David Duchovny is better than ever, and pumped for the new X-documents series

AFTER seven years of gambling an alcoholic womaniser on Californication, you would possibly assume David Duchovny has had his fill of performing in sex scenes. but, now on the tv drama Aquarius, in which he performs a detective in search of a lacking teenage lady, evidently scenarios of a sexual nature are synonymous with the fifty four-12 months antique actor.

“I locate intercourse scenes to be a little embarrassing and they’re typically a little awkward, “he admits. “despite the fact that once they make sense, they’re amazing. I’ve continually stated that there are numerous scenes in lifestyles, most of them you have got your clothes on, but some you don’t. however if the scene is just for the purpose of getting your garments off, then permit’s not do it. It has to mean something. If it’s simply to expose tits or frame parts I’m not fascinated — now not as a viewer, no longer as a creator, nor as an actor.”

In his non-public life Duchovny famously suffered from sex dependancy (for which he spent two months in rehab in 2011) which allegedly contributed to the loss of life of his 17-12 months marriage to Tea Leoni. (Leoni, who stars in Madam Secretary, is currently in a courting with her onscreen love hobby, Tim Daly, at the same time as Duchovny is reportedly single).

The estranged couple, who finalised their divorce last 12 months, has an unusually amicable relationship and successfully co-figure their kids: daughter, West, sixteen, and son, Kyd, thirteen.

“My youngsters are superb.” Duchovny smiles. “My daughter just completed her sophomore yr in high college, but my son’s a hassle,” he jokes. “No. they're each absolutely right, and Tea and i are very lucky. we can take some credit score but no longer loads; they are simply without a doubt properly children, thus far.”

Now that he’ll be turning 55, on August 7, how does he feel at this factor in his life?

“I experience properly approximately the region I’m at. The beyond yr changed into without a doubt fulfilling in that i have an album out (Hell or excessive Water) a unique coming out (Bucky F**king Dent) and i’m expressing myself in one of a kind methods.” He smiles. “I don’t experience like i have whatever to show.”

and how will he have a good time the massive day?

“shooting the X-files,” he chuckles.

He and co-megastar Gillian Anderson are reprising their iconic roles as former FBI unique retailers Fox and Scully, and are presently shooting the six-episode reboot in Vancouver. “It’ll be a familiar birthday for me because we had been usually capturing around that time (the unique collection aired from 1993 to 2002). Gillian’s birthday is the 9th August so we continually celebrated our birthdays proper after the other.”

more than two decades on, what has changed within the global of sci-fi horror and conspiracy theories? “I assume I’ve changed and Gillian has modified; I’m a higher actor and Gillian is a higher actor and we get to bring the ones modifications and talents to the jobs as they were set up and written.”

even though he doesn’t provide lots away in terms of plot factors, he says, “Being at the set, it feels extra innovative. It’s interesting; it’s not going to be the same,” he says. “it may’t be. but working with Gillian feels very acquainted. We labored collectively for so long and we've got that connection to fall again on.”

speakme in their ‘connection,’ a video of Duchovny and Anderson acting songs from his album at big apple membership, The cutting Room, went viral, sending X-document lovers right into a frenzy once they kissed on stage in what regarded to be a very good PR possibility for the lead-up to the show. He jokes. “properly, you already know, rock ‘n roll guys get all of the women.”

Now inside the gritty crime collection Aquarius, based totally on real occasions within the 60s, Duchovny plays a cop who investigates burgeoning cult chief Charles Manson, before the notorious serial killer’s atrocities have been realised.

“I like the fact that Aquarius is about telling this tale that hadn’t been informed. i used to be also drawn to my person. I frequently get requested to play articulate and verbal men who speak plenty. i like this guy, Sam Hodiak, due to the fact he doesn’t speak so well. He speaks with his hands and he isn’t that articulate; he’s extra of a feeling man or woman. He’s a cop from the subculture of los angeles private of the 50s and 60s and that i haven’t achieved some thing like that earlier than.

“I think it’s additionally interesting to head back to that time earlier than Manson did what he did. He gave the impression of a hippie, however he wasn’t a hippie. He become a guy who become going to kill you.”