7 little known facts about David Duchovny
How much do you know about Sky HISTORY’s 'Secrets Declassified' host David Duchovny? Here are seven fascinating insights into the actor’s life and career.
Image: Secrets Declassified With David Duchovny
Actor David Duchovny is, of course, best known for his starring role as FBI agent Fox Mulder in the hit ‘90s TV series The X-Files. Many fans of the show will fondly remember Duchovny’s sizzling chemistry with co-star Gillian Anderson, who played Mulder’s work partner, Dana Sculley.
Duchovny also fronts the Sky HISTORY series Secrets Declassified With David Duchovny, unwrapping real-life government secrets. In many respects, the man himself is also a fascinating enigma — as the following little-known Duchovny facts unearthed by Sky HISTORY attest.
1. He has a strong literary pedigree
Duchovny holds two English literature degrees — a BA from Princeton University and an MA from Yale University.
As a young student, he wanted to write plays. However, as actors would be performing his plays, he felt he could write them more effectively if he became an actor himself.
It was 2015 before his debut novel, Holy Cow, finally arrived on bookshelves. It has since been followed by Bucky F*cking Dent (2016), Miss Subways (2018) and Truly Like Lightning (2021).
2. Unlike his X-Files character, he isn’t a big believer in conspiracies
In The X-Files, Mulder is often branded a conspiracy theorist due to his unorthodox beliefs. This is in sharp contrast to Scully, who is much more sceptical about the existence of exterrestrials and the paranormal.
Paradoxically, Duchovny himself doesn’t find Mulder’s theories particularly interesting — despite often meeting X-Files fans who believe otherwise.
In an interview with PEOPLE, Duchovny admitted: 'I usually believe that there aren’t grand conspiracies. I find it very hard for two people to keep a secret, let alone millions of people keeping a secret worth thousands.'
3. He has a side hustle as a musician
Another of Duchovny’s famous TV acting roles is that of self-destructive novelist Hank Moody in Californication.
During his time on the show, Duchovny pushed for a storyline where Moody would learn how to play the guitar. In this way, Duchovny essentially got guitar lessons for free, enabling him to launch a music career.
Duchovny’s not the only Sky HISTORY presenter to have both acting and music-making on their CV. Bradley Walsh, the host of Bradley Walsh: Egypt’s Cosmic Code
, released the albums Chasing Dreams and When You’re Smiling in the 2010s.
4. He’s sung with Gillian Anderson
In 2015, Anderson joined Duchovny on stage in New York as he put on a gig celebrating his debut album.
'Can we play some real music please?' Anderson joked before the X-Files co-stars shared a kiss and performed the Neil Young song Helpless.
Years later, Duchovny and Anderson again sung together, albeit over Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic. The song this time was a new version of the X-Files theme tune, finally given lyrics by Jennifer Large and Rebecca MacDonald.
5. He’s a big fan of Doctor Who
From one iconic sci-fi theme tune to another — that of Doctor Who! Duchovny has waxed lyrical about both the programme and its theme song, likening the latter to the work of rock band The Cure.
Unsurprisingly, Duchovny is keen to join the show’s cast, too. In a 2008 interview with the Radio Times, he enthused: 'Which character would I like to play in Doctor Who? Who’s the bad guy? The Dalek? OK, I’ll play him.'
Taking an acting role in Doctor Who would give Duchovny yet another thing in common with fellow Sky HISTORY presenter Bradley Walsh. The latter played Graham O’Brien, a companion to Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor, from 2018 to 2021.
6. He’s eco-conscious
Duchovny is among the many celebrities supporting the ongoing battle against climate change. In 2019, he guested on the Time Sensitive podcast, where he spoke extensively about his green passion.
On the podcast, Duchovny recalled driving an electric car for the first time back in the Noughties. Later down the line, in 2011, he appeared at the premiere of the documentary Revenge of the Electric Car at the Tribeca Film Festival.
7. He insists he doesn’t have a career plan
The X-Files aired from 1993 to 2002, along the way making Duchovny a household name. He returned for further episodes in the late 2010s, but isn’t the type to rule out yet another outing for Mulder.
Duchovny has admitted to taking a relatively spontaneous, happy-go-lucky approach to his career, rather than attempting to plan it out well in advance.
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