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Five Minutes With David Duchovny

Jen Carlson

Published Feb 27, 2013

Modified Feb 27, 2013

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Jen Carlson

Published Feb 27, 2013

Modified Feb 27, 2013

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Last night we spoke on the phone with David Duchovny, during an interview that was shortened to just five minutes due to the actor's time constraints ("Jen, this five minutes is gonna be so good you're not gonna want any more," he promised at the start). Below is a transcription of that interview, where we try to cram in as much as possible about his career, which we've followed since he first appeared on our television as a cross-dressing secret agent on Twin Peaks.

This Friday, Duchovny's latest movie, Phantom, hits the big screen—the dark, submarine thriller is based on a true story, and brings the viewer back to the Cold War era.

I got pretty claustrophobic watching the movie, did you shoot inside of a real submarine? Yeah, we shot inside of a real sub. There was no set, all sub. It was an actual Russian Cold War Era sub, it couldn’t have been any more appropriate for the story. Nothing was done to it.

Where did you film, geographically? San Diego, where all Russian subs are.

The Cold War Era, and specifically KGB operatives, are popping up in film and television recently—currently with The Americans—I just assume there’s some inner circle in Hollywood deciding all of this: like, this year, everyone focus on the Cold War, then it’s WWII or whatever. [Laughs] Cabal. Are there any eras you’re interested in seeing get made into a movie/television show? Not eras, I think like any person I have an affection for the time in which I grew up, so certainly... I like the ‘70s, I like seeing movies set in the ‘70s with stuff that I remember. So this is certainly in that wheelhouse for me, even though I wasn’t kind of aware of this stuff going on, or even the Cold War necessarily.

You have a Russian lineage, correct? Did you look into that while preparing and researching for the film? I do, on my father’s side, he’s half Russian and half Polish. Most of the research I did focused on military... if there was a difference between Russian military, their behavior in any way from American military. Just trying to be as specific about that as I could.

Do you mind if I ask a few questions not related to Phantom? Sure, ask about anything. We’re huge Twin Peaks nerds here. Do you have any memories, anecdotes you can share from playing the cross dressing secret agent on the show? God that’s a while ago. I remember Kyle MacLachlan was so nice. I kind of came in second year when I believe they were already kind of winding down a little bit. And Kyle was like, “Hey you should be a regular,” and I was like, “Really, a cross dressing regular?” The part was actually written for James Spader, who was friends with Mark Frost who was running the show at that time. And he couldn’t do it, so they opened it up for actors to read. So that’s how I played the role that was written for James.

Would you ever work on network TV again? Never say never, but I don’t know, it doesn’t seem like the kind of schedule I want at this point. It’s different... for the type of family life I want to have, but also the artistic life that I want to have. Directing movies, that kind of stuff that I want to do. So maybe not, but then again, I can always be drawn into something that’s really good.

What are you working on next? In a few weeks I go back to shooting Californication. Then after that I do hope to direct another film that I’ve written. I’m in the midst of trying to raise money for an independent film which is an ongoing and nervewracking experience.

You’re a native New Yorker, do you have any favorite places here? Any only in NY stories you can share? Well I grew up there so I got a million “only in New York” stories, but … right now I’m a big Candle Cafe guy. My daughter’s gone vegan recently and we like Candle Cafe, on the East and West side. So maybe I’ll get a free piece of tofu out of that plug.

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david duchovny

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Jen Carlson

Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

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