I didn`t grow up as child actor. I was fortunate to find this show with a small character that grew into this huge cult thing. I was like, "Let`s ride it." (New York Times, December 27, 2006)

I didn`t come from a traditional background of studying theater and doing Shakespeare. (December 27, 2006)

[on being cast in "Bones" (2005)] I have love and admiration for what I`ve done in the past, but I`m looking forward to playing this character, Seely Booth. He`s a simple guy on the outside - a cheeseburger and black cup of coffee guy. Inside, he`s conflicted. (September 13, 2005)

[about his character Seely Booth] He`s a stand-up, blue-collar guy. I know the blue collar mentality. You meet these guys, you make friends, that`s all stuff that I have.

For me, what I was doing with "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997) and "Angel" (1999), it was all about the pain and the torture and the sense of being in the alleyway. Not to take anything away from it, but those were some learning, hard, difficult times when I didn`t know what the hell I was doing. (New York Times, December 27, 2006)

[about his mother] I always thought of her as Doris Day. (New York Times, December 27, 2006)

[on working with acting coach Ivana Chubbuck:] I`m learning more how to do that now, draw on my own experience. It`s a style she teaches that makes sense to me. I didn`t know this could be so much fun. (New York Times, December 27, 2006)

[on almost turning down the part of Seely in "Bones" (2005)] I had a difficult first meeting with [the producers] because I`m pretty frank. I was kind of in the mentality of, "This is who I am. This is me. I can offer this. But you don`t have your leading lady yet." ... For me, I come from a stock of family [where] my handshake is better than a contract. And I`ve gotten burnt a lot on that, but I wear my heart on my sleeve and I will continue to. ... I looked at it as an opportunity to take a character, mold him and take a lot of chances. ... I personally am kind of sticking towards the attitude of what it`s like to walk the fine line of potentially having a `69 Chevelle with a 396 under the hood and 375 horsepower, and the fine line of being correct as an FBI officer. (November 22, 2006) And I was kind of conflicted with some of the ideas of `Is this going to be recent bones or . . . a recently decomposed body?` It just didn`t feel right.

[on the sexual tension between Booth and Brennan in "Bones" (2005)] The potential for their personal lives entering into their professional lives is, I just think, dynamic. I think we all remember when we would watch "Moonlighting" (1985). You never remembered what crimes the characters were solving and, to me, that is character work. (November 22, 2006)

[on being cast in "Bones" (2005)] I have love and admiration for what I`ve done in the past, but I`m looking forward to playing this character, Seeley Booth. He`s a simple guy on the outside - a cheeseburger and black cup of coffee guy. Inside, he`s conflicted. (September 13, 2005)

[on hearing that The WB, which canceled the series, has offered to return to "Angel" (1999) with occasional TV movies or a miniseries] "As far as returning to the show for a reunion, I could probably put that to bed now: I have no interest in doing that. It would have to be a bigger challenge, rather than going back to something." (May 13, 2004)

[When told that Amy Acker told a reporter that he sometimes flashes his fellow stars:] "Yeah, I pull my trousers down in the middle of a serious take to see if they can keep a straight face. I need to lighten the moment, I guess."

[on his divorce from Ingrid Quinn:] "It was great at first, but soon became a real burden. Ingrid found it tough to cope with the fact that all of a sudden I`d become public property as opposed to her husband." [June 9, 2003]

[on appearing as Angel in the very last "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997) episode:] "I pretty much slid right back in. It was another day of work. I`m not big with reunions, but it was fine."

"[on the subject of hipness] It`s just one of those things. It`s like buttering an English muffin. An English muffin is hip. Because it`s so good".

I`d have to say, I can share Cordelia`s pain".

[From "Late Show with David Letterman" (1993) on his view on L.A.] "I see L.A. as a beautiful blonde with dirty underwear"

[On missing Sarah Michelle Gellar] "I loved working with Sarah... Sarah is great. A great person. Without Sarah I wouldn`t be standing here right now. So I owe her a lot."