Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny celebrate 25 years of The X-Files at Wizard World Chicago

The truