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David Duchovny

David Duchovny

Actor, also director, producer and writer · Born August 7, 1960 (66) · New York City, New York, USA

2 Golden Globes · Primetime Emmy nominee · BAFTA Award nominee · 2 other major award bodies

David William Duchovny (born August 7, 1960) is an American actor, writer, and director. He is best known for playing Fox Mulder on The X-Files and Hank Moody on Californication, both of which have earned him Golden Globe awards. Duchovny was born in New York City, New York in 1960. He is the son of Margaret "Meg" (née Miller), a school administrator and teacher, and Amram "Ami" Ducovny (1927–2003), a writer and publicist who worked for the American Jewish Committee. His father was Jewish, from a family that immigrated from the Russian Empire and Poland. His mother is a Lutheran emigrant from Aberdeen, Scotland. His father dropped the h in his last name to avoid the sort of mispronunciations he encountered while serving in the Army. Duchovny attended Grace Church School and The Collegiate School For Boys; both are in Manhattan. He graduated from Princeton University in 1982 with a B.A. in English Literature. He was a member of 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. 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 in English Literature from Yale University and subsequently began work on a Ph.D. that remains unfinished. The title of his uncompleted doctoral thesis was Magic and Technology in Contemporary Poetry and Prose. At Yale, he was a student of popular literary critic Harold Bloom. 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. Duchovny is a former vegetarian and, as of 2007, is a pescetarian. On August 28, 2008, Duchovny announced that he had checked himself into a rehabilitation facility for treating sex addiction. On October 15, 2008, Duchovny's and Leoni's representatives issued a statement revealing they had separated several months earlier. A week later, Duchovny's lawyer said that he planned to sue the 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. On November 15, 2008, the Daily Mail retracted their claims. After getting back together, Duchovny and Leoni once again split on June 29, 2011.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 7, 1960 (66)
From
New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Actor, also director, producer and writer
Titles
56 on MovieCove · 86 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 156 days to Oct 27Down 26% in 30 days

What are David Duchovny's films like?

Across their 44 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy20 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 40th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 39th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Documentary5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 88th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 48th percentile
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
30%
Self
20%
Morality
14%
Survival
12%
Ideas
9%
Society
8%
Power
7%
Family bonds15 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief9 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity9 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption4 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeTruth4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 40 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 19 · Serious 13 · Dark 8

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 33 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 3

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 15 · Charged 17 · Intense 8

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 19 · Shifting 16 · Whiplash 5

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 18 · Some laughs 12 · Funny 10

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 21 · Even-paced 17 · Relentless 2

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

A split, not a type: Casual 20 · Engaged 16 · Full focus 4

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 15 · Affecting 14 · Heavy 11

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 26 · Open-ended 11 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

33 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 13 of 33 analyzed roles.

Hero
13 of 33
Shadow
6 of 33
Ally
4 of 33
Mentor
4 of 33
Shapeshifter
3 of 33
Threshold guardian
1 of 33
Trickster
1 of 33
Herald
1 of 33
Show the 33 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
20
Melancholic
16
Warm
14
Absurd
11
Bittersweet
12
Other
43

How their films linger

Bittersweet20 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 7 with a twist

  • Happy12
  • Bittersweet24
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous6
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch David Duchovny's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 39 of their 56 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (11).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for David Duchovny's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

86 credits, 56 with a MovieCove page; 36 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Mating Season(2026)

    Show 1 episode · as Charles (voice)

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • See You When I See You(2026)

    as Robert Whistler

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Malice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 6 episodes · as Jamie Tanner

  • Feel(2025)

    as Sitter 7

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Secrets Declassified with David Duchovny(2025)

    Show 30 episodes · Producer · as Self - Host

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • Reverse the Curse(2023)

    Director · Book · Producer · Writer · as Marty Fullilove

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Sympathizer(2024)

    Show 3 episodes · as Thespian / Ryan Glenn

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • Adam the First(2024)

    as James

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Veselka: The Rainbow on the Corner at the Center of the World(2024)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • What Happens Later(2023)

    Executive Producer · as Bill

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Pet Sematary: Bloodlines(2023)

    as Bill Baterman

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • History of the World: Part II(2023)

    Show 1 episode · as Howard Cosell Impersonator

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all shows

  • You People(2023)

    as Arnold

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • The Estate(2022)

    as Richard

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • The Bubble(2022)

    as Dustin Mulray

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • The Chair(2021)

    Show 1 episode · as David Duchovny

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • The Craft: Legacy(2020)

    as Adam

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Better Things(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as David Duchovny / Teak

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Aquarius(2015)

    Show 26 episodes · as Detective Sam Hodiak

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Louder Than Words(2013)

    as John Fareri

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Phantom(2013)

    as Bruni

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Goats(2012)

    as Goat Man

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Joneses(2009)

    as Steve Jones

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The X Files: I Want to Believe(2008)

    as Fox Mulder

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Quantum Hoops(2007)

    as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The Secret(2007)

    as Dr. Benjamin Marris

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Things We Lost in the Fire(2007)

    as Steven Burke

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Californication(2007)

    Show 84 episodes · Director · Executive Producer · as Hank Moody

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • The TV Set(2006)

    as Mike Klein

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Queer Duck: The Movie(2006)

    as Tiny Jesus (voice)

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • VH1 Rock Honors (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Bones(2005)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Trust the Man(2005)

    as Tom

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • House of D(2004)

    Director · Writer · as Tom Warshaw

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Connie and Carla(2004)

    as Jeff

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Life with Bonnie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Show 2 episodes · as Johnny Volcano

  • Red Shoe Diaries: Forbidden Zone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Actor

  • Full Frontal(2002)

    as Gus

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Zoolander(2001)

    as J.P. Prewitt

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Evolution(2001)

    as Dr. Ira Kane

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • The Lone Gunmen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Fox Mulder

  • Return to Me(2000)

    as Bob Rueland

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • SNL: The Best of Adam Sandler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Pauline (archive footage) (uncredited)

  • Red Shoe Diaries 8: Night of Abandon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Jake Winters (archive footage)

  • The X Files(1998)

    as Fox Mulder

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Sex and the City(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Jeremy

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Akte X Intern - Was Sie schon immer wissen wollten (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Fox Mulder / Self

  • Skip Chasers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Actor

  • Playing God(1997)

    as Dr. Eugene Sands

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Millennium (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Bobby Wingood (uncredited)

  • Red Shoe Diaries Movie 10: Some Things Never Change (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Jake Winters (archive footage)

  • TFI Friday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Red Shoe Diaries 6: How I Met My Husband (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Jake Winters (archive footage)

  • Space: Above and Beyond (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Handsome Alvin

  • Red Shoe Diaries 5: Weekend Pass (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Jake Winters (archive footage)

  • Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 1 episode · Additional Writing · as David (voice)

  • Eco-Challenge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 17 episodes · Actor

  • Red Shoe Diaries 4: Auto Erotica (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Jake Winters (archive footage)

  • Duckman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Richard (voice)

  • Red Shoe Diaries 3: Another Woman's Lipstick (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Jake Winters (archive footage)

  • Frasier(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Tom (voice)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • The X-Files(1993)

    Show 200 episodes · Director · Writer · as Fox Mulder · as Fox Mulder (archive footage) (uncredited) · as Fox Mulder (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Kalifornia(1993)

    as Brian Kessler

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Red Shoe Diaries 2: Double Dare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Jake Winters (archive footage)

  • Chaplin(1992)

    as Rollie Totheroh

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Eek! The Cat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Fox Mulder (voice)

  • The Larry Sanders Show(1992)

    Show 4 episodes · as David Duchovny

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Red Shoe Diaries (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 66 episodes · as Jake Winters

  • The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Red Shoe Diaries (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Jake Winters

  • Baby Snatcher(1992)

    as David Anderson

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Venice/Venice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Dylan

  • Beethoven(1992)

    as Brad

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Ruby(1992)

    as Officer Tippit

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • The Rapture(1991)

    as Randy

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead(1991)

    as Bruce

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Julia Has Two Lovers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Daniel

  • Twin Peaks(1990)

    Show 4 episodes · as Denise Bryson

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Bad Influence(1990)

    as Clue Goer with Glasses

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • New Year's Day(1989)

    as Billy

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Denial(1990)

    as John

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • The Simpsons(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Fox Mulder (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Working Girl(1988)

    as Tess's Birthday Party Friend

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Monsanto (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Soapbox (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer · Writer · Actor

  • The Exiles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 85 titles, 82 of them dated from 1988 to 2026; peak year 2001.

Biggest box office

The X Files (1998)

$189M worldwide

Highest rated

The X-Files (1993)

Midcredits 98th

Film career

MilestoneBreakoutAward winNomination
19882026

Peak 2001 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 24 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

Show 2 more milestones

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting84 of 85: 77 only acting, 7 with another role · typical Midcredits score50thDirecting5 of 85: 1 only directing, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score88thWriting4 of 85: 0 only writing, 4 with another roleProducing4 of 85: 0 only producing, 4 with another roleOther crew1 of 85: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

85 titles, 7 with more than one role — acting and directing overlap on 4 of them.

By decade

1980s2 · acting1990s39 · 39 acting · 2 crew2000s19 · 18 acting · 3 crew2010s6 · acting2020s16 · 16 acting · 2 crew

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 36% of 33 roles
8893030818

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

2 Golden Globes from 23 major nominations, 1996–2012.

WinNomination
  1. 2012
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
  2. 2010
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy
  3. 2009
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
  4. 2008
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best International
  5. 2003
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
  6. 2000
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
  7. 1999
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  8. 1998
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
Show 2 earlier years
  1. 1997
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  2. 1996
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do David Duchovny's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 44th percentile, the median of all 41; across their 40 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 42nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

42ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 40

Approval · how many liked their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 40

Reach · how many have seen their films

84thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 40

Midcredits score across 56 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up16
  • 50th to 74th12
  • 25th to 49th17
  • Below 25th11

Shape of the crowd

20 of their 56 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Divisive2
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser18
  • Broadly Agreed7
  • Mixed20

Most divisive · actor

Feel (2025)

98th percentile spread · 61% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor, director, writer

The X-Files (1993)

Midcredits 98th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the acting 69/100 in their films, across 34 reviewed titles; fans 79, detractors 46. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is David Duchovny's work okay for kids?

Across up to 22 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore17 titles11–79 · median 48 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity22 titles13–61 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity18 titles34–82 · median 49 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs17 titles26–74 · median 43 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense15 titles11–76 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does David Duchovny work with?

People who share at least 2 of David Duchovny's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Gillian Anderson shares the most, 5.

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers