- David Duchovny
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David Duchovny
Duchovny at the 2011 Tribeca Film FestivalBorn David William Duchovny
August 7, 1960
New York City, New YorkOccupation Actor Years active 1987–present Spouse Téa Leoni (1997–Present) David William Duchovny (born August 7, 1960) is an American actor, writer and director. He has won Golden Globe awards for his work as FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder on The X-Files and as Hank Moody on Californication.[1]
Contents
Early life
Duchovny was born in New York City, New York, the son of Margaret "Meg" (née Miller), a school administrator and teacher, and Amram Ducovny (1927–2003),[2] a writer and publicist who worked for the American Jewish Committee.[3][4][5] David's paternal grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Ukraine,[6] and his mother is a Lutheran immigrant from Aberdeen, Scotland.[7][8][9] His father dropped the h in his last name to avoid the sort of mispronunciations he encountered while serving in the Army.[3][10][11]
Education
Duchovny attended Grace Church School and The Collegiate School For Boys; both are in Manhattan. He graduated from Princeton University[4] in 1982 with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. He was a member of the Charter Club, one of the university's eating clubs. In 1982, his poetry received an honorable mention for a college prize from the Academy of American Poets. The title of his senior thesis was The Schizophrenic Critique of Pure Reason in Beckett's Early Novels.[12] Duchovny played a season of junior varsity basketball as a shooting guard and centerfield for the varsity baseball team.
He received a Master of Arts, also in English Literature, from Yale University and subsequently began work on a Ph.D. that remains unfinished.[4] The title of his uncompleted doctoral thesis was Magic and Technology in Contemporary Poetry and Prose.
Career
Duchovny appeared in an advertisement for Löwenbräu beer in 1987. He appears in two scenes in Working Girl (1988). He had a recurring role as a transvestite DEA agent on the series Twin Peaks and played the narrator/host in the long-running Showtime erotica/softcore TV series Red Shoe Diaries. In 1992, he played the role of Rollie Totheroh, in the biographic film Chaplin, directed by Richard Attenborough, and based on the life of Charlie Chaplin. In 1993, Duchovny began starring in the science fiction series The X-Files as FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder, a conspiracy theorist who believed his sister had been abducted by aliens.[4] The show emerged as a cult hit and quickly became one of The Fox Network's first major hits. Also in 1993, Duchovny was cast alongside Brad Pitt and Juliette Lewis, in the Dominic Sena-directed thriller, Kalifornia.
During The X-Files run, in between the fifth and sixth seasons, Duchovny co-starred alongside Gillian Anderson in a 1998 motion picture that continued the X-Files storyline, titled The X-Files: Fight the Future.[4] He remained with the series until quitting in 2001, partly because of a contract dispute that occurred after season seven finished filming.[14] Duchovny appeared in half of the season eight episodes, but did not appear in season nine until the series finale in 2002. He also provided the voice for a parody of his Fox Mulder character in an episode of The Simpsons, titled The Springfield Files.
Duchovny caused controversy when it became public that he was the primary reason for which filming of The X-Files series was moved from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Los Angeles in 1998. Many residents of Vancouver were upset with Duchovny over scripted jokes on Conan O'Brien's late night show about the city's heavy rainfall; he joked, "Vancouver is a very nice place, if you like 400 inches of rainfall a day." He also stated, "Of course, I'm tired of the rain. But if I wasn't married to a woman that lives in L.A. I'd stay in Vancouver. It's a lovely city."[15] During the run of The X-Files, he also made several guest appearances in the cult TV satire The Larry Sanders Show, playing himself, but adding a strong attraction to Sanders. In the final episode of the series, he performed a parody of Sharon Stone's 'flashing' scene from Basic Instinct and a parody of "Dr. Hannibal Lecter" being introduced to Agent "Clarice Starling" in The Silence of the Lambs.
