The stunning daughter of David Duchovny and Tea Leoni, West Duchovny is the latest in a line of “Nepo babies” to follow their parents into show business.
The 24-year-old began acting in 2018 when she landed a role alongside her father in The X-Files – against her famous mother’s wishes – but struggled for years to break into the industry.
She has now burst into the limelight thanks to her role in the brand new Netflix drama Painkiller, which premiered this week.
The show tells the harrowing story of how the opioid crisis raged in the United States. It stars Matthew Broderick as Purdue Pharma CEO Richard Sackler, while West portrays Shannon Shaeffer – one of his “Oxycontin Kittens” who goes off to sell the dangerously addictive painkillers to doctors.
The stunning daughter of David Duchovny and Tea Leoni, West Duchovny is the latest in a line of “Nepo babies” to follow their parents into show business. She and David will be seen in June
The 24-year-old (seen as a child with her father) began acting in 2018 when she landed a role alongside her father in The X-Files, but struggled for years to break into the industry
She has now burst into the limelight thanks to her role in the brand new Netflix drama Painkiller, which premiered this week
West appeared in the final episode of season 11 of The X-Files, playing the role of a teenager named Maddy (seen)
According to the budding star, who spent his early years in California before moving to New York at the age of ten, her mother didn’t want her to follow in her footsteps.
In fact, she once revealed that her mother, best known for her roles in Bad Boys, Jurassic Park III, Spanglish and Madam Secretary, tried for years to keep her from pursuing acting.
“My mom used to tell me, ‘Do whatever you want, just don’t be an actor,'” West told W Magazine earlier this month.
Despite her mother’s advice, West explained that she “fell in love with it” after taking part in the school play in her senior year of high school.
“I had never felt like this before.” “Nothing came so effortlessly, not necessarily the talent, but the passion for it,” she said. “I knew if I didn’t get my shot, I would probably regret it forever.”
Sharing with her parents that she had developed a huge passion for acting, she told WWD that her mother was “definitely anxious” but eventually calmed down.
As for her father, whose cast includes The X-Files, Californication, Beethoven, Chaplin and The Joneses, she said he’s a little “less” concerned than Tea.
“She grew up in the industry [during a time when] “It was very difficult for women,” she explained.
According to the star, who spent his early years in California before moving to New York at the age of 10, her mother didn’t want her to act. You see her as a child with her parents
“My mom used to tell me, ‘Do whatever you want, just don’t be an actor,'” West told W Magazine earlier this month. She is seen as a child
Despite her mother’s advice, West (seen with her father as a baby) explained that she “fell in love with it” after taking part in the school play in her senior year of high school
Sharing with her parents that she had developed a huge passion for acting, she told WWD that her mother was “definitely anxious” but eventually calmed down
“I’m her daughter and she was scared that I would come into this world.” Now I call her when I need advice – they’re both really supportive now.
As for her father, whose cast includes The X-Files, Californication, Beethoven, Chaplin and The Joneses, she said he’s a little “less” concerned than Tea
“I think it just took a while for them to take me seriously because it felt so random.” But [I told them]”No, guys, that’s what I have to do.”‘
West’s parents tied the knot in 1997 and welcomed West two years later. They also gave birth to a son in 2002 before going their separate ways in 2014.
West began her career with a few small roles on shows like The X-Files (alongside her father) and The Magicians, as well as films like The Report, A Mouthful of Air and Linoleum.
Earlier this year, she also starred in Hulu’s psychological drama Saint X before breaking into the role of Shannon in Painkiller.
West told W that she just wants to be taken seriously, which is why she’s grateful that both Saint X and Painkiller are serious shows.
![“She grew up in the industry [during a time when]](https://www.spamchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/1691699927_497_Following-in-her-parents-famous-footsteps-24-year-old-Nepo-Baby-daughter-West.jpg "Following in her parents' famous footsteps, 24-year-old 'Nepo-Baby' daughter West of David Duchovny and Tea Leoni makes a stunning appearance on Netflix drama 'Painkiller' - five years after her father landed her a role in 'The X Files' “ has procured 13")
“She grew up in the industry [during a time when] “It was very difficult for women,” she explained of her mother’s hesitation. She was seen with her mother in 2013
“Now I call them when I need advice – they’re both super supportive now,” she added. “I think it just took a while for them to take me seriously.” She was spotted with her father in 2014
West began her career with a few small roles on shows like The X-Files (alongside her father) and The Magicians, as well as films like The Report, A Mouthful of Air and Linoleum
“Both projects feel very meaningful and educational to a certain extent,” she explained.
She also starred in Hulu’s psychodrama Saint earlier this year
“It’s not just entertainment.” At best, these are my introductions to the industry because I’m so passionate about both.
“It’s cool when art can inspire action or make you want to do something different.” I want people to be angry [when they watch Painkiller].’
The 24-year-old admitted to WWD that she “cried” while auditioning for the new Netflix series because she “never thought that way about a character” she’d played before.
And when director Peter Berg invited her to lunch, she “literally peed her pants.”
And months later, when it came time to portray Shannon on screen, she felt even more personal than she ever anticipated.
“I think what I liked about her was that there were a lot of these parallels between her getting into the pharmaceutical world and me coming up to tackle this huge project,” she added.
West told W that she just wants to be taken seriously, which is why she’s grateful that both Saint X and Painkiller are serious shows
The 24-year-old admitted to WWD that she “cried” while auditioning for the new Netflix series because she “never thought that way about a character” she’d played before
And months later, when it came time to portray Shannon on screen, she felt even more personal than she ever anticipated
Producer Eric Newman described West as “amazing,” adding, “She blew our minds at her audition and is a bright light on our show.”
“That kind of impostor syndrome and that fear, but also wanting to be great and doing the best you can.”
Producer Eric Newman described West as “amazing,” adding, “She blew our minds at her audition and is a shining light on our show.”
“Shannon is representative of the many neighboring OxyContin victims who never took it, and I think that’s an important story to tell.”
“To really get a sense of the destructive power of opioids, you have to go beyond the sheer number of deaths.
“You have to imagine not only all the people whose lives were touched by these deaths, but also the many unwitting players who were involved with the opioid machine and are living with it.” “Shannon tells the story of someone who gets into it and being exploited.”