Bones

What does Bones star TJ Thyne do when he’s not working? From the sound of it, that never happens! But TJ — who plays “Bugs and Slime” specialist Dr. Jack Hodgins on the hit Fox series when he’s not making short films of his own — still found some time to tell us about the future of the show, his perfect woman, and the complete contents of Hodgins’s iPod in this exclusive Wetpaint email interview.

Wetpaint: Do you subscribe to any conspiracy theories like Hodgins?    
TJ Thyne: Hahaha. No, I don't subscribe to conspiracies.That's a Jack thing through and through. I sadly fall more in the camp of the rest of the team. While reading a script the first time, as soon as Jack starts spewing his conspiracies I think, "Come on, Jack, are you nuts?!" Which has made it extremely fun the handful of times Jack has been dead on right. I loved the second Gravedigger episode — we have her tied up in our locker room and Jack challenges Booth's [David Boreanaz] brother on a truism that even Sweets [John Francis Daley] is unaware of. Though he has the term slightly off, it's clear Jack is dead right. I also loved when Booth asked Jack to ground an airplane a few seasons back with a mere phone call. Next we see of Jack, he's led off by two extra-large men in black suits with a small smirk on his face. Fun to play. But definitely a character trait of Jacky's alone.

WP: Will we ever learn more about Hodgins's past and where his money comes from?
TJ: Oh man, I hope so! I've been wanting to see this for six seasons now! I'd LOVE to learn all about what happened to Jack's parents, how they died, how he was left zillions of dollars, and just a taste of what he does with all that money. I like that he has all that cash and doesn't abuse it. The not-so-secret-anymore-secret-billionaire-dozens-of-times-over is oh-so-fun to play. But where's the Wayne Mansion and hidden lair of toys and cars and things! [Series creator] Hart [Hanson] has told me on several occasions that we will never see Jack's mansion he grew up in — and currently still lives in with Angela [Michaela Conlin] — because it's WAY too large and WAY too expensive for us to ever show. Which actually is a lot of fun, forcing the audience to have to imagine how grand it really is, so everyone has their own vision of what that looks like.  Remember Zack's [Eric Millegan] simple description when Angela first confronts Zack about Jack's money? Angela: Aren't you his roommate? Zack: Roommate? I live above the garage across the pond and the tennis courts from the main house. Booth: How many cars does he have in that garage? Zack: Including the antique ones?

In a recent episode, Angela was dreaming about having a home that was... more quaint and average so their kid could have a "real" life, not one that would make the cast of Silver Spoons blush. So Jack bought her the house she wanted. I think we will see that home more in seasons to come. (Oooh, I like saying "Seasons to come!" Let's make that happen for sure! Heehee.)  As for the tale of Jack's history, I'll keep crossing my fingers we get to see it. Oh, and here's hoping it’s really dark, dramatic, scary, and sad all rolled in to one!
   
WP: What's on Hodgins's iPod?
TJ: Mumford & Sons, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Ting Tings, The Killers, Muse, old-school Elvis Presley, late Beatles, Etta James, Ray Lamontagne, Regina Spektor, Radiohead, White Stripes, Queen, Prince, Portishead, MGMT (first album), Matt & Kim, DeVotchKa, Beats Antique, ARCADE FIRE!, Adele, Band of Horses, Cat Power, Black Eyed Peas, Edwarde Shape, Citizen Cope, Delta Spirit, Duffy, Explosions in the Sky, Florence + the Machine, Eminem, Green Day, The High Wire, Janis Joplin, Hot Chip, Jay-Z, Kanye, Johnny Cash, LCD SoundSystem, Little Dragon, M. Ward, Manu Chao, Marilyn Manson, Prince, My Chemical Romance, Explosions in the Sky, Passion Pit, She Wants Revenge, Sharon Jones, Social Distortion, Sparklehorse, Tiesto, Vampire Weekend, early U2, The Who, and The National. Oh... and of course ZZ TOP!  (Okay, okay, so maybe Jack Hodgins listens to the exact same music as TJ Thyne... keeps it easier using my own playlists. Heeheehee! Oh do I love live music! Man, do I love a great show!)