Duchovny has guest hosted Saturday Night Live twice (May 13, 1995 and May 9, 1998). Both shows were season finales. In 2000 he starred in the feature film Return to Me, a romantic comedy/drama directed by Bonnie Hunt and co-starring Minnie Driver and Carroll O'Connor. In 2001 Duchovny played a hand model in the Ben Stiller comedy, Zoolander. He also played the role of Ira Kane in the movie Evolution alongside Seann William Scott that same year.
He appeared in a celebrity edition of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in May 2000. He got to the $250,000 question, but answered his $500,000 question incorrectly and lost $218,000, leaving him with $32,000.
He also appeared on Celebrity Jeopardy! in 1995 and 2010.
Duchovny provided the voice of Ethan Cole in the 2005 video game, Area 51, as well as that of the title character "XIII" in the 2003 video game XIII. In 2003 Duchovny starred in the 84th[16] episode of the HBO show Sex And The City. He played the role of Jeremy, Carrie Bradshaw's high-school ex-boyfriend, who has committed himself to a Connecticut mental health facility. In 2005 Duchovny, who had already made his directorial debut with an episode of The X-Files, wrote, directed, and appeared in the feature film House of D.[4] The film starred Anton Yelchin, Robin Williams, and Duchovny's wife Tea Leoni in a coming-of-age tale.[4] It received mostly poor reviews[17] and little box office success.[18] Duchovny also directed an episode of Bones (Episode 211, "Judas on a Pole") during its second season.
Duchovny currently plays Hank Moody, a troubled novelist in Showtime's series Californication. The portrayal landed him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Comedy or Musical in 2007.[19]
Paul Ruffino, the studio executive in charge of casting The X-Files show and later Duchovny's role model for the Hank Moody character on Californication, was very positive towards him. According to Carter, Duchovny turned out to be one of the best-read people he knew.[20] After getting the role, Duchovny thought the show wouldn't last for long or that it wouldn't make as much impact as it did. Executive producer Frank Spotnitz called portraying actor Duchovny "amazingly smart". He further stated that Duchovny was behind some of the main characteristic ideas behind Mulder.[21]
Personal life
Duchovny married actress Téa Leoni on May 6, 1997. In April 1999, Leoni gave birth to a daughter, Madelaine West Duchovny. Their second child, a son, Kyd Miller Duchovny, was born in June 2002. On October 15, 2008, Duchovny's and Leoni's representatives issued a statement that they had separated and had been for several months prior to this announcement.[22] On October 21, 2008, Duchovny's lawyer said that he plans to sue the U.K.'s Daily Mail over an article it ran that claimed he had an affair with Hungarian tennis instructor Edit Pakay while still married to Leoni, a claim that Duchovny has denied.[23] On November 15, 2008, the Daily Mail printed a retraction stating that the story "is inaccurate and Ms. Pakay and Mr. Duchovny are only friends who used to play tennis occasionally".[24] Duchovny and Leoni once again split on June 29, 2011.[25]
Duchovny is a former vegetarian and a current pescetarian.[26]
In 1996, People magazine named him one of its 50 Most Beautiful People.[27]
On August 28, 2008, Duchovny announced that he had checked himself into a rehabilitation facility for treating sex addiction.[28]
Awards and nominations
Emmy Award
- 1997 – Nominated – Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series – The Larry Sanders Show
- 1997 – Nominated – Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series – The X-Files
- 1998 – Nominated – Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series – The X-Files
- 2003 – Nominated – Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series – Life with Bonnie
Golden Globe
- 1995 – Nominated – Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama – The X-Files
- 1996 – Winner – Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama – The X-Files
