David Boreanaz Is Ready to Rest His Body After ‘SEAL Team’ Series Finale: ‘I Had 4 MRIs in 4 Months’
SEAL Team star David Boreanaz is listening to his intuition — and the rest of his body.
“My body just can’t take it anymore!” he tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue of why the upcoming seventh season of the Paramount+ military drama will be his last. He adds that he and the rest of the cast were dedicated to telling the story of elite soldiers in the most authentic way possible, including extensive training and filming physically demanding scenes.
“There were no shortcuts,” says Boreanaz, 55, who recalls directing a scene where he had to carry a 250-pound stuntman on his back. Related: David Boreanaz Says There Was ‘Some Conflict’ About Directing Himself on ‘SEAL Team’ “I walked ten feet, I hit a rock, I twisted my ankle, and I fell, but I had to keep going. I’m talking about guys who have their arms blown off and are telling jokes because that’s how they deal with it,” he said. He continued, “I take really good care of myself, but at some point your body doesn’t move the same way… I think I’ve had four MRIs in the last four months, for my knees, my hips, my shoulders. It’s been a pretty long journey.”
He’s grateful for the show’s meaning for those in the military. Boreanaz told PEOPLE that the response he’s gotten from Navy SEALs has been amazing. “They thanked me for the real representation,” he said. The actor, who first rose to fame playing Buffy’s love interest Angel on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and later starred in the spinoff Angel, said he has other work in the works but can’t say what yet.
Related: Sarah Michelle Gellar Backs ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Reboot Amid Fan Backlash “I have a plan,” he said. “My work ethic has always been to keep moving, to live in the moment, not to look back, not to look down the drain.” For more on David Boreanaz, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, or subscribe here.
He noted that while he’s ready to take a break after starring in a series for nearly 30 years (he also starred in Bones, opposite Emily Deschanel from 2005-2017), he’s not good at sitting still.
“The vacation is great until the second day, and then I’m on my knees thinking about what we’re going to do next,” he said with a laugh. But he’s looking forward to spending time with his kids, Jaden, 22, and Bella, 15. “I’m always positive. For me, work is relaxing, it’s fulfilling.” He says working and spending time with his kids is the way to go. “That’s it.”
The first two episodes of SEAL Team’s final season will premiere on Sunday, August 11, with the remaining episodes streaming weekly on Paramount+.
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