David Borhaz (Boreanaz): The Actor Who Keeps Reinventing Himself

David Borhaz is a common misspelling of David Boreanaz, one of the most consistently successful American television actors of the past three decades. Born on May 16, 1969, in Buffalo, New York, Boreanaz is best known for playing vampire Angel on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth on Bones across 246 episodes, and Navy SEAL Master Chief Jason Hayes on SEAL Team. In 2026, he takes on his fourth iconic role as Jim Rockford in NBC’s reboot of The Rockford Files.

Quick Facts About David Boreanaz

Early Life and Background

David Boreanaz was born in Buffalo, New York, where his father Dave Roberts worked as a weather presenter and children’s show host at ABC affiliate WKBW-TV. When David was seven years old, his family relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where his father took a position at WPVI-TV, the ABC affiliate. His mother, Patti Boreanaz, worked as a travel agent. He has two older siblings, Bo and Beth. He grew up attending Rosemont School of the Holy Child before moving on to Malvern Preparatory School in Malvern, Pennsylvania, where he played football as both an offensive end and defensive back. He was a standout athlete with a competitive edge that friends and family attributed partly to dealing with school bullying during his early years. He pursued cinema and photography at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1991. His surname, Boreanaz, traces its roots to the Italian-Slovenian border region from the 1600s, with the name originally spelled “Borjanac” in its Slovenian form. The family has Italian and Slovenian ancestry on his father’s side, and his mother carries Slovak, Irish, German, and Swiss heritage.

Career Journey: From Walking a Dog to Becoming a Star

David Boreanaz’s entry into acting is one of Hollywood’s most genuinely accidental success stories. After graduating from Ithaca College in 1991, he moved to Los Angeles with nothing but his degree and his ambition. He slept on his sister’s couch, worked odd jobs including parking cars, painting houses, handling towels at a sports club, and doing production assistant and props work on film sets. His first on-screen appearance came in 1993 as a background extra in Aspen Extreme, waving at skiers. He prepared props on Best of the Best II and had a small uncredited role in the same film. His first paid acting credit was a 1993 guest spot on Married with Children, where he played Kelly Bundy’s unfaithful biker boyfriend who gets beaten by her father Al. His breakthrough came in the most unexpected way. A neighbor regularly saw him walking his dog and mentioned him to Marti Noxon, a writer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. That conversation led to an audition. That audition led to Angel. Everything that followed came from a man walking his dog on a Los Angeles street.

Major Career Projects and Achievements

David Boreanaz has anchored four major television series across nearly three decades, a record that very few actors in American television have matched:

Beyond acting, he directed 11 episodes of Bones and directed 3 episodes of SEAL Team. He became a producer on Bones from Season 3 onward and served as executive producer throughout SEAL Team’s run. He voiced Leon in the original Kingdom Hearts video game in 2003 and voiced Hal Jordan in the DC animated film Justice League: The New Frontier. He was listed among People magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People in 1999. TV Guide ranked him as one of TV’s top teen idols in 2005. He won the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films Best Genre TV Actor award in 2000. He has received nominations from People’s Choice Awards, Teen Choice Awards, Satellite Awards, and Kids’ Choice Awards across his career. In 2026, he was cast in NBC’s The Rockford Files reboot as Jim Rockford, the iconic private investigator originally played by James Garner in the 1974 series. Before accepting the role, he personally called Gigi Garner, James Garner’s daughter, to ask how she felt about the reboot. His SEAL Team co-star Michaela McManus joined the cast opposite him.

Net Worth and Income Sources

David Boreanaz’s net worth is estimated at $30 million as of 2026, according to Celebrity Net Worth and multiple entertainment finance publications. His primary income source across his career has been long-running television. During his peak years on Bones, he earned approximately $250,000 per episode. With 246 episodes across 12 seasons, that show alone generated enormous income. SEAL Team added seven additional seasons as both lead actor and executive producer. Additional income sources include real estate investments in Los Angeles, residuals from syndication and streaming deals on Angel, Bones, and SEAL Team, voice acting fees from Kingdom Hearts and Justice League: The New Frontier, and a 2019 lawsuit settlement against Fox regarding Bones profit sharing that resulted in significant payouts to him and co-stars including Emily Deschanel. He and his wife Jaime Bergman co-founded a nail polish line called Chrome Girl in 2013, featuring NHL-themed colors. He is also a partner in production company Fuse Entertainment and formed Boreanaz Pictures with producer Mark Gordon.