WP: Are you making any more short films?    
TJ: As I do this interview I'm a wee bit exhausted, for oh-so-many reasons, but one being that I just wrapped production on four more of my short films in the Theatre Junkies' Moment Series Collection. I shoot Bones Monday through Friday, so Saturday and Sunday (if I'm not prepping for a new shoot), I'm shooting. These short films were all done over weekends. These four films join the other five in this on-going series of shorts. They are extremely experimental but lots of festivals get it. It's only March, and already Theatre Junkies Moment Series have already been accepted into 12 film festivals so far this year. And more to come! It's a big thrill for me. We have a blast doing them, too. I love to act. And oh-so-love telling stories through film as an actor. Even on my “days off.” We (Theatre Junkies) have our feature Shuffle about to play in the festival circuit as well and will spend the end part of this year doing the next three films in the black-and-white film series that Validation is a part of. That will make seven total films in our black and white short film series, while The Moment Series in the end may have as many as 33. Yup, keeping busy. We are in the process of updating theatrejunkies.com with more info and such.

WP: We loved your singing in that Chevy commercial. Any plans to sing on Bones?
TJ: Hahaha! Oh man! Eric Millegan can sing, and did on the show as Zack several seasons back. Emily Deschanel can sing, and did on the show as Brennan a few seasons back. John Francis Daley can sing, and did on the show as Sweets a couple seasons back. TJ? Hodgins? Trust me, neither of them can sing — nor should they! We want the show to get new viewers and keep it's current viewers, not scare people off. The most he could do is attempt to sing in the shower, and have Angela scream into the bathroom, "You are going to wake up the baby with that howling!"  

WP: Do you want to see Brennan and Booth hook up?
TJ: Yes. Because those two characters have become my friends these last six years. And like any two friends you have who are perfect together, you want them to get together. But I don't want them to get together before HART is ready for them to get together. Trust me, he is the "heart"-beat of this show, he is the soul of every romantic moment you have enjoyed these last many years. His accuracy and timing is precise and though painful to wait for at times, always worth it in the end. His knowing is like that of a magician’s hand; stare at it and squeeze your focus trying to make it occur and it will never work, you'll miss the trick every time. But relax into it, and enjoy the ride, and you will be WOW'D by its powerful potency, regardless of how subtle and sweet that long-awaited misdirection may be.   

WP: Can you tease anything about Angela and Hodgins's baby? Do you know the sex?
TJ: Tease? Okay. It's a boy... No, no wait... It's a girl... no boy... no, no wait, girl. (There. Teasing accomplished.)

WP: Are you dating anyone at the moment?
TJ: I am single. I think I'm the only one in the cast that is single. Let's see about changing that, what do you say?! So, do you know any Smart, Sexy, Strong, Sassy-yet-Sweet, Spunky and Sensual, Serious but with a Silly-Side, Sincere and Simple (yet Sophisticated), Spectacular-in-an-ever-so-Subtle-kinda-way woman to introduce me to? I'm all ears! [Editor’s note: We can think of a few Wetpaint editors...]

WP: How's the filming for the crossover episode coming along? Anything you can tease there? Is Hodgins down in Florida, or did he have to stay in D.C.?
TJ: Hodgins helps hold down the fort back home — I think I'm stuck in my alliteration from my last answer — while Booth and Brennan head to Florida for a few. (Yep, definitely stuck in alliteration.) That's all I'll say. But it should be lots of fun!

WP: Of all the Bones guest stars, who's been your favorite?
TJ: We are the luckiest cast on the planet, to have a group of actors as amazing as the ones who come to play with us as our guest stars week to week. I hope they come back again and again and again for however many seasons we are lucky enough to keep telling you stories.  How many should we say... three more years? Five more years? Hell, we are ready!

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