Front & center
Kathy Cano-Murillo
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 01, 2002 12:00:00

You could build a future off college degrees from Princeton and Yale - or off playing a female transvestite in an obscure television series. David Duchovny had both to choose from, and went with the latter.

His turn as Dennis/Denise in 1990's Twin Peaks was brief, but it let the world know he was ready to dabble in the daring. His truth was out there and it eventually came in the form of The X-Files. Need I say more?

These days the 41-year-old actor and father of two spends his time with wife Téa Leoni while continuing to tackle challenging movie roles. Next up is a small but pivotal part in Steven Soderbergh's Full Frontal. Calling from a Los Angeles hotel, Duchovny shared a bit of the edgy encounter.

QUESTION: Is it true you first auditioned for Soderbergh for sex, lies and videotape?

ANSWER: That audition was about 15 years ago. Steven said he remembered it throughout my entire career and always told people I gave a very nice audition and that he'd like to work with me someday.

Q: Why do you think you lost the part?

A: It was the third audition I ever had; I had just become an actor. I don't think I was ready to do a part like that. Out of the hundreds of auditions I had that I didn't get, I always remember that one. I remember Steven, because he never said anything to me. I didn't have to audition for Full Frontal, though. He just asked me to do it.

Q: You had one of the more "exposing" scenes in the film. Were you nervous?

A: I wasn't. We were only shooting it with one take and a lot of what I was concentrating on was making sure I placed my "prop" neatly under my shorts correctly. If I didn't have that prop, I would have been nervous. If I really had to perform like that take after take - on time, on command - I actually can't do that. I don't know many people who can (laughs).

Q: Speaking of exposure, tell me about this butt-painting you did for dying animals.

A: That was a weird thing. There was this charity called Farm Sanctuary that helped downed animals that were going to die. This place let them live their lives out naturally instead of being slaughtered. A friend of mine, Kevin Nealon, wanted something of mine to auction off for its cause. I don't know why I thought of a painting; I don't paint. So my wife and I were hanging around in a hotel, and I told her "I can't paint. In fact, I bet I can paint as well with my butt as I can with my hand." So she said, "Do it!" And we did. It came out better than I could do with my hand and it didn't do too bad at the sale, either.

Q: I read the list of rules that Soderbergh gave you for the filming of Full Frontal. Did everyone stick to them?

A: All of it stuck. It really wasn't that big of a hardship. I think actors get a bad rap. Honestly, I think it's all the agents and the managers who get in the way and ask for all those crazy things. Actors just want to act. And that's what this movie was about. There wasn't any waiting in hair and makeup or lighting or even eating. It was all about just acting.

Q: The ending of The X-Files - does the thought make you happy or sad?

A: Both. It was bittersweet. It was a huge decade of my life, it made my life change drastically. I was happy that we could all move on but sad leaving behind a formative, wonderful experience of a neat show with great characters and good friends.

Q: If you could change careers or bodies with someone from the past or present, who would it be?

A: Hmm, that's a good one. I want Burt Lancaster's body, and I would love Clint Eastwood's career.

Q: What do you have up next?

A: In August I begin to shoot My Dark Places, by James Ellroy. As far as my career, I feel like I'm just getting started.

Article courtesy of The Arizona Republic and sent in by Alfornos.