PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, THE: THE TRUTH IS HERE: DAVID DUCHOVNY AND GILLIAN ANDERSON ON THE X-FILES {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in a series of seminars presented by The Paley Center for Media. This seminar reunites the stars of “The X-Files,” a series of science fiction dramas about FBI agents Mulder and Scully and their investigations into "unsolvable" cases involving paranormal phenomena, in honor of the show’s twentieth anniversary. Host David Bushman (television curator, The Paley Center for Media in New York) offers opening comments before introducing the evening’s moderator, Keith Uhlich (staff writer, Time Out New York).
Uhlich moderates the following panelists: cast members David Duchovny (Fox Mulder) and Gillian Anderson (Dana Scully).
The panelists touch on such topics as: how they met while auditioning for the show; difficulties in filming the show’s pilot; their reactions to the show’s success; Anderson’s attempts to break out of her character’s stoic ways by trying comedy roles; the work of Darin Morgan, whose “X-Files” scripts included the Emmy Award-winning episode “Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose”; differences between the show’s “monster of the week” and “mythology” episodes; the improvised nature of the show’s “mythology”; Duchovny and Anderson's experiences writing and directing "X-Files" episodes; the significance of the show’s “cancer arc,” wherein Anderson’s character struggled with the disease; the unique directorial and creative style of the show’s creator, Chris Carter; working on the two “X-Files” theatrical films; the “emotional” end of the television series; and the future of the franchise.
Questions from the audience then lead to a discussion of the following topics among others: the continuing impact and longevity of “The X-Files”; the level of intimacy between the two characters; the reasoning behind the decision to end the series; recollections of photo shoots they felt were embarrassing; the possibility of Anderson appearing on Duchovny’s “Californication” series and Duchovny appearing with Anderson on her current series, "Hannibal”; and how Anderson’s character was an inspiration for women going into scientific fields.
Clips from “The X-Files” are interspersed throughout, including: Scully performing an autopsy in “Bad Blood” (1998); Mulder teaching Scully to play baseball in “The Unnatural” (1999); a confrontation between Mulder and Scully in “How the Ghosts Stole Christmas” (1998); and Mulder and Scully dancing together in “The Post-Modern Prometheus” (1997).
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: October 12, 2013 6:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:31:09
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 111885
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- David Bushman … Host
- Keith Uhlich … Moderator
- David Duchovny … Guest
- Gillian Anderson … Guest
- Chris Carter
- Darin Morgan