David Duchovny: Sex addict or method actor?

On Thursday, "Access Hollywood" broke the news that  David Duchovny was entering rehab for sex addiction.

"I have voluntarily entered a facility for the treatment of sex addiction," the actor said in a statement. "I ask for respect and privacy for my wife and children as we deal with this situation as a family."

Rumors about this potential problem have come up for Duchovny before. But he denied them to Playgirl magazine In 1997:

"I'm not a sex addict. I have never been to those meetings. It's hurtful to my family and if I was involved with a woman in a monogamous relationship, it would be hurtful to her. There was another story claiming I was a neat freak. If I had to choose one of the two, I think I'd rather be a sex addict. It's not funny and I'll be glad when it goes away."

Is this really an issue for him? Or more of a research project?

Yes, sex addiction is a real issue. But maybe, just maybe, could Duchovny simply be doing homework? Will he emerge victorious, a fooled-ya grin on his face, after he's finished his "character research"? Duchovny, after all, stars in the Showtime series "Californication," as Hank Moody, a writer and spun-out-of-control sex addict.

And Duchovny was left in the dust this year in the Emmys race, while a Showtime colleague, "Dexter" star Michael C. Hall, was nominated for lead actor.

— Denise Martin

Photo: Getty Images

Comments

[Steve Jobs]

Sex is fun!! I kind of like it.

[Tinkerbell]

This is offensive.

[May]

When you get right down to it, aren't we all sex addicts.

[johndoom]

good argument but as anyone who has worked with or around mr. duchovny knows, he's not a method actor. when your shows a hit sex is everywhere, just ask select members of mad men how their sex lives have been this summer.

[Jabe]

How about pedophile. There is no reason for a father of 2 to suddenly do this. If hsi wife isnt providing its called seeing a marriage therapist. Unless he says he masturbates till he hurts himself, you know the real answer. To bad his wife caught him doing the unspeakable.

[not research]

He's not doing research, but might try to set it up that way down the road. Either way, it's irresponsible of him.

Love how celebs whine about the media respecting their privacy for the sake of their family, YET the celebs do things that humiliate their family, especially their children.

Celebs want it both ways. They want a life in the spotlight and all the perks that brings. However, with that privileged life comes an added responsibility of behavior because you will be in the spotlight. Your children will bear the brunt of everything you do. It is he (and other celebs) who don't respect the privacy of their family by behaving irresponsibly.

[Jessop Jacoby]

I like and then i will you know and then i get down and funky.

[yuck]

the sex addiction defense is crap

he has a personality defect

used to find him appealing, but now ... EWWWWW

[Shel]

An unselfish thing to do??? Look… a married sex addict is nothing more than a serial cheater. He must have been caught cheating on his wife multiple times… sounds pretty selfish to me!

I hope he caught something you can’t get off with Ajax!

[Victoriaellen]

If you have ever worked with a true sex addict you wouldn't be categorizing "all of us" as sex addicts. It is sad and it IS compulsive, just like gambling, drinking or drugs. And no, it doesn't mean he is a pedophile.

[Ri]

Well, I´d like to know what has to do pedophile with this PLEASE. I mean, I´d like to know if it´s just something that came to the head of johndoom like if I go now and say that he is (what I am thinking) Why? because...the word came to my head.

And my question is why did he say it? It would be so harmful for the children if they notice...And the answer is easy after a day: Because we live in a world where it is obvious someone would write and talk and fool around about it at the end...No posibility of keep it like something personal. When it IS personal.
I can´t understand some comments. He is not a killer, he is not a drunker who drives and can kill somebody. I don´t even care if you believe is illness or not (who cares what the doctors say?) it is not the issue of NOBODY but his family and him and is so nasty to realice that THIS is the notice and no another kind of IMPORTANT things...That this is a notice, that a person has decided there will be no way of keeping the secret for better (and I´m not talking better for him, I´m talking about the children)

[wow]

Why do people always have to say how celebs need to live their lives? Like you don't make mistakes? And celebs are suppose to be perfect. They are people too. Leave them alone. I'd like to see how many mistakes you make if you become famous.

