HOLLYWOOD (CNN) -- "The X-Files" star David Duchovny has turned in his FBI
badge for a stethoscope in his latest role as a doctor playing God. These
days, however, his own heart beats faster for his wife Téa Leone and
a much-hoped-for move of "The X-Files" to Los Angeles.
In "Playing God," Duchovny stars alongside Timothy Hutton as a doctor to
the underworld. However, Duchovny has made other forays onto the big screen,
starring in such movies as "Beethoven" and "Chaplin."
In his latest work, Duchovny could be called a master of the dry sense of
humor. You could also call him doctor, or ex-doctor, as it was, in "Playing
God."
"There you are with all the surgical instruments and there's moments when
you're actually thinking you know what you are doing and then you kind of
smack yourself and go, 'You don't know the first thing that you are doing,'"
he explains of the new role.
The film features both bad dudes and equally bad duds -- namely Hutton's
wardrobe. Duchovny calls Hutton's velvet suit "fly."
"I saw Tim in the velvet suit and I actually had one made for me," says Duchovny,
who himself has been named on several "worst-dressed" lists during his career.
Absence does not make the heart grow fonder
But healing bad guys isn't the only thing on his mind.
Duchovny's new bride stars in the NBC comedy "The Naked Truth." In both theme
and location, the two TV shows are literally worlds apart.
Leone shoots her sitcom in Los Angeles, while Duchovny tapes his show in
Vancouver under the stewardship of creator Chris Carter. It's a situation
Duchovny finds extremely distasteful.
"The reason it shoots in Vancouver is because it has many environments that
we can shoot in. And the reason Fox wants to shoot there is it's cheaper,"
the newlywed explains. "I think the show is so lucrative to Fox that it's
a compromise for us to come to L.A."
Now Duchovny says that after the success of the show, he has earned the right
to be happy. And his happiness hinges on being near his wife.
"You know, if I'm going to continue to do the show.. I think that I should
be happy," he explains. "I don't think that's a huge demand. Do you?"
If Fox meets that demand, Duchovny might have more time to play God and other
roles at the movies.
Vercammen, Paul. 14 October, 1997. "David Duchovny is playing
God and playing House." CNN.
