SEAL Team Star David Boreanaz has spoken openly about his reason for leaving the immensely popular series at the end of its upcoming seventh season.
“My body can't take it anymore!” the 55-year-old actor admitted. PeopleHe added that “no shortcuts” were taken by him or his co-stars, and that he felt the sole purpose of joining the show was to portray an elite military unit with the utmost realism.
During filming of season six, Boreanaz was injured while filming an action scene in which he had to carry a 113-pound actor on his back.
“I hit a rock ten feet deep and sprained my ankle and fell to the ground. My ankle was swelling, but I had to keep going,” he recalled about the shoot. “You learn from the SEALs how to handle pain; I'm talking about guys who have their arms blown off and they tell jokes as a way to cope. It's intense.”
Boreanaz said he wanted to leave the show while he was still at the top of his game, rather than wait until it was too late. “I take good care of myself, but it gets to a point where your body doesn’t move the way it used to,” he mused. “I think I’ve had four MRIs in the last four months for my knees, hips and shoulders. It’s been quite a journey.”
But the actor feels his sacrifice was worth it because of the feedback he received from real soldiers. “They thank me for the authentic representation,” Boreanaz noted.
Season seven SEAL Team It premieres on Paramount+ on August 11.