[larry]

I think he's using the media to promote the new show, the XXX-Files.

[Chris Cocker]

Leave David alone! How dare anyone out there make fun of David. After all he's been through!

[geomath]

Ri, I, too, wonder what skeletons lurk in the closets of these self-righteous, holier-than-thou hypocrites who would apparently like to see Mr. Duchovny crucified.

He has a problem and he is seeking the help he needs to deal with it. I wish him and his family well during this difficult time.

[Lara]

Be addicted to drugs, nobody says anything. Now, when you assumed to be sex addict, turns reason of joke. The celebrities are also human too. The addiction to sex and pornography are psychological diseases more common than we think. It's a kind of escape from reality, like other addicted. The point is that no "friend" celebrity has expressed public support David, like Johnny Depp did to Kate Moss when she revealed to be addicted to drugs. But now we talk about sex, so no one wants to get involved.

[Mary]

I can't believe how many people are so very ignorant about sex addiction. As an addiction, it is most closely related to alcoholism in how it manifests itself in the psyche. I wish him and his family all the best.

[Jeanne]

I am glad that David has the courage to admit his problem and seek help for it. So many men (and women) struggle with sexual addiction. It is usually a very secret, very compulsive addiction because it is so personal in nature, and the shame that results can be overwhelming. I think it's great the he is seeking help as well as being honest about his problems. I hope that others with the same very real addiction see that even celebrities have these problems, and that a course of treatment it available...they don't have to suffer! This addiction can be devastating to the individual involved as well as their loved ones. I will keep David and his family in my prayers.

[Cboss]

Sex addiction is usually more often related to pornography and masterbation than "repeated cheating"- i had to do an extensive paper on the effect of pornography, and many studies show that, because it stimulates masterbation, it inderectly releases an opiate in the brain- so essentially, its like having a heroine needle located in your brain, that you can use whenever you want.

On top of that, his wife likely feels pretty undesirable seeing as her husband would spend most of his time thinking about other women- even when he's with her.

Wish them all the best, its a hard thing to do, and the subject needs more exposure, because its very common and not very well known.

[Anon]

I was really hoping this story might help enlighten people about sex addiction. Instead, most of the comments and coverage are treating it like a joke or dismissing it entirely.

My ex husband was a sex addict. This led to compulsive use of pornography and masturbation, multiple affairs and prostitutes. Trust me, as one with first hand experience of it is a very very real and serious addiction and it causes immense pain and suffering for both the addict and their loved ones. In my case it totally destroyed my marriage - something that causes me great sorrow to this day. (And NO, I am not at all puritanical or moralistic about sex and NO I didn't think he was a sex addict 'just' because he looked at porn and cheated. It is far, far, far more complex than that.)

Please, people, educate yourself before making jokes about something that is intensely painful to people who've experienced it first hand.

40 years ago people didn't think alcoholism was a 'real' disease either but just a matter of 'will power'. I hope some day the same advances will be made with understanding, and treatment, of sex addiction and society's ability to discuss it openly.

[darrick]

If you can't live without it, it's an addiction.

[William Stevens]

I admire his courage to get beyond denial and move into the process of recovery. For the growing number of us with this problem, getting beyond denial is the way out and on to peace of mind. It is also good to have a celebrity of his calibre obvious in the public eye for sex addicts to accept themselves. He is not creepy at all, just getting over his issue, unlike so very many who lead quiet and lonely lives of misery, deep shame and desperation. We all need to be kinder to others and ourselves so the world can be a better place.

[James B]

Huge problem..I guess in a way most people are sex addicts but when it consumes and affect your life get help! There are places that specialize in this sorta thing:
http://www.lifestarsocal.com/

[James B]

Huge problem..I guess in a way most people are sex addicts but when it consumes and affect your life get help! There are places that specialize in this sorta thing:
http://www.lifestarsocal.com/