'X-files' star Gillian Anderson says she 'rebelled' against being told to walk behind David Duchovny during filming
Advertisement
Ayomikun Adekaiyero
Apr 2, 2022, 05:39 IST
Gillian Anderson attends the 2021 Emmy Awards.Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
"The X-Files" star Gillian Anderson told Variety that she had to rebel while filming the original show.
She pointed to sexist behaviors on set such as being asked to walk behind her male costar David Duchovny.
Advertisement
Gillian Anderson told Variety that she had a "knee-jerk reaction" when she was asked to walk behind her male costar David Duchovny while filming "The X-Files."
"I was expected to walk behind [costar Duchovny] when [our characters] walked up to the front doors of the people we were investigating," she said. "There were things that I rebelled against."
Anderson did not tell Variety who specifically enforced or requested this or whether she succeeded in making changes on set. However, this is not the first time Anderson has criticized the show.
Advertisement
In an interview with Red magazine in 2014, she said the pay gap between herself and Duchovny was "massive."
When the series returned in 2016 for its final two seasons, after originally finishing on season nine, Anderson was reportedly offered half of what Duchovny was given, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Last year, Anderson said in a roundtable THR interview that she had put her foot down for the new seasons after she had previously spoken out about the pay. THR later reported that a source said they received equal pay for the two seasons.
"We were going back to do another season and Fox came to me to offer, I don't know, a 10th of what my costar was being offered," the 53-year-old actress said. "That was the point where I was like, 'Fuck this. I'm actually going to talk about this [publicly].'"
Anderson added that she had an advantage in that she could not be fired because fans would get upset with the show.
Advertisement
The series won 16 primetime Emmys over the years and has become a cult classic especially due to Anderson's character who had inspired women to become scientists.
"It just feels like such an old idea," the "Sex Education" star said. "I've done it, I did it for so many years, and it also ended on such an unfortunate note."
"In order to even begin to have that conversation, there would need to be a whole new set of writers and the baton would need to be handed on for it to feel like it was new and progressive," Anderson added. "So yeah, it's very much in the past."
In response to this Anderson tweeted: "And 2 out of 207 eps directed by women. I too look forward to the day when the numbers are different. #TheFutureisFemale."
NewsletterSIMPLY PUT - where we join the dots to inform and inspire you. Sign up for a weekly brief collating many news items into one untangled thought delivered straight to your mailbox.
Oscars producer Will Packer says Chris Rock didn't want the Academy to kick Will Smith out after the slap, but a source close to Rock denies it
Mindy Kaling says she's nervous writing 'Legally Blonde 3' after watching 'And Just Like That' because she doesn't want Elle Woods to be 'canceled or become a Karen'
I attended the Bridgerton immersive ball and it was a cathartic, frothy celebration that gave me the same feels as the show