he's not SMG, he's not gonna let the oh-so-outrageous success of "Valentine" get to his head and make him think he has a movie career.

narky | January 20, 02:17 CET

Narky, that's a weird thing to say...

ringworm | January 20, 02:19 CET

Please don't copy and paste the entire article into the extended description, a link is quite sufficient.

Anyway I think what Narky was trying to say was that David knows what side his bread is buttered on. But hey he may be fed up. Playing the same character for what 8 years now? He may want to try something new. He's directed his first episode, he's now starred alongside Dennis Hopper in the new Crow film and he's getting older. I'd be very surprised if Angel made it to a seventh season. I love the character of Angel but I'll perfectly understand if David wants to call an end to it all.

Simon | January 20, 02:26 CET

Well, $$$ can obviously be very persuasive in convincing a star to remain on a series, if it's a lucrative enough deal of course.

Oddjob | January 20, 02:30 CET

He may be tired of playing the role or he may not be. It seems he is still interested in the character and enjoys the fact that they seem to keep it fresh for him. Also, he is now having the opportunity to direct and there have been people who were former TV stars that have made an excellent career out of directing (Ron Howard for one) that it might make sense for him to stick around to build on those skills. Let's face it, a lot of people who were big stars at one time on a big hit television show don't capture that same success again.

Also, outside of the Whedon world, he's not that well known yet. SMG is known to people whether or not they watched Buffy but David has a bit of a ways to go before he reaches that level of fame. It would make more sense for his career to stay with Angel and try and do some movies on the side to get his name more well known.

As for him holding out for big bucks, well I don't know if that would be a wise move considering how the WB is always on the fence on whether or not to renew the show for a next season.

Firefly Flanatic | January 20, 03:45 CET

Boy...it's not just the bucks...this is historical television...truly landmark stuff...I like what Nathan Fillion said about what he'd do if he was asked to reprise his role in "Firefly"...something like, "I'd leave dyalisis to go back"...now THAT's the right attitude!

Chris inVirginia | January 20, 03:47 CET

Yeah, but Nathan only played Mal for half a year ... David's been playing Angel for going on eight years. Burn out and a desire to move onto fresh characters and roles would not be entirely unexpected. And I believe that what Fillion said was, "I'd leave dialysis for the Firefly MOVIE," which again, less of a time commitment than being the star of a television show. And in a different article, when asked about his dreams for firefly's future, Fillion said he hoped it became a movie franchise, not a second TV show.

bobothebrave | January 20, 04:52 CET

There are reasons to stay with the show and reasons to leave, some of them financial and some of them no doubt personal. But the long and the short of it is this: we don't know and for now Boreanaz isn't talking. Conjecture about "will he stay?" or "should he stay?" is fine, but more than likely we won't know if he wants to do a seventh season until he says so, just as we won't know if the WB wants a seventh season until we get there and they haven't cancelled the show.

unreality | January 20, 05:06 CET

Of course David will be back. I don't see him floating off into moviedom just yet... but maybe he wants to take time off to spend with his family... Mostly, I just think this is another thing to hang over the fans' head to have us hanging on the edge of our seats... glued to our sets in case this is Angel's last season on his own show. (hmph)... Can we say publicity, boys and girls?

BGo | January 20, 06:39 CET

Mostly, I just think this is another thing to hang over the fans' head to have us hanging on the edge of our seats... glued to our sets in case this is Angel's last season on his own show.

Or maybe he has leaned from experience that it's not a good idea to say that he hopes to do something that requires a commitment, because when the time comes he may no longer feel that way. He's been at the job for a long time, he has been trying to spread his wings professionally, and he's in a new family situation. He's got more than one choice, and probably wants to keep them all open.

abbylee | January 20, 08:03 CET

Well it's certainly understandable of him to keep his cards to himself. But I have to agree with narky here, in thinking that David probably realizes a villain role in the Crow franchise (which was pretty much a goner by the first sequel) is not going to launch him into movie stardom.

I never quite understand the 'oh but they've been doing the same role for years' argument. Same with the X-Files. So what if it has been the same role? Many people go to the same office for 20-30 years and don't get famous and rich off of it.

People like Duchovny, Anderson, Sarah, David, James, etc, etc. are actually pretty lucky to reach the heights that they have. I'm not saying they don't have more in them, or that they shouldn't hope for more, (I'd like to see all of them in succesful movies, believe me) but I do think many of them probably did reach their 'high' on here and it's more than most people or actors ever achieve.

It's just that some actors are more aware of it. James is always trying to show how grateful he is. David seems to be aware of how relative the business is. Sarah couldn't wait to start distancing herself from 'Buffy', etc.

But really, to be a succesful, famous star of a tv show for years in a row and practically become a household name.....there are worse fates, ya know.

EdDantes | January 20, 18:53 CET

Yes, but television shows, with very rare exception, do not run for 20-30 years. The life of any show, much less a cult favorite, is usually just under ten years (with the last one or two usually full of people saying it should have ended earlier). You have to admit that becoming so strongly identified with one role (and only one role) -- which, by the very nature of television, will be short-lived -- does have its drawbacks.

It's perfectably understandable for an actor to want some distance from a past project or want to go out on top with a current one. Typecasting can be a big problem. It doesn't necessarily mean they're ungrateful or are desperate for that next big thing always out of reach. But they are -- all of 'em, Duchovny, Anderson, Sarah, David, James, etc. -- working actors hoping to continually be interested, challenged, and well paid for their craft.

There are better fates than becoming successful for one show for a few years and having to struggle to find decent work for the rest of your career because of it.

And besides all that, there are other factors. Boreanaz might not be looking for fame, fortune or glory. He may just want a rest, more time to spend with his new family, more time to explore different projects, try different things. He may just want "Angel" to end on a high note.

Or maybe he wants to stay and is holding out for money, a different deal, or just for negotiations to end. Or maybe he just hasn't decided. Thing is, we don't know. And it's silly to start second-guessing his motives when we don't know what decision anyone involved is going to make.

unreality | January 20, 19:48 CET

I'd like to think that if David *really* intended to bow out after this year, he would've given Joss a heads up at the beginning of the season, just like SMG did last year. (3 episodes into BtVS S7 it was obvious to anyone not in the Flat Earth Society that it was the final season.)

But David is still tirelessly promoting the show, and Joss is mentioning a season 6 in interviews. I'd agree that it's unlikely we'll get a season 7, but one more seems likely. Still, why should David say anything for sure before negotiations have started? Let the WB sweat a little for once.

wren | January 20, 22:39 CET

Those are good points, Wren...about David' promoting the show and Joss talking up a season 6...if there are tea leaves out there to be read, it does seem logical that the WB would be the only thing standing between a new season, not the producers or actors.

At least, I hope not.

Chris in Virginia | January 21, 00:07 CET

If there is a S6 for Angel I sincerely doubt David wouldn't do it. The Angel crew generally seems to still enjoy it.

And let's not forget fear of being typecast and being tired of a role are two very different things. And with Joss' shows being as open to change as they are (way more than most other shows) I think most of the actors are still having a good time with it.

EdDantes | January 21, 02:42 CET