The crime drama Bones has brought skeletons out of the closet for 10 seasons on Fox Each episode centers around a mystery of human remains investigated by FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth played David Boreanaz and forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan played by Emily Deschanel.
Hailing from Los Angeles, with a BFA in theater at Boston University, Deschanel has a strong background in film, with My Sister's Keeper, Spider-Man 2, Easy and the indie comedy The Perfect Family, in which she played a lesbian struggling with a religious mother ( played by Kathleen Turner ).
Deschanel's television credits include Crossing Jordan, Providence and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Windy City talked to her at a press conference about the current season of Bones.
Hi, Emily. First off, how do you maintain Brennan's scientific talk since season one but also open her up emotionally?
Emily Deschanel: I think that's one of the beautiful things about doing a television show for a long period of time—you really get to see people change slowly in a lot of ways. I always looked at it as people change when somebody comes into their life that is important and meant to be there—not that Brennan wasn't a best person, but she's opened up emotionally over the period of time. I think that Booth [played by David Boreanaz] has opened her up a lot, or she's opened herself up as a result of being involved with Booth in her life. It's been a really lovely thing to explore this character in different ways and see how she is still her same self, but she is able to be more vulnerable and open.
You have done a variety of stunts in the different seasons.
Emily Deschanel: Yes—working with snakes or being in the Everglades with an alligator right there, scuba diving into a tank in an aquarium, being weightless in the vomit comet at one point, and tightrope walking... Well, I will give credit: I had a double who actually did tightrope walk high up, but I did get to learn how to do it lower to the ground so that they could film me closer up actually tightrope walking, which was a lot of fun. You go to circus school for an hour. Whatever time was permitted for me to do that and things like that are just a lot of fun.
You could bring back Circus of the Stars!
Emily Deschanel: I don't think I could do that pregnant. My center of gravity is a little different.
How was it working with Cyndi Lauper?
Emily Deschanel: Just growing up I've always been a huge fan of her, so she's a dream to work with. She's such an interesting, eccentric, lovely, talented person—so much fun and she does a good job as an actress as well. Obviously, she's an amazing singer, so we're already fans of hers in that way and we loved having her on set. She brings such surprises; she'll surprise you with choices she makes and just she's so interesting to work with. She's such a unique human being. I'd have her all the time if we could have her.
With Brennan being an atheist, does she stay skeptical through this psychic episode?
Emily Deschanel: Brennan is always skeptical. She's not going to start believing in God or things like that.
What other guest stars will be on the show?
Emily Deschanel: We have Linda Lavin coming up, which was a lot of fun to have on the show. I don't know what number episode, but that was really great to have her. She's wonderful, and Phyllis Logan, who I think has already aired—I can't keep track. I'm a huge Downton Abbey fan.
How is your real-life pregnancy going to be handled on Bones?
Emily Deschanel: You'll see Brennan going through a whole thing. She doesn't really accept her pregnancy for a period of time. I think that having a second pregnancy is different than having a first pregnancy, and each one is different. Brennan is experiencing that and she realizes what it means when you're working in this kind of world, [with] crime and putting yourself in danger, so she's out of the field a little bit more this time. You'll see there's a lot of emotional things that happen for Brennan because of this pregnancy.
It's been different for me personally the second time around, let me tell you, so it's interesting. Probably my naivete was helpful last time, too, for Emily as well as Brennan.
You have celebrated 200 episodes on Bones recently. What do you enjoy about this TV show?
Emily Deschanel: I have to say with all of the writers, they do a really wonderful job of keeping things interesting, and changing dynamics of the characters. I love working with the actors and our crew. We have an amazing group of people. It feels like a family. We've worked together for 10 years. There's not weird but sometimes there are odd tensions and things like that on different TV shows. We don't have that. David Boreanaz and I have always thought that it was very important to continue working on your acting and putting as much in to everything you're doing as you can.
Can I say that I always put everything I possibly can into things? Some days it's really hard. I'm not saying I'm so incredible that I'm always doing everything I can, but I think that in putting that investment into the show is important.
Like I said, they keep it interesting with such interesting plot twists, character developments and different things to try, it really helps. I still love doing the show. It's a really interesting character that I love playing. It doesn't feel like we're at the end of the story yet. Maybe we will by the end of next season, if hopefully we do do another season. It's not official, but it doesn't feel like we've ended.
Dig up Bones with Deschanel every Thursday on Fox. Visit www.fox.com/bones for more details and bonus content.
