After feuding badly on the set of the original X-Files, it's a wonder David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are still speaking at all. But lo and behold, they're back for six brand-new episodes of the FOX mega-hit, with attendant awkward promotional appearances on late-night talk shows. So just how bad did things get on the set back in the day? If this newly-published Variety piece from the revival's Vancouver set is any indication, the answer is: very, very bad.
“The crucible of doing that show made monsters out of both of us,” said Duchovny.
Monsters. Wowza.
Luckily the two have patched up their relationship in the years since, beginning with 2008's ill-fated big-screen outing The X-Files: I Want to Believe.
“Once we got to step back, it was like, ‘Oh, wow, we really like each other. I didn”t know that was going to happen,'” Duchovny said later, before adding: “The way we work together has changed…Whatever rapport we have as actors, we earned. It”s nice to be able to play that without ever even feeling like you”re playing it.”
Anderson agreed that the relationship has improved greatly. “Our relationship has definitely become a proper friendship over the last few years,” she said. “I think we”re more on each other”s side. We”re more aware of the other”s needs, wants, concerns, and mindful to take those into consideration- and just sharing more about our experiences in the moment, under the sudden realization that we”re both in this together, and wouldn”t it be nice if it were a collaboration?”
The X-Files premieres January 24 on FOX.