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‘SEAL Team’ Actor John Savage Has Been ‘Involved With Vets for Years’ in Real Life

On SEAL Team, John Savage plays the father of Sonny Quinn. The two characters have a strained relationship, but he’s still heavily involved with the soldiers and veterans on the series. And in a 2020 interview, Savage revealed that in real life, he’s been “involved with vets for years.”

Some actors are lucky enough to play parts that resonate with their real-life experiences and passions. And for John Savage, that came true when he landed a part on SEAL Team. He comes from a long line of soldiers, and he saw firsthand how the job can affect people.

“I’ve been involved with vets for years – my family, my father, my grandfather, and their wives, and the communities that were developing in the ‘50s, with vets and the government support,” he told Assignment X.

John Savage’s father was a marine. And he lost his squad at Guadalcanal. His grandfather served in France during World War II, and he witnessed the effects of gas on his fellow troops. “There were thousands of people killed by gas,” he added. 

So Savage has a personal connection to Emmit’s character because Savage watched his own family struggle through similar hardships and traumas.

“For me, we have this evidence in our difficulties in family, in community, especially now…Maybe it’s dealing with a son and daughter who came back, but they cannot adapt to being at home. For physical reasons, maybe. Destruction to their body, through loss of emotional stability, things that other people don’t understand. And when you see this show, how well it is written, that this is part of life.”

‘SEAL Team’ Will Address Homeless Veteran Crisis in Season 5 With a New Character

The writers of SEAL Team have made it a priority to bring awareness to soldier and veteran affairs. They’ve touched on sensitive subjects surrounding PTSD and death, and of course, the general toll that military life takes on families. And in the new season, showrunner Spencer Hudnut introduced a new character who shines a light on the homeless veteran crisis plaguing our country.

“A part of Ray’s story this year is going to be confronting the homeless veteran crisis,” he told TV Line. “So we’re going to be introducing a character there who is going to have a big impact on the show. We’re also going to be bringing back some familiar faces in Clay’s life.”

Hudnut admitted that Ray has seen a lot of ugliness of war, and he wants the character to realize how much he has to offer his fellow soldiers outside of the theater.

“He’s opening his eyes to maybe having an impact in the world beyond carrying a rifle,” Hudnut added.