- 1997 – Nominated – Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama – The X-Files
- 1998 – Nominated – Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama – The X-Files
- 2007 – Winner – Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy – Californication
- 2008 – Nominated – Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy – Californication
- 2009 – Nominated – Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy – Californication
Filmography
Year Film Role Notes 1988 Working Girl Tess' birthday party friend 1989 New Year's Day Billy 1990 Denial John Bad Influence Club goer with glasses 1991 Twin Peaks DEA Agent Denise/Dennis Bryson TV series Julia Has Two Lovers Daniel Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead Bruce The Rapture Randy 1992 Ruby Officer Tippit Beethoven Brad Baby Snatcher David Anderson TV movie Red Shoe Diaries Jake Winters TV series (1992–1997) and movie Venice/Venice Dylan Chaplin Rollie Totheroh 1993 Kalifornia Brian Kessler The X-Files FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder TV series (1993–2002) 1995 Saturday Night Live Host Episode 386, May 13, 1995 1996 Space: Above and Beyond Alvin EL 1543, a.k.a. "Handsome Alvin" 1997 The Simpsons FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder TV series (One episode: "The Springfield Files") Playing God Dr. Eugene Sands 1998 The X-Files: Fight the Future FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder Saturday Night Live Host Episode 446, May 9, 1998 2000 Return to Me Bob Rueland 2001 Evolution Dr. Ira Kane Zoolander J.P. Prewitt 2002 Full Frontal Bill/Gus 2003 Sex and the City Jeremy TV series (One episode: "Boy, Interrupted") 2004 Connie and Carla Jeff House of D Tom Warshaw Directorial debut, also wrote film 2005 Trust the Man Tom 2006 Pedigree Petfoods Voice-over "We're for dogs" ad campaign Queer Duck: the Movie Tiny Jesus The TV Set Mike Klein 2007 Things We Lost in the Fire Brian Burke The Secret (AKA Si j'étais toi) Dr. Benjamin Marris Quantum Hoops Narrator Californication Hank Moody TV series (2007–Present) 2008 The X-Files: I Want to Believe Fox Mulder 2010 The Joneses Steve Jones References
- ^ "The best of Hank Moody: Quotes & clips". Cuzoogle. http://cuzoogle.com/2008/10/02/the-best-of-hank-moody-quotes-clips/. Retrieved 2011-03-21.
- ^ "SSDI". Ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com. 2010-07-15. http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved 2011-03-21.
- ^ a b Hecker, Don R. (September 2, 2003). "Amram Ducovny, 75, Late-Blossoming Novelist". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A04E5DA1538F931A3575AC0A9659C8B63. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g Stated in interview on Inside the Actors Studio
- ^ "David Duchovny Biography (1960-)". Filmreference.com. http://www.filmreference.com/film/65/David-Duchovny.html. Retrieved 2011-03-21.
- ^ "3 Discoveries of Ukrainian Roots". http://ukrainianguide.com/3-discoveries-of-ukrainian-roots.
- ^ "Craig Ferguson 8/10/10C Late Late Show David Duchovny". Youtube.com. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAxE3-7IMGY&feature=player_embedded#!/. Retrieved 2011-03-21.
- ^ http://duchovny.net/articles/radiotimes2.htm
- ^ "David Duchovny DuchovnyNet - Article: A Man and His 'X'". Duchovny.net. 1997-10-26. http://duchovny.net/articles/latimes1026.htm. Retrieved 2011-03-21.
- ^ "David Duchovny DuchovnyNet - Article: Cult Times 1997". Duchovny.net. http://duchovny.net/articles/culttimes.htm. Retrieved 2011-03-21.
- ^ http://www.grouchoreviews.com/interviews/84
- ^ Duchovny, David William. The Schizophrenic Critique of Pure Reason in Beckett's Early Novels. 1982.
- ^ Glen Schaefer (March 12, 2008). "Filming of the X-Files sequel wraps". Vancouver Province. http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=3c696f83-c42f-4b57-9f7b-9372a358eea2&k=93084. Retrieved March 12, 2008.
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/1337685.stm BBC News
- ^ "Mike Roberts, Vancouver Province". Mjq.net. 1997-10-16. http://www.mjq.net/xfiles/dd-wet.htm. Retrieved 2011-03-21.
