by Desmond Sampson
As FBI agent Fox Mulder in the X Files, David Duchovny regularly explores the unknown and investigates the unexpected. But nothing could prepare him for his ultimate real-life assignment - becoming a dad!
Forget alien abduction and government conspiracies, for David the prospect of sleepless nights and endless nappy changing was much more terrifying.
"I was scared. I really was, because I wasn't ready for it," confesses Duchovny, 39. "I think that's why you get nine months notice," he jokes. "I think men, especially, need nine months to get prepared. I know I did because it was only at eight months that I started to feel ready. Before that I kept thinking; 'This can't be happening. It's too early!'"
When his daughter, Madeleine West, was born on April 24 last year, Duchovny readily admits it was a phenomenon as remarkable as any case he's ever witnessed in the X Files.
"I was there for the birth," he stammers. "I was like; 'Wow, Jesus! What's going on?' It was cool though; I didn't feel a bit squeamish watching."
A year after the arrival of his first born, David remains enthralled by the whole experience - even when it comes to the less glamorous topic of nappy changing.
"When I first changed her I thought; 'Oh wow, there's so much.' I kept thinking; 'How can there be so much in such a small thing?'
Though he continues to enjoy a successful acting career, fatherhood certainly seems to have brought about some serious life changes for David. Having settled comfortably into the role of Dad to baby Madeleine, he's more than happy to have lost some of his 'tough-guy' image and overall, feels much more responsible as a person.
"Everything's changed because it's such a life-changing experience," he nods. "I used to need to be 'hot,' but now I'm far less selfish and not so caught-up in petty, day-to-day concerns. I've realised there are more important things in life than me or my career, like looking after my daughter and protecting her. I mean, I'd never recover if anything happened to her because she means so much to me."
Like most modern fathers, Duchovny is keen to spend as much time as possible with his new family and plans to take a well-earned break from filming.
"I'm taking this summer off - my first holiday in years - and I managed to take ten weeks off when we got pregnant," adds Duchovny. 'We' is baby Madeleine and his beautiful actress-wife Tea Leoni, star of the blockbuster action movie 'Deep Impact' starring Robert Duvall and Morgan Freeman.
"I decided I wanted to spend more time, at home, getting to know my daughter rather than working all day - and not seeing her all week - because by the time I get back she's already in bed. After all, she's about to start walking and I don't want to miss that!"
David can currently be seen in cinemas across the UK in 'Return to Me', a movie in which he plays a Chicago building contractor who falls in love with local waitress Grace Briggs, played by Minnie Driver. A hopelessly sentimental romantic comedy, it's sure to be a favourite amongst die-hard Duchovny fans.
But does he worry that his newly-found family status will stop him landing the plum Hollywood roles?
"I came home from work recently and there was a Mission Impossible trailer on TV," David recalls "so I said to my daughter; 'That looks good. I wish I'd done that.' But she just pulled a face at it, which made me think; 'Yeah, you're right. It doesn't matter.'
"It's the same when I give her a toy. She'll ignore it, but be fascinated by the box, the wrapping paper and the bow. It's odd that the things that give her the most joy aren't the things that are meant to give her joy, but the things that wrap them," he smiles. "There's a lesson in there somewhere!"
* Return to Me can be seen in cinemas nationwide - rated PG
