Fans of Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny were in for a treat on the recent episode of The Jonathan Ross Show. The pair, who famously starred together in the hit series The X-Files, reminisced about their time working on the show and revealed some behind-the-scenes tension.
During the interview, Ross asked Anderson about her decision to return to The X-Files after so many years. Anderson explained that it wasn’t until the opportunity arose to do a shorter, six-episode run that she became interested. However, when asked about the possibility of doing more episodes in the future, Anderson expressed uncertainty due to scheduling conflicts with Duchovny’s show, Aquarius, and her other commitments.
The conversation took a lighthearted turn when Ross brought up the tension between Anderson and Duchovny during their time on The X-Files. Anderson revealed that there were periods of tension between them, which is not surprising considering they spent long hours working together. She jokingly blamed her frizzy hair and the time it took to get ready on set as one of the reasons for the tension. Duchovny would get impatient waiting for her hair to be blow-dried due to the wet weather conditions in Vancouver where they filmed.
Both Anderson and Duchovny acknowledged that their chemistry on-screen was strong despite the occasional tensions. Anderson also mentioned that she admired Duchovny for his support in renegotiating their salaries during the show’s run. She revealed that she found out she was being paid substantially less than Duchovny and successfully renegotiated her contract.
The interview also touched on personal anecdotes, such as Anderson’s daughter, Piper, who worked on The X-Files as well. Piper had a memorable involvement in the show as Scully’s character was not pregnant, but a picture of Anderson’s pregnant belly was used to represent an abduction by aliens.
Aside from The X-Files, Anderson spoke about her role in the hit series The Fall and her upcoming stage performance in A Streetcar Named Desire in New York.
The interview ended on a humorous note with a mention of Duchovny’s brother, who is a cab driver in New York and was featured in a charity calendar as “Mr. February.”
Fans of Anderson and Duchovny were delighted to see the pair together again, reminiscing about their time on The X-Files and sharing behind-the-scenes stories. While future X-Files episodes remain uncertain, their on-screen chemistry and camaraderie will always be remembered fondly by fans and continue to entertain audiences worldwide.