- ^ "Boy, Interrupted". Hbo.com. http://www.hbo.com/city/episode/season6/episode84.shtml. Retrieved 2011-03-21.
- ^ "House of D". Rotten Tomatoes. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/house_of_d/. Retrieved 2011-03-21.
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0372334/business/ IMDb
- ^ "Hollywood Foreign Press Association 2008 Golden Globe Awards For The Year Ended December 31, 2007". HFPA. 2007. Archived from the original on December 14, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20071214020838/http://www.goldenglobes.org/news/id/81. Retrieved December 13, 2007.
- ^ Carter, Chris. "Casting Mulder". BBC News. http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/xfiles/interviews/carter/clip0.shtml. Retrieved July 12, 2009.
- ^ Spotnitz, Frank. "Amazingly Smart". BBC News. http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/xfiles/interviews/spotnitz/page6.shtml. Retrieved July 12, 2009.
- ^ Fleeman, Mike (2008-10-15). "David Duchovny & Téa Leoni Separated 'For Several Months' - Breakups, David Duchovny, Tea Leoni". People.com. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20233501,00.html. Retrieved 2011-03-21.
- ^ The Ex Files: David Duchovny Sues Paper over Affair Story" TV Guide. October 21, 2008. Retrieved on October 22, 2008.
- ^ "David Duchovny". The Daily Mail. November 15, 2008. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/mailonsunday/article-1085847/David-Duchovny.html. Retrieved November 17, 2008.
- ^ "David Duchovny and Tea Leoni Separate". http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2011/06/david-duchovny-tea-leoni-separate. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
- ^ He stated on the November 16, 2007 episode of Live with Regis and Kelly that he is no longer vegetarian but still does not consume red meat.
- ^ "David Duchovny - Most Beautiful, David Duchovny". People.com. 1996-05-06. http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20141185,00.html. Retrieved 2011-03-21.
- ^ "Duchovny enters rehab for sex addiction". MSNBC. August 28, 2008. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26446132/.
External links
- David Duchovny at the Internet Movie Database
- Washington Post Interview with David Duchovny, April 2007 David Duchovny and the Drama of Television
Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama (1990–2009) Kyle MacLachlan (1990) · Scott Bakula (1991) · Sam Waterston (1992) · David Caruso (1993) · Dennis Franz (1994) · Jimmy Smits (1995) · David Duchovny (1996) · Anthony Edwards (1997) · Dylan McDermott (1998) · James Gandolfini (1999) · Martin Sheen (2000) · Kiefer Sutherland (2001) · Michael Chiklis (2002) · Anthony LaPaglia (2003) · Ian McShane (2004) · Hugh Laurie (2005) · Hugh Laurie (2006) · Jon Hamm (2007) · Gabriel Byrne (2008) · Michael C. Hall (2009)
Complete List · (1969–1989) · (1990–2009) · (2010–2029)Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy (1990–2009) Ted Danson (1990) · Burt Reynolds (1991) · John Goodman (1992) · Jerry Seinfeld (1993) · Tim Allen (1994) · Kelsey Grammer (1995) · John Lithgow (1996) · Michael J. Fox (1997) · Michael J. Fox (1998) · Michael J. Fox (1999) · Kelsey Grammer (2000) · Charlie Sheen (2001) · Tony Shalhoub (2002) · Ricky Gervais (2003) · Jason Bateman (2004) · Steve Carell (2005) · Alec Baldwin (2006) · David Duchovny (2007) · Alec Baldwin (2008) · Alec Baldwin (2009)
Complete List · (1970–1989) · (1990–2009) · (2010–2029) Categories:- 1960 births
- Actors from New York City
- American film actors
- American television actors
- Best Drama Actor Golden Globe (television) winners
- Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe (television) winners
- Collegiate School (New York) alumni
- Living people
- People from Fire Island, New York
- Princeton University alumni
- American people of Russian descent
- American people of Russian-Jewish descent
- American people of Scottish descent
- Yale University alumni
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