THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAS
MONDAY AUGUST 13 2007
MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2007
ENTERTAINMENT
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TELEVISION
3C
Former 'X-Files' actor resurfaces
Actor David Duchovny in the new Showtime series "Californication," a comedy-drama set in Los Angeles and premiering today.
BY KINNEY LITTLEFIELD
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
CULVER CITY, Calif. - David Duchovny seems calm and easy on the set of his hard-edged new Showtime series with the suggestive title.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
But "it's not a thinly veiled show that's supposed to titillate you," said Duchovny, best known for his role as dour, alien-obsessed FBI Agent Fox Mulder on the classic cult series "The X-Files."
But there's a glimpse of a disheveled bed inside Duchovny's spacious trailer, his off-camera refuge on the studio lot. It's a testament to his long hours as principal star of "Californication" and one of its executive producers.
On "Californication," premiering Aug. 13 (10:30 p.m. EDT), the lanky actor plays dysfunctional writer Hank Moody, who drowns his angst over writer's block and his split with his gorgeous girlfriend, Karen (Natascha McElhone), in bouts of drinking and casual sex.
Beds, in fact, are an essential prop on "Californication", a comedy-drama set in Los Angeles and rated MA for explicit language and nudity.
"It was a character I thought would be challenging to play because he wasn't necessarily likable on the page," Duchovny said of Hank.
When Duchovny first read series creator Tom Kapinos' script for the show's pilot, "it wasn't really about a guy who indiscriminately gets into fights, boozes, who has sex with multiple women," he said. "It was actually about a guy who's doing that because he really wants to be with his family."
Hank and Karen's precocious 12-year-old daughter, Becca (Madeleine Martin), also sparkes conflict.
"Californication" marks Duchovny's return to television as a leading man after roles in feature films including "House of D," which he wrote and directed, and "Trust the Man." He also played oddball
cameo roles in the Ben Stiller movie "Zoolander" and on TV series including "The Larry Sanders Show," "Sex and the City" and "Life With Bonnie." "Californication" also, reunites
Duchovny with Showtime,
where he previously played
Jake Winters on the cable
network's sex-fantasy series, "Red
Shoe Diaries."
Even for an actor who specializes in quirky characters, Duchovny has
"It was a character I thought would be challenging to play because he wasn't necessarily likable on the page."
at the same time realizing that his time could probably be spent better elsewhere."
Doing Hank's sex scenes doesn't trouble Duchyon, he said. "I've
DAVID DUCHOVNY Star of Showtime's "Californication"
picked a doozy with wayward Hank Moody.
"Sex is part of the problem with this guy," Duchovny said. "But we don't preach that it's a problem. It's not like he wants to kill himself every time he has sex with someone. He's actually enjoying it, while
done enough of those scenes to know what they are, and to know what to expect. I'm just taking my shirt off, big deal. I can just act it."
me, as an executive producer, I would go into those scenes wondering how to best service those scenes comedically, and how to make sure that the woman is comfortable. As chivalric as it might sound, and as tooting-my-own-horn as it might sound, a woman coming onto a set
On this particular day on the set, Duchovny plays a scene in which kitchen-klutzy Hank grabs a burning-hot cheese casserole barehanded. As the oven smokes, Duchovny flaps his palms in pain.
for one day and having to take her clothes off and simulate coitus with me or anybody is a difficult situation. And care should be taken."
"He doesn't have a conventionally moral way of looking at the universe, and yet ultimately we will find that he actually is a very moral person, that he's one of these guys who tell the truth always, to his own detriment. To me, that's a moral way of living," he said.
ButDuchovny does feel for the actresses who play Hank's sex partners. "For
Hank's trenchant truth-telling gives Duchovny a chance to indulge his own deadpan brand of humor. There's also occasion for physical stick.
Duchovny finds much to relate to in Hank.
"I like physical humor." Duchovny said.
32 Having preprinted postage 2 St.
34 Pesky insect 4 Diamond club
35 Deserve 4 Libra symbol
36 Insinuating 5 Willy Wonka's creator
37 Jungle trek 6 "Who am — argue?"
40 Witness 8 Nevertheless
41 "Oh, woel!" 9 Defeat
42 Louisiana city 10 Former German chancellor Helmut
47 Exceptional 11 — gin fizz
48 Tending to shun 13 "Once — a time, ..."
49 Weaponry 10 Former German chancellor Helmut
50 Ball-player's headgear 11 — gin fizz
51 Detail, for short 13 "Once — a time, ..."
DOWN 1 Jewel
Solution time: 24 mins.
Solutions on page 11C
19 Prayer ender
20 Third degree?
21 Leeway
22 Advantage
23 Macho types
25 Monitor rival
26 Hindu princess
27 Roe provider
29 Calendar quota
31 Packed away
33 Ribs
34 Meta-morphic rock
36 Burn slightly
37 Poet Teasdale
38 Winged
39 Old Mac-Donald's place
40 Footfall
43 A Gabor sister
44 Tear
45 "— Got a Secret"
46 Common Mit
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