David Duchovny (born August 7, 1960 in New York, New York) is an American actor, writer, director, and producer known best for his role as Agent Fox Mulder on the hit Fox sci-fi show The X-Files. Other notable roles Duchovny has taken are Hank Moody in Californication and Sam Hodiak in the Period Drama Aquarius, the latter of which he also produces.
After an infamous contractual dispute, Duchovny was responsible for moving the filming location of The X-Files from Vancouver to Los Angeles from the show's sixth season on. Duchovny cited being closer to his then-wife actress Téa Leoni as the reason for this move, though after a rocky marriage into the Turn of the Millennium, the couple later divorced in 2014.
He kicked off something of a musical career in 2015 with the release of his first studio album Hell or Highwater, as well as a book-writing career as he has published (to date) four books: Holy Cow: A Modern-Day Dairy Tale (2015), Bucky F*cking Dent (2016), Miss Subways (2018), and Truly Like Lightning (2021).
Notable roles by Duchovny:
- Twin Peaks: Denise/Dennis Bryson (1990-1991; 2017)
- The X-Files: Special Agent Fox Mulder (1993-2002; 2008; 2016; 2018)
- Connie and Carla: Jeff
- The TV Set: Mike Klein
- Californication: Hank Moody (2007-2014)
- Aquarius: Sam Hodiak (2015-2016)
- Evolution: Dr. Ira Kane
- Zoolander: JP McInry
- Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead: Bruce
- Kalifornia: Brian Kessler
- The Rapture: Randy
- Area 51 (FPS): Ethan Cole
- The Craft: Legacy: Adam.
- The Bubble (2022): Sean Knox
- You People: Arnold
- History of the World Part II
Tropes:
- Actor Shipping: Some fans ship him with his X-Files co-star Gillian Anderson.
- Deadpan Snarker: His default mode. Just try to find a scene with Mulder or Hank where he isn't throwing out deadpan one-liners.
- Dull Surprise: Sometimes his acting is emotionless and deadpan. The X-Files: Fight the Future lampshades and mocks it in a scene.
- I Am Not Spock: "I am not Agent Mulder." Mulder is his most famous role. Even when the show was in its third season and was getting huge, people hinted it could continue with a film series a la Star Trek. He did not wish it, not even then, fearing he would be typecast. He later said he would be OK with playing Fox Mulder forever, if the audience wanted to see it.
- Special Guest: Duchovny was the very first guest alongside Nicole Sullivan on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.
- Star-Making Role: He was known before, but Agent Fox Mulder of The X-Files turned him into a household name.
- Written by Cast Member: He wrote and directed two episodes of The X-Files, "The Unnatural" and "Hollywood A.D.". He also shares writing credits for several Myth Arc episodes.