Personal Life and Relationships

David Boreanaz was first married to Ingrid Quinn on June 7, 1997. The marriage lasted two years and ended in divorce in 1999. He met Playboy model and actress Jaime Bergman and married her on November 24, 2001. Their son Jaden Rayne Boreanaz was born on May 1, 2002. Their daughter Bella Vita Bardot Boreanaz was born on August 31, 2009. In 2004, Boreanaz underwent reconstructive surgery on the ACL of his left knee, addressing an old high school running injury that had not been fully corrected at the time. His recovery limited his mobility during several Angel episodes, including his directorial debut on that series. In 2010, Boreanaz publicly acknowledged he had been unfaithful to his wife Jaime Bergman. He made the disclosure preemptively after learning a former mistress planned to sell her story to a tabloid. He and Jaime chose to work through it, and they remain married in 2026 with no public indication their relationship has changed.

Lifestyle, Interests and Philanthropy

David Boreanaz is a committed Philadelphia Flyers hockey fan who has maintained his connection to the Philadelphia sports culture throughout his years in Los Angeles. He collects London-style shoes and enjoys cooking nutritious meals for his family. He actively supports the Animal Hope and Wellness Foundation. He works with World Vision, Save the Children, The Creative Coalition, the United Nations Foundation, and PETA on various philanthropic initiatives. His charity work has been recognized publicly through CBS and other outlets connected to his SEAL Team years. He has spoken openly about his Catholic upbringing and the influence of his godfather Art Moore on his values and personal decisions. His personal social media presence, particularly on Instagram, reflects an active family man and outdoors enthusiast with strong ties to his military drama community. For more on television personalities and their career paths, read our profile on Clay Travis and his net worth journey.

Lesser-Known Facts About David Boreanaz

• His surname Boreanaz traces back to the Italian-Slovenian border region of the 1600s, originally spelled “Borjanac” in Slovenian.
• He was discovered while walking his dog in Los Angeles, after a neighbor mentioned him to a Buffy writer. He did not actively pursue the audition.
• He turned down the lead role in the 2002 film Resident Evil because of his Angel production schedule.
• He appeared in the music video for Dido’s hit single “White Flag” in 2003.
• He voiced Leon in the original Kingdom Hearts in 2003 but did not return for the sequel.
• He directed his first episode of Angel, “Soul Purpose,” while recovering from ACL surgery with limited mobility.
• Before accepting The Rockford Files reboot in 2026, he personally called James Garner’s daughter to ask her blessing before taking the role.
• He co-founded a nail polish line called Chrome Girl in 2013 with his wife and friends, featuring NHL-themed colors.

Final Thoughts

David Boreanaz has done something genuinely rare in American television: he has anchored four separate hit series across nearly 30 years and made each role feel completely different from the last. A vampire. An FBI forensic specialist. An elite Navy SEAL. And now a classic Hollywood private investigator. His story starts with a man walking a dog on a Los Angeles street who happened to live next to the right person. What it became is a $30 million career built on consistent hard work, genuine range, and the patience to build each character over years rather than settle for quick success. In 2026, he is not finished. He is only beginning the next chapter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is David Borhaz?

David Borhaz is a common misspelling of David Boreanaz, an American actor, producer, and director born on May 16, 1969, in Buffalo, New York. He is best known for playing vampire Angel in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, FBI Agent Seeley Booth in Bones, and Navy SEAL Jason Hayes in SEAL Team.

What is David Boreanaz doing in 2026?

In February 2026, David Boreanaz officially joined the cast of NBC’s reboot of The Rockford Files, taking the lead role of Jim Rockford. He also serves as a producer on the project. This marks his fourth major television lead role across his career.

What is David Boreanaz’s net worth?

David Boreanaz’s net worth is estimated at $30 million as of 2026. His wealth comes primarily from 246 episodes of Bones at approximately $250,000 per episode, seven seasons of SEAL Team as lead and executive producer, and additional income from production credits, real estate, voice acting, and a 2019 Fox profit-sharing lawsuit settlement.

Is David Boreanaz still married?

Yes. David Boreanaz has been married to Playboy model and actress Jaime Bergman since November 24, 2001. They have two children together: son Jaden Rayne Boreanaz, born 2002, and daughter Bella Vita Bardot Boreanaz, born 2009. Despite a publicly acknowledged infidelity in 2010, the couple remained together.

How did David Boreanaz get discovered?

He was discovered while walking his dog in Los Angeles. A neighbor regularly saw him on his walks and mentioned him to Marti Noxon, a writer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. That conversation led to his audition for the role of Angel, which became his career-defining breakthrough role in 1997.