Meet West Duchovny, the daughter of David Duchovny and Téa Leoni

Born in 1999, West Duchovny is the eldest daughter of a marriage that had, for years, been one of the most solid and unbreakable marriages in Hollywood: David Duchovny and Téa Leoni.

But their love ran out in 2014, after 17 years of marriage - and the couple divorced. At that time, in addition to West Duchovny, the couple also had Kyd Miller Duchovny (2002).

But it was his firstborn who would be the first to make the leap to Hollywood and join the long list of 'Nepo Babies' called to take over from their parents.

It is worth knowing that the young actress's full name is Madelaine West Duchovny, but she decided to remove the 'Madelaine' to simplify her stage name.

Photo: Netflix

But whichever first name she chooses - real or artistic, it is her father's recognizable surname that catches the eye.

In fact, West Duchovny's acting debut was, coincidentally, on 'The X-Files' in 2018.

The performer was 19 years old and appeared in the new batch of episodes of the new series, playing Maddy in the season finale, the episode that ended 11 seasons of a historic series. Not bad for a debut.

From there, her television work has gone from strength to strength. In 2019 she got into the skin of Whitley, during three episodes of the acclaimed 'The Magicians'.

Photo: Netflix

In the following years, West Duchovny would appear in films such as 'Sick' (2018), 'The Report' (2019), 'A Mouthful of Air' (2021) and 'Linoleum' (2022).

Photo credit: Netflix

But it was in 2023, after the pandemic, that she got her first starring role on television. In the Hulu thriller 'Saint X', she portrays the life (and death) of Alison, the young woman around whom the whole plot revolves. It's a story that reminds us of the real-life Natalee Holloway disappearance. Worth a watch!

Also in 2023, West Duchovny premiered 'Painkiller', a powerful Netflix special on the origin of the opioid crisis in the United States. West Duchovny again played an important role in the story.

Photo: Netflix

Yes, it is undeniable that the last name Duchovny opens many doors, but it is West's talent that broke through. She is making a name for herself in the industry.

Photo: Netflix

Of course, you would have to ask her mother, Téa Leoni, what she thinks of her daughter's success in the industry. "My mother used to tell me to do anything but be an actress," she told 'W Magazine' in an interview.

This is a fear that West Duchovny herself justified, recalling that her mother "grew up in an industry that was very complicated for women."

Photo credit: Netflix

But West fell in love after acting in a play in her last year of high school, she added in the interview.

Her father wasn't as concerned as Téa Leoni about West Duchovny's future as an actress. "It took him a while to take me seriously because my decision seemed so random but I told him that, really, it was what I needed to do," she tells W Magazine.

And the good news is that West Duchovny has talent to spare. This was confirmed by Eric Newman, producer of 'Painkiller', saying that her audition "blew our minds and is a light that shines on its own in the series".

Photo: Netflix

That said, it looks like West Duchovny is in Hollywood to stay, as she continues to rack up some of the most interesting projects at the moment.

Photo: Netflix

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