and how you dealt with coaches, and how you dealt with teammates. The insights that I can give them are really through examples that I went through.

What did your own parents think when you chose to go into acting?

They’ve always supported me. My parents were always saying: “If you’re going to get into a profession like this, you have to know the ups and the downs. There’s more downs than there are ups, and the downs are really going to be the places you learn the most and you become a whole other person.” My mother really gave me the discipline, the work ethic. I started working at the farmers market when I was in sixth grade. I was always working every summer. So that kind of instilled a lot of discipline that I use today, to a fault sometimes.

Was there an actor who inspired you early on?

Yul Brynner. I saw him in Philadelphia perform in The King and I. My dad [a retired television broadcaster] had been doing a show called AM in Philadelphia, so he was interviewing Yul Brynner and I met him. Then I saw him do the show [from the] fifth row, and I was like, That’s the intensity. It was about the energy for me. He came out like the king. [I was] so taken in by the energy, how somebody could be so strong with such love and conviction and such beauty.

What advice would you give to young people starting out in show business?

You just really have to believe in yourself and not question your drive. Consistency is one thing, but discipline is so important. It’s knowing who you are. When you get into a business of this nature that can be so ruthless and so hard and so debilitating and so frustrating and so anxious and so fearful, I always say, “Tap into the fear of it.” It may surprise you [that] when you’re scared of something, it could mean that you’re in the right place, you’re in that right spot, because you’re going to challenge yourself to raise up to that fear and use it rather than try to not use it.

I saw you on a Martha Stewart cooking show. It looked like you knew your way around the kitchen.

I did the show twice with her. And the second time I did it, I got a little too exuberant, and I was throwing flour all over the place. It was interesting because the first time I did her show, it was this great chemistry. It was beautiful. And I came back and they’re like, “We want you to do more of that. We want you to go out there and have fun and toss things around.” Well, my personality got the better of me, and I kind of destroyed her kitchen. She was not too happy about that, so I was asked not to come back.

As you’ve headed into your 50s, have you made any changes to your diet?

I eat as healthy as I can — a high-protein diet. I’m a carnivore, so I eat meat. I take care of myself. I’ve been [looking] more into why these preservatives and oils are put into our foods and how bad they are for you. Your body tells you certain things — there are certain things you shouldn’t be putting into your body. That’s what I’m really intrigued by now. As you tap into all the good things, you know what it can do for your body and how you can heal yourself naturally without prescription medicines.

What projects are next for you?

My heart is wanting to do a play, which has always been something that I’ve been attracted to. The last thing I did was an off-Broadway show. It was a Spalding Gray show, Stories Left To Tell, and they were all about monologues, and I really enjoyed that process. I love that live kind of feel. So that’s something that will definitely be explored. But as you grow and as you say goodbye to something, you’re opening yourself up to something new. You get the voices in your head: Oh, this type of character would be great to do, or this type of show would be great to be a part of, or this kind of film would be great to be a part of. That’s where I kind of am.