Sci-fi fans and government conspiracy theorists may be in love with Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, the dynamic FBI duo from The X Files, but the stars are certainly not in love with each other. It’s true that the two on-screen characters go together like peanut butter and jelly in every conceivable way.
However, fans often force this relationship on the actors. Contrary to popular belief, David Duchovny (Mulder) and Gillian Anderson (Scully) are not, and never have been, an item. In fact, if you know anything about the behind-the-scenes action of The X Files, chances are the stars won’t like you very much.
Of course, that never stopped the two from going pro and working together for a solid 11 seasons between 2003 and 2018. In fact, you might even see them acting on friendly terms on social media.
Even though Mulder and Scully went from co-workers to romantic partners over the course of The X-Files, the actors weren’t too fond of each other. In fact, during a 2015 interview, Gillian Anderson revealed that “there were definitely periods where we hated each other.” Similarly, David Duchovny has also opened up about how the two struggled to get along.
“We didn’t speak for long periods of time. It was intense, and we were both heartaches.” ass for the other at various times.”
“Familiarity breeds contempt,” he told Metro in 2008. “We used to argue over nothing. We couldn’t bear to see each other.”
Despite the two’s incessant rivalry, the two managed to at least maintain a steady working relationship throughout the life of The X-Files. This may seem counterintuitive, as it can seem impossible to act alongside someone you despise, especially when your characters are so closely linked. However, it actually makes a lot of sense when you dig a little deeper into the couple’s working relationship.
So far, it seems like everything David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson have said about each other over the years has been negative. However, if you ask any of the actors at any point, you’ll find that they have an underlying respect for one another. This was probably why they were able to work together on the set of The X-Files so closely, for such a long period of time.
