The David Boreanaz Lawsuit That Cast A Dark Shadow Over Bones

"Bones" managed to differentiate itself from other TV procedurals by establishing a tone that carefully balanced drama, humor, and some of the most shockingly graphic murder scenes yet seen on TV. Some of the bodies on "Bones" just went too far in terms of sheer detail, with one gross bathtub scene having to be cut altogether. This form of uncensored violence doesn't seem like it would pair well with some light-hearted banter between the two series leads, Emily Deschanel and David Boreanez, but it was this delicate balance that made "Bones" what it was.

It's an approach that worked well enough to keep the Fox series running for 11 seasons before wrapping up in 2017. Now, the show seems primed for a streaming-age return, though a "Bones" reboot would be a complicated affair in the wake of Disney's 2019 acquisition of Fox. In the meantime, we do know Boreanez and Deschanel would be up for returning to "Bones," which is all fans really needed to hear to be excited about the series' potential return.

In Boreanez's case, the actor has spoken about how returning to the character of FBI agent Seeley Booth would be "fun," telling Collider, "It would be funny." It's nice to hear that the actor is so sanguine about a possible "Bones" return, especially considering his experience with making the long-running network show certainly wasn't always "fun." In 2010 Boreanez was sued for allegedly sexually harassing an extra on the show, marking a low point in the actor's career. So what happened with the lawsuit and how did "Bones" continue to run for a full seven years after that?

The "Bones" showrunners cast David Boreanez without even meeting him, which considering the actor's résumé isn't all that surprising. After playing Angel, the brooding love interest of Sarah Michelle Gellar's slayer on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," Boreanez fronted his own spin-off show, which saw his character working as a private detective in Los Angeles. When "Bones" creator Hart Hanson was asked whether he'd consider the actor for the part of agent Seeley Booth, he jumped at the chance.

Sadly, Boreanez's "Bones" tenure wasn't as smooth as his casting on the series. In July 2010 a lawsuit was filed which alleged the actor had sexually harassed a "Bones" extra. As CBS noted at the time, the suit was filed by Kristina Hagen and her lawyer, Los Angeles attorney Gloria Allred, who sued both Boreanaz and 20th Century Fox Television for more than $25,000, claiming the actor had engaged in sexual harassment and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Specifically, Hagen claimed she met Boreanaz while she was working as an extra on "Bones," and that the star promised to help her with her career, even suggesting he could secure a recurring role for her on the series. According to the complaint, Boreanez then proceeded to send her "dirty texts" and groped her on several occasions, allegedly attempting "to kiss her and touch her breasts" while the actress "pushed him away." Hagen also alleged that Boreanez had "pushed her down and began fondling her" in his trailer on the Fox lot, before being called to set. More in-depth details about these alleged interactions can be found in a December 2010 report from The Hollywood Reporter, which makes for a shocking read.

As per CBS, a spokesperson for Boreanez said at the time, "The allegations concerning any alleged inappropriate conduct by David Boreanaz are totally fabricated and absurd. There is no validity to this lawsuit." The outlet also noted that the lawsuit came in the wake of Boreanez publicly admitting to being unfaithful to his wife, Jaime Bergman after rumors began to swirl about the actor's extramarital activities.

Though the allegations in the lawsuit against David Boreanez were serious, the whole affair came to an abrupt end in March 2011, less than a year after the initial complaint was filed. As CBS reported at the time, Kristina Hagan's lawyer Gloria Allred filed a dismissal of the case, writing in an email that the case had been "resolved." Just what "resolved" means remains unclear, but TMZ reported that the case had been "settled," suggesting some out-of-court developments had taken place.

That appears to have been the end of the matter, with "Bones" continuing until 2017 and Boreanez managing to avoid any harassment allegations for the remainder of his career. However, "Bones" as a show would not be free of further legal issues, as from 2015 until 2019 Fox was engaged in a profit participation lawsuit involving Boreanaz, Emily Deschanel, executive producer Barry Josephson, and author Kathy Reichs. The lawsuit was brought to an end after an arbitrator ruled in favor of the actors, producer, and author, just before Disney completed its acquisition of Fox in 2019.

As of 2024, Boreanez is still married to Jaime Bergman and is seemingly open to a potential 13th season of "Bones," though whether such a thing will happen remains unclear at this point. If it does, let's hope the show's second go-round is slightly less litigious than its first.