Dragon Con is always one of the best weekends of the year, and 2025 was no exception. From cast members of Bones reminiscing about their favorite episodes, to Arrow stars discussing funny audition stories, to Star Wars actors sharing heartfelt memories from a galaxy far, far away, fans were treated to a weekend packed with nostalgia, laughter, and behind-the-scenes scoop from their favorite actors.
Bones (Friday)
Friday’s Bones panel reunited cast members Emily Deschanel (Temperance Brennan), TJ Thyne (Jack Hodgins), and Tamara Taylor (Camille Saroyan), with Thyne wearing a “King of the Lab” shirt, of course.
When asked about favorite episodes, Deschanel picked The Man in the Fallout Shelter while both she and Thyne agreed on Aliens in a Spaceship. Thyne also singled out The Proof in the Pudding (the JFK episode) and The Ghost in the Machine. Speaking about Aliens in a Spaceship, Thyne revealed, “I stayed in that car for many hours to get a sense of what it would be like to be buried alive.” Deschanel deadpanned back, “I did not.”
Reflecting on their characters, Thyne noted that Hodgins began as “quite literally a mad scientist” and mellowed out over the seasons. Taylor described Cam as the audience surrogate: calm in contrast to her quirky lab colleagues. Deschanel admitted she initially thought she was nothing like Brennan, but found herself identifying with her more as the years went on.
The trio agreed Cyndi Lauper and Betty White were their favorite guest stars, with Taylor having to tell herself while filming, “Don’t stare at Betty, don’t stare at Betty.” Thyne also loved Billy Gibbons – his character’s father-in-law – but joked Gibbons “tattooed me every time he came.”
At one point, they even called Michael Grant Terry when they couldn’t remember something about his character Wendell – it was just that kind of panel!
Other highlights included Deschanel spilling that her manager and publicist thought her costume in the pilot made her look too old, and she credited Brennan’s jewelry with shaping the character. Thyne admitted Hodgins was hard to play in early seasons because he was so angry all the time. And of course, they all had favorite villains: the Gravedigger for Deschanel and Thyne, and Pelant for Taylor (though she joked maybe she should have “supported a woman” with her answer instead).
Arrow-verse (Friday and Saturday)
Arrow panels are always chaotic, especially if John Barrowman (Malcolm Merlyn) is around. And with David Ramsey (John Diggle), Emily Bett Rickards (Felicity Smoak), Brandon Routh (Ray Palmer), and Colin Donnell (Tommy Merlyn) also in the lineup, it was pure hilarity.
During Friday’s panel, when asked about season one memories, Ramsey quipped, “Stephen [Amell] and I were just muttering to each other for half a season until Emily showed up.”
Donnell reflected that if Tommy had survived, he probably would have followed Oliver anywhere, while Routh contrasted the chaotic scheduling of the first crossover (which he admitted left a “bad taste”) with the fun of the final one, where he got to play two characters.
And fun fact: Rickards is the only cast member to have seen KPop Demon Hunters and she’s obsessed.
On Saturday, the cast was asked if they had ever lied about their special skills on a resume. Barrowman admitted he had, saying he could scuba dive, which resulted in him getting locked in a tank underwater during a shoot. Ramsey said he could do a Cockney accent, and when he was asked to do it in an audition, he just walked out. But Routh had the funniest answer: “I can’t fly.”
There were also some fun reveals, like Barrowman sharing that Malcolm Merlyn was originally supposed to be Oliver’s father, but his husband Scott suggested in a lunch meeting with the producers that he should be Thea’s instead. And the rest was history.
Star Wars-verse (Sunday)
The Sunday Star Wars panel had a little bit of everything, but it mostly served as a reminder of just how massive this franchise really is. John Boyega (Finn), Diana Lee Inosanto (Morgan Elsbeth), Simon Kassianides (Axe Woves), Emily Swallow (The Armorer), Sam Witwer (various video game voice work including Starkiller, Emperor Palpatine, and Darth Maul), and Matthew Wood (video game voice for General Grievous) all shared the stage, and despite not necessarily starring in the same specific projects in the Star Wars universe together, their chemistry was fantastic.
In discussing his audition process, Boyega recalled J.J. Abrams surprised him by bringing in Chewbacca and R2-D2 for an improv escape scene. “Imagine if you didn’t get the part,” he laughed. “Why would you tease me like that?” Later, he admitted to taking home an entire collection of props and costumes. “I have absolutely everything,” he said. He took so much stuff that he ended up hiring Lucasfilm staff to build him a Star Wars man cave at his house.
Inosanto recalled the nerves of auditioning with Pedro Pascal, while Kassianides admitted he once flopped down a hallway in boots that were two sizes too big in front of Dave Filoni. Swallow shared that she sent her husband a photo of Grogu kissing her on Valentine’s Day, noting, “My husband better watch out!” Witwer shared how he once got confused about his eyeline during a scene, but the problem was solved by taking him downstairs to meet Darth Vader.
When asked which other franchises they’d like to join, Kassianides said Lord of the Rings (Boyega agreed he had the ranger jawline for it), Swallow pointed to Supernatural as a fandom similar in generosity to Star Wars, and Boyega said Spaceballs – and then retirement.
The panel concluded with nostalgia, as the actors shared their first Star Wars memories: Happy Meal toys for Boyega and Ewoks for Swallow, serving as a reminder of how this saga continues to shape generations.
Wrapping Up
While all the panels explored different sides of these franchises and allowed fans the opportunity to get closer to their favorite stars, what tied them together most was just how much the casts still love their shows and those who still support them.
One of the best things Dragon Con has kept from the last couple of years is the use of Discord for fan questions. It started during the SAG-AFTRA strike in 2023, but it’s stuck around because it works. Fans who may not want to step up to a microphone still get to ask thoughtful, creative questions – and honestly, it makes the panels even better.
By the end of the weekend, it was clear: Dragon Con is still one of the best places to celebrate the fandoms we love, laugh about the weird behind-the-scenes moments, and walk away feeling like part of the family.
