Picture this: David Duchovny was deep into his doctoral thesis, set on carving out a career in academia. Then, a friend introduced him to the world of acting. It changed everything. "I had a summer off between grad school years. A buddy of mine had become an actor. Acting? That was completely foreign to me. I’m from New York, but I didn’t know any actors," David shared with Closer. "I was on this logical, structured path. But I needed to connect with my emotions, and acting became my saving grace. I fell head over heels for it."
David's acting career skyrocketed with iconic roles in The X-Files and Californication. But that's not all—he's also a New York Times bestselling author and a singer-songwriter. His latest novella, The Reservoir, just hit the shelves. "Writing is the one place where I can do everything on my own," the 61-year-old revealed during a chat with Closer at the Los Angeles Times Book Festival.
From Writing to Acting: What Came First?
What sparked your interest in writing, acting, or singing?
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David laughed, "Well, singing definitely didn’t come first. Trust me, I’ve joked about it, but it’s true—I don’t have a natural singing voice. There were some pretty awkward moments back in my church school when I tried to sing. So, singing was never in the cards. But I’ve always thought of myself as a writer. I’m not the kind of guy who’s outgoing or brimming with energy like people often associate with actors."
Actors tend to have big personalities, don’t they?
David nodded, "Exactly. People would look at me and say, 'You’re so laid-back and mellow. You don’t seem like an actor.' And I’d think, 'Yeah, I’ve got plenty of problems; I just don’t wear them on my sleeve.' Acting wasn’t something that came naturally to me, but once I found it, it changed my life."
What Sparked David's Writing Career?
What inspired you to start writing?
David reminisced, "I thought I had a novel inside me waiting to come out. But I got swept up in the world of show business, so my writing took the form of screenplays. When I couldn’t get funding for some independent films, I got frustrated. That’s when I realized I could just tell the story myself. Why not write it down? That’s how it all started."
Tell us about your new novella, The Reservoir. Was it meant to be a thriller?
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"Not at all. I wanted to write about a guy who feels like he has something left to say. This feeling lures him into a delusional relationship with a woman across the park. It’s about a man who longs to feel indispensable again, like he did when he was a young father. He’s searching for that feeling of being needed, of being special. It leads him into these delusions," David explained.
Is the main character similar to you?
"He shares my protective instincts as a father, especially toward daughters. I once took my daughter into water that was too deep when she was too young. My character remembers taking his daughter out and reflects on how irresponsible it is to put these innocent lives in harm’s way. That moment becomes pivotal in the story," David said with a thoughtful expression.
Family, Fatherhood, and Storytelling
Do your children share your love for storytelling?
"My daughter, West, is acting. She majored in English in college, just like I did. I’m always worried when someone I love gets into acting. Especially my kids. But West has a toughness that I think will help her survive in this industry. My son, Kyd, is naturally funny and a great storyteller, but he hasn’t shown any interest in acting," David shared with pride.
What kind of dad are you?
"I focus more on my shortcomings as a dad. I’m not great at planning or paying attention to details. Things can go wrong under my watch because I didn’t do enough research. My kids will say, 'Dad, this place closed a year ago! Didn’t you check?' And I’ll say, 'Nope, I didn’t.' But I hope they know how much I love them. That’s what really matters," David admitted with a chuckle.
Favorite Roles and Projects
What are some of your favorite roles?
"I’m really proud of my work on Californication. That character was tricky to make likable, but I loved the challenge. I enjoyed making people laugh. I just finished a comedy called The Estate, and it was a blast. There’s nothing like working on a project where the goal is to make people smile," David said with enthusiasm.
Who else stars in The Estate?
"Kathleen Turner, Toni Collette, and Anna Faris. It’s a dark comedy, and we had so much fun filming it. It’s a theatrical movie, and we just wrapped it up," David beamed.
What do The X-Files fans ask you the most?
"Back in the day, they’d ask if the X-Files division at the FBI was real. Now, it’s fascinating because people think Mulder was ahead of his time. This whole concept of fake news and conspiracies everywhere—that was Mulder’s world. Now, it seems like everyone’s a little bit like Mulder," David observed.
Which X-Files episodes stand out to you?
"I have a top 10 list. Episodes like 'Triangle' and 'The Post-Modern Prometheus'—the black-and-white one—are favorites. But my memories of the show go beyond the episodes themselves. It’s more about how I felt during filming or the people I met along the way. For example, I met my ex-wife, Téa Leoni, during one of those episodes. Those moments make the episodes feel like home movies," David reflected.
Life Lessons and Creative Freedom
What do you enjoy most about this stage of your life?
"I wish I could say I don’t care about what others think, but that’s not entirely true. As you get older, you care less about what people say, and that’s healthy. I have this fantasy of not caring at all, but I’m not there yet. I’m not sure it’s the right place to be if you want to keep creating. I want to tune out all the noise from the internet that distracts from creativity. It’s on me to stay in a safe, creative space," David concluded.
