Fail Better with David Duchovny Fail Again: A Forensic Analysis with Emily Deschanel
Dec 30, 2025
Emily Deschanel, renowned for her role as Dr. Brennan on Bones, opens up about her personal journey grappling with ADHD and dyslexia while filming. She shares how mastering the intricate forensic dialogue was a real challenge. The conversation dives into her strategies for memorization, on-set panic attacks, and the pressure of early filming days. They discuss how failure shaped her growth and how her experiences inspire empathy for her past self as she reexamines her performances on the rewatch podcast Boneheads.
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Early Diagnosis And Learning Struggles
- Emily Deschanel recounts being diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia as a child and moving through many schools before getting support in London.
- She describes early struggles reading technical dialogue on Bones and developing systems and a lines partner to cope.
Memorizing Dense Scientific Dialogue
- Emily explains the concrete challenge of delivering dense forensic jargon and needing to get her mouth around words like "epiphyseal fusion" and "zygomatic arch."
- She needed rehearsal systems and someone to run lines with her to manage the show's technical dialogue.
Insist On Predictable Rehearsal Windows
- Make explicit agreements with collaborators to limit last-minute changes and protect preparation time.
- Emily credits Hart Hanson for agreeing not to give last-minute pages, which helped her perform.