Gillian Anderson And David Duchovny Had Tension On The Set Of ‘The X-Files’

Gillian Anderson has portrayed one of the most common characters on The X-Files alongside co-star David Duchovny. The two have recently enjoyed a long and lasting friendship. But both actors claim that has not always been the case when working on the classic Fox TV series.

In the beginning of the series, the two have both admitted to having rocky relationships, which Duchovny claimed that he and Anderson would avoid each other on sets most of the time.

According to the New York Post, Duchovny recently said that he and Anderson did not get along at all in the past, referring to their working relationship on the set. He said that they would avoid each other in the beginning and seemed to cite that they were young and their star power was just beginning to take off.

The X-Files was a powerhouse show in its prime, at one point drawing in nearly 20 million viewers. In today’s standards, that is about what The Walking Dead pulls in per episode.

Duchovny and Anderson both really became instant stars with sci-fi fans across the nation, as well as on the international stage. But like most young stars who got too famous too quick, that took a toll on their professional relationship.

“Back in the day, there were times we [Duchovny and Anderson] couldn’t stand each other,” Duchovny told the New York Post. “We went through a hugely turbulent time. We became famous together. We got careers together. I think we lost our minds a little bit. I think we went a little crazy.”

Happy @thexfiles week, everybody! -@peppertheDJ pic.twitter.com/4Nvt6Fndsm

— 1077 The End (@1077TheEnd) January 19, 2016

It is the same old story that has long since plagued actors in similar situations. The world starts closing in around them and they start to break little by little every day. They become irritable, and the people who they are closest to end up getting the worst of it.

But in the end, Duchovny and Anderson mended their ways and grew as Hollywood professionals. They shared the limelight side by side and both moved on from the series with other notable roles in TV and film.

So now that the show is scheduled to return, Anderson and Duchovny seem to have gotten along better than well during production.

“Having gone away for a while, we both appreciate each other and forgive each other for what happened,” Duchovny said. “It’s like a real friendship with real history.”

According to Variety, Gillian Anderson also seems to echo those sentiments about her co-star. Whatever bad blood took place before on the series has definitely seemed to fallen away from them, and there is no doubt that the pair have gotten back on the same page, working toward the same goal.

Whoops, spoiler alert https://t.co/Wtga37BCX9 pic.twitter.com/Flbw3mjsWi

— David Duchovny (@davidduchovny) January 19, 2016

“Our relationship has definitely become a proper friendship over the last few years,” Anderson told Variety. “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?”

That certainly does seem to be the case, now that the show is just around the corner to premiere on Fox with a 6-episode event that fans have long been waiting to see. Although there has been another movie since the series was cancelled 14 years ago, fans of The X-Files universe have been chomping at the bit to see Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny return to television with some episodic content for a new generation.

Anderson did not characterize the series as broken, but rather spoke about it in terms of expanding on what they have already established for it.

The series revival with Anderson and Duchovny will be premiering on Fox on January 24, right after the NFL conference championship game. With a lead in like that, there is no doubt that it will premiere to some huge numbers.

[Photo by Araya Diaz/Getty Images]