Then And Now: What The Leading Ladies Of Bones Look Like Today

In a world where police procedurals are a dime a dozen, "Bones" stands tall as one of those long-running TV shows that, at one point in time, seemed unstoppable. The Fox series ran for 12 seasons between 2005 and 2017 and, while the pilot received lukewarm reviews, the majority of viewers found themselves hooked from day one. "Bones" was nominated for multiple awards in its heyday, including nine People's Choice Awards, eight Teen Choice Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and two Genesis Awards.

Fox attempted to recreate the magic with "The Finder," but who actually remembers that "Bones" spin-off? Considering that it only lasted 13 episodes, it didn't have nearly the same impact as its predecessor. There are several reasons for this, of course, with the natural chemistry of the "Bones" cast being one of the big ones. 

The "Bones" roster included dozens of male actors, but only a handful of female actors appeared in more than 15 episodes. Here's what those ladies have been up to since the show's end. 

Emily Deschanel, the older sister of fellow actor Zooey Deschanel, starred as Temperance "Bones" Brennan in all 245 episodes of "Bones." (Funny enough, Zooey Deschanel had a cameo on "Bones" that you may have missed.) A lot happened to the character throughout the series, so here's an extremely quick summary: she discovered a whole bunch of things and struck up a relationship with co-worker Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz). "Playing a character who's very different from myself is one of the best things to happen to me, especially in a television series," Emily once told Daily Actor in 2010. 

How did Emily Deschanel's life transform after "Bones" ended? For starters, her career continued to develop and is still in full swing nearly a decade later. Some of Emily's more recent roles include Sarah Nolan in an episode of "The Rookie," Suzanne in "Devil in Ohio," and Nicole in "Big Boys." Emily also voiced Night Brigade in 46 episodes of the podcast "Agent Stoker."

In 2024, Emily and former "Bones" co-star Carla Gallo launched the podcast "Boneheads," in which they reminisce about the series, interview special guests, and spill behind-the-scenes secrets; those interviewed include show creator Hart Hanson and T.J. Thyne (Jack Hodgins). "Boneheads" has been on hiatus since October 2025, although they assured fans "they're coming back" eventually in an Instagram post.

Michaela Conlin played Angela Montenegro throughout all 12 seasons of "Bones," Temperance Brennan's best friend and co-worker at the Jefferson Institute. Her character's biggest storyline was arguably her up-and-down relationship with the aforementioned Jack Hodgins. "I think our fan base knows what to expect and what they're getting, and I think they're really invested in the characters," Conlin told Assignment X in 2013. "It's just seeing more layers of the characters at this point and seeing where it goes."

Whatever happened to the cast of "Bones"? Like Emily Deschanel, Conlin's career has continued to flourish over the years. Conlin's most recent roles include Sarah Nguyen in six episodes of "Yellowstone," Helena Webster in eight episodes of "For All Mankind," and Andrea Yi in four episodes of "A Man on the Inside." Conlin's movie roles include Maria Li in "Bad Trip" and Lisa in "Junction." 

Conlin does have an Instagram, although she only posts every once in a while. As of this writing, her most recent post came at the end of November 2025, when she shared a clip from "A Man on the Inside." Before that, in 2023, she reposted a Deadline article that announced her involvement in an ABC show tentatively called "Drop-Off" (although according to Deadline, the series was shelved a few months later). 

Tamara Taylor (who you may have forgotten was a guest star on "NCIS") was introduced as Camille Saroyan on "Bones" Season 2 as the head of the Forensic Division. She ultimately appeared in 223 episodes. "I tried to bring a sense of humor to her and a deep appreciation for her team," Taylor told Cherry Picks in 2021. "Cam Saroyan was originally written pretty straightforward, but I noticed, the more fun I had with her, the more I started to see that reflected in the writing."

Since "Bones," Taylor has continued to rack up the acting credits. As of this writing, her biggest post-"Bones" roles include Oumou Prescott in five episodes of "Altered Carbon," Deloris Allen in ten episodes of "October Faction," and Angela Wheatley in 15 episodes of "Law & Order: Organized Crime." In 2026, Taylor was in eight episodes of "Wild Cards."

While Michaela Conlin does not post very often on social media, Taylor updates her Instagram on a more regular basis. In August 2026, Taylor documented a trip to Greece and England, during which she attended Manchester Comic-Con. For Mother's Day 2026, Taylor shared a mother-daughter photo with the caption, "Mom, I love you with my whole heart and thank you with every ounce of my being."

Carla Gallo played Daisy Wick, one of Temperance Brennan's interns, between "Bones" Season 4 and Season 12. The character appeared in 33 episodes and had a relationship with Lance Sweets (John Francis Daley), with Gallo giving birth on-screen in Season 10. "I'm a little nervous...I know I personally don't want to watch ... like, screaming and pushing," Gallo told Give Me My Remote at the time. 

In addition to co-hosting the podcast "Boneheads" with Emily Deschanel, Gallo has stayed busy with supporting roles in various TV shows. She played Dingo in two episodes of "Future Man," Betsy in an episode of "Sneaky Pete," and Melissa Lydecker in three episodes of "Mayans M.C." Gallo's most recent credits were Katie in 20 episodes of the Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne Apple TV+ series "Platonic" and Pam Belfort in a 2025 episode of "Chicago Fire."

Carla Gallo's Instagram features sprinkles of her professional endeavors, but is mostly dedicated to her family; Gallo married Mark Satterthwaite in 2017, and they have two children. In May 2026, for example, Gallo wished her mother a happy 91st birthday with an adorable photo set (complete with her mother's new shoes). For Halloween 2025, Gallo showed off her kids' costumes: Cindy Lou Who from "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and Carl Fredricksen from "Up."

Was Sunnie Pelant technically a leading lady on "Bones"? Perhaps not, but she did play a pretty big role: Christine Booth, the daughter of Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth. Pelant's character was introduced during "Bones" Season 9 and appeared in 26 episodes through the end of the series. 

Pelant, who turned 16 years old in November 2025, has appeared in only two projects since the end of "Bones." In 2018, she appeared on an episode of "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" as an uncredited dancer. She then played Lily Burke on a 2019 episode of "NCIS." 

Though she certainly found success in the TV world at a young age, it seems Pelant has put her acting career on the back burner and made dance her main focus. She began dancing before she joined the "Bones" cast, and by all accounts she's made a name for herself in the dance world. According to Pelant's Instagram, she won West Coast Elite Dance Dancer of the Year in 2025, Hollywood Vibe Dance Convention DOTY in 2022, and West Coast Dance Explosion DOTY in 2022.