Katheryn Winnick Was Warned Before Taking Her Role in Bones

Even though *Bones* ended in 2017, the show still maintains a dedicated fanbase. For 12 seasons and nearly 250 episodes, audiences followed Emily Deschanel’s Brennan and David Boreanaz’s Booth as they solved crimes while navigating their romance. That relationship was central to the show, and fans were protective of it. When Katheryn Winnick joined the series in Season 6 as Hannah Burley, she was warned that viewers might not welcome her character.

Winnick, known for roles in *Vikings* and *Big Sky*, portrayed Hannah, a journalist who had a relationship with Booth in Afghanistan. When she reentered his life in *Bones* Season 6, her presence was met with resistance from fans. In a 2011 interview, series creator Hart Hanson revealed that he had cautioned Winnick about the potential backlash, explaining that any character who came between Booth and Brennan would be unpopular. Despite initial negativity, Hanson believed Hannah’s role was essential to Booth’s character development.

Winnick was no stranger to challenging roles, having appeared in *House* and *Hellraiser: Hellworld* before *Bones*. In a 2010 interview, she recalled being briefed by producers about the controversy surrounding her character. Ultimately, Hannah appeared in only seven episodes, departing in *The Daredevil in the Mold*. Though her role was brief, she left a lasting impact on the show’s storyline. *Bones* continued for six more seasons and remains available for streaming on Hulu and Amazon Prime Video.