SmartLess Podcast Summary

Episode: "David Duchovny"

Release Date: November 3, 2025
Podcast Hosts: Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett
Guest: David Duchovny

Overview

In this episode, the SmartLess crew welcomes David Duchovny—renowned actor, novelist, director, musician, and academic. The conversation covers Duchovny’s unique journey from academia to Hollywood, his multifaceted creative passions, insights into his writing process, stories from his early career, reflections on “The X-Files,” and musings on extraterrestrial life. Laced with the show's signature humor, the episode offers both genuine inspiration and glimpses into Duchovny’s quirky, self-aware perspective.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. David Duchovny’s Intellectual and Artistic Trajectory

• Academic Prowess & Origins

  • Duchovny attended Princeton (majoring in English literature; thesis on Samuel Beckett’s novels) and then Yale for a master's, with the early intention of becoming a writer and professor (09:59–12:06).
    • “I wrote my thesis on Samuel Beckett’s novels...because nobody writes on the novels. And I didn’t have to do that much work in research because I could just make the shit up myself.” – David Duchovny (11:09)
  • His fascination with literature is rooted in family: his mother’s Scottish background (where education was a means of social advancement) and his father's passion for writing (19:17–23:02).
    • “My father always said he was a novelist...At 73, two years before he died, he published his first novel.” – David Duchovny (22:30)

• The Leap into Performance

  • Originally considering playwriting as a more social cousin to novel writing, Duchovny was gradually drawn to acting through classes and small performances at Yale (27:32–28:52).
  • His writing always ran parallel to performing; he’s authored four novels and a book of poems in addition to his film and TV work (12:12–12:19).

2. Becoming a Musician Later in Life

• Duchovny picked up the guitar, mainly self-taught, while on “Californication”—even suggesting his character should learn guitar to receive free lessons (15:11–15:49).
  • “I said to the producer, I think Hank Moody should learn how to play guitar so I can get the free lessons.” – David Duchovny (15:45)
• His music blends ‘70s rock and ‘90s indie, and he credits performance confidence to artists like Liam Gallagher, learning that stillness on stage can be powerful (13:33–14:46).
• He’s released multiple albums and recently finished an American tour.

3. Reading, Writing, and Creative Discipline

• The group discusses their differing relationships with reading—Hayes laments his struggle to carve out solitude for books, while Duchovny ties his own love of reading to family history and personal escape (17:55–21:01).
• Duchovny details how his creative process varies for music, novels, and screenwriting—writing novels demands months of immersive focus, while songwriting is more spontaneous (57:29–58:29).

4. Transition to Acting & Early Struggles

• Duchovny’s first paid job was a Michelob beer commercial where nerves nearly got the best of him—until he loosened up by tossing pretzels (34:17–36:14).
  • “I was so tight. I was so nervous...I toss one [pretzel] up, catch it in my mouth, and the director’s like, ‘That’s—I love that.’” – David Duchovny (35:24)
• His first acting class performance involved an outrageous adaptation of a Bukowski story performed in an S&M dungeon, using a blow-up doll for a corpse because classmates refused the role—setting the tone for his unconventional path (36:19–40:43).
  • “As I was copulating with her, her arms and legs started flying out because she’s only made of air.” – David Duchovny (39:22)

5. Breaking into Hollywood

• Moving to LA, he paid bills via commercials and catering, lived in a tiny Santa Monica apartment, and slowly built his resume with indie films (43:02–43:18).
• Duchovny and the hosts bond over early career hustle: commercials, odd jobs, and the weirdness of being recognized retroactively for earlier work while already starring on major shows (44:03–44:26).

6. The X-Files Era

• Landed his iconic role as Fox Mulder via a typical TV audition process, initially hesitant about “doing TV” due to industry bias at the time (44:55–45:19).
• Reflected on the business realities: signing binding contracts under pressure, the nerve-wracking choice to commit before knowing if the show would be picked up (49:07–51:43).
• X-Files’ cult status and the lack of initial pressure—Fox was a fledgling network, enabling the show to grow without huge ratings demands (52:27–54:34).
• Duchovny’s filmmaking ambitions often drew him away from TV, but his more subtle, “movie-like” acting was cited as a reason he wasn’t initially cast in other TV roles (56:37–56:54).
• He wrote and directed several episodes of the series, including a baseball-themed one (“The Unnatural”; 45:30, 67:56–68:09).
• On embracing his legacy: Duchovny was initially eager to move on but now respects how the show’s impact goes far beyond him (“If I don’t respect that, I’m an asshole.” – 59:52)

