Téléstar Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny Interview
by Mickey Doran (October 12, 1998)

Translation by Louise


Scully and Mulder have arrived on the big screen. A chance for Gillian Anderson (GA) and David Duchovny (DD) to talk openly, and to clear the air at last about the state of their relationship.

The weather is gloomy over Los Angeles. And so is the security guard's mood as he stands at the entrance to Set 8 at the Fox Studios, where the X-Files is currently being filmed. He checks ID, passes... Inside, the closing credits roll. The doors open. GA and DD thank the technicians and welcome "TéléStar" for an exclusive interview. The series, the film, Mulder and Scully's relationship and their own... they tell all. All in good humor.

TéléStar (TS): Millions of fans across the globe dreamt of it. And you finally did it. X-Files: The Movie is coming to our screens on the 21st of October. The series itself continues to beat records. Does it's worldwide success surprise you?

GA: I'm astounded! This enthusiasm is beyond me, makes me dizzy and sometimes ends up going to my head. I've had enough of talking about myself all day, every day!

DD: There is, it's true, a narcissistic and unhealthy side to being in magazines and on TV all the time. Or even naked on the Internet! I think, Gillian, that we're going to have to escape to another dimension!

TS: To what do you think the incredible success of the X-Files is due?

DD: First of all to the genius of Chris Carter, the creator. His writing and his mind are fascinating. He managed to create a cult TV show.

GA: For me, one of the reasons for it's success is that the series asks philosophical and metaphysical questions that fascinate the audience. And then, there's this chemistry that exists between me and David.

TS: Nothing more than simple chemistry?

DD: No sex between Mulder and Scully! Only deep friendship. People thinking there's more than that between us amuses me. With Gillian, we've created the illusion of romance.

GA: Even if we never kiss on-screen, the audience feels, through a look or a certain sensuality in the dialogue that there's a romantic link between us. We let imagination do the rest.

DD: Plus, I'm not sure a sexual relationship would add anything to our characters or to the quality of the series.

TS: But you still call each other by your last names instead of your first names, in both the film and the series...

GA: Our characters have to keep a certain distance between them. Calling each other Mulder and Scully just accentuates the seriousness of their professional relationship. But we do, from time to time, in more intimate or dramatic situations, call each other Fox and Dana to show that there we have real affection for each other.

DD: Me, I try to keep a distance, far from this "femme fatale"! It's hard, but I do my best.

TS: What are the main differences between the series and the movie?

GA: Time. For the movie, we had a lot more time for rehearsals and filming. When we work on the series we don't have time to breathe.

TS: Apart from the X Files, what are your ambitions?

DD: I always dreamt of being a basketball player. A dream that only I believed in.

GA: David's an excellent basketball player. We even used his talents in an episode. Really, I think we both would like to do more films to ensure our careers after the X-Files.

DD: I love doing films. Recently I was in a film called "Playing God" that I'm very proud of (ed: the magazine actually called it Playing Good: they often make mistakes like that). And it was a nice change to play someone other than an FBI agent. Someday I'd also like to try my hand at directing.

TS: You spend your time among extraterrestrials and paranormal phenomena... what do you believe in, personally?

GA: Hard question! I believe that there's something mysterious above us... that's precisely what makes our existence so beautiful. (ed: this was a hard sentence to translate... the end result is probably far from GA's real beliefs!)

TS: Do you feel like you've become role models for your young audience?

DD: I hope they look up to us, not our characters! Who would want to be a workaholic like Mulder or like Scully, who works 30 hours out of 24 to escape human relations. They're not role models!

TS: Are they things you wonder about each other that you've never dared speak about?

GA: Yes, it's happened to me.

DD: More often than you can imagine!

TS: It's about time you talked, isn't it?

DD: Okay, I'll start! Gillian, if I irritate you as much as you make out, how have you managed to put up with me all these years?

GA: I'm a professional and I've learnt to ignore the more unpleasant aspects of this job. You know, when I started out, I had to put up with worse than you. Don't kid yourself... you're not as important as all that, my little David! (she bursts out laughing) (ed: again...this was a hard sentence to translate... the end result is probably far from what she said!)

GA: My turn! Why did you never tell me about your relationship with Tea Leoni? I wasn't even invited to the wedding...

DD: You're still angry about that? You know, thanks to acting on the X-Files for so long, keeping secrets has become second nature to me.

GA: Okay, you can tell me now... Between Tea and you, was it love at first sight?

DD: When I first met her for the first time, she didn't as much effect on me as that. It was "delayed" love at first sight.

DD: Be honest, there must be a couple of things you like about me?

GA: You're a sincere and funny guy. Two qualities that are rarely found together in the same man.

GA: Do you think you've become big-headed? I'm at peace with myself. Even if people spend their time telling me how much they love me... But they find me less interesting than Mulder.

DD: What would really make you happy?

GA: I would love to shatter this image I have of being a cold and intellectual woman. The opposite to what I'm like in real life. Apart from that, one of my greatest dreams is to play "Sissi impératrice"! (Emperess Sissi?) The dresses, the waltzes, swooning in the archduke of Austria's arms... Just thinking about it makes shivers run down my spine!