7. Reflections on Fame, Legacy, and Sci-Fi

• The hosts and Duchovny agree on the importance of appreciating iconic roles and not alienating fans who loved them for foundational works (60:30–62:14).
• Duchovny, ever the skeptic and philosopher, shares his perspective on extraterrestrial life:
  • “The odds to me are slanted way in favor of the existence of extraterrestrials...there’s just too many galaxies, too many planets, too many Goldilocks planets.” – David Duchovny (62:47)
• Shares a whimsical theory that maybe the “aliens” humanity encounters are just other civilizations’ “ship of fools”—the outcasts and dentists, sent out to probe us (64:43–65:10).

8. Present Projects & Personal Life

• Duchovny plugs his Amazon series "Malice" (58:52), and reveals he’d love to adapt one of his novels for a series (58:03–58:29).
• Describes his life as guided by whatever project is most urgent, not by strict goals—pursuing creative “itches” more than ticking off milestones (58:03).
• On free time: No hobbies (“I’m so bad with hobbies...I really should have a hobby.” – 65:47), but he relaxes with TV (including Love Island), sports (basketball and the Knicks), and classic LA routines (66:07–67:10).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Academia and Creative Life
  • “Clearly I have a gaping hole of academia inside me.” – David Duchovny (10:39)
  • “I look at life as a series of games or setups, and this was just another game.” – David Duchovny on switching from academia to acting (30:21)
• On Family and Literary Heritage
  • “My father was a novelist, at least he called himself that all his life, and at 73, he published his first novel.” (22:29)
• On the Versatility of Artists
  • “Sometimes when you see people who do multiple disciplines…you listen, ‘yeah, it’s pretty good.’ Your records are really good.” – Will Arnett (12:41)
• On Creativity and Discipline
  • “With writing a novel, everything has to stop...it’s an intense experience of like 8 hour days.” – David Duchovny (57:29)
• On Embracing Past Success
  • “There was a time when I wanted to leave it behind…and then you realize, it’s not personal. It’s just that this thing has a place in people’s lives and I represent that to them.” – David Duchovny (59:52)
• On Extraterrestrials
  • “The odds to me are slanted way in favor of the existence of extraterrestrials.” – David Duchovny (62:47)
  • “Alien civilizations were putting their deviants and dentists on a ship...and somehow they’ve come to us.” (65:04)
• On Hobbies
  • “I’m so bad with hobbies. I really should have a hobby.” – David Duchovny (65:47)

Important Episode Timestamps

• [09:07] – Start of Duchovny career background and academic discussion
• [15:11] – Duchovny’s musical journey and learning guitar
• [27:32] – Shift from playwriting to acting at Yale
• [34:17] – First paid acting gig: Michelob beer commercial
• [36:19] – Outrageous Bukowski play adaptation/story
• [45:30] – Writing and directing episodes of "The X-Files"
• [49:07] – Auditioning and contractual realities of TV casting
• [52:27] – The early X-Files/Fox years
• [57:29] – Managing multiple creative careers/priorities
• [58:52] – Announcement and discussion of Amazon’s "Malice"
• [59:52] – On embracing the legacy and responsibility of "The X-Files"
• [62:14] – Speculation and personal beliefs about extraterrestrials

Tone & Takeaways

With wit, candor, and camaraderie, the hosts and Duchovny traverse subjects from gigging in LA to grappling with fame, the discipline of writing to the existential mystery of life in the universe. Duchovny’s humility, intellect, and self-deprecating humor ground the conversation, making this not just a “celebrity interview,” but an inspiring, quirky snapshot of a modern Renaissance man.

Recommended If You Enjoy

• The intersection of literature, music, and film
• Comic yet thoughtful explorations of fame and legacy
• Stories of artistic risk-taking and intellectual curiosity
• Practical, personal accounts of Hollywood's machinings

Listen for:
Unexpected stories (Bukowski necrophilia-adjacent plays!), career resilience, life lessons from academia, and a reminder to embrace all phases of one’s creative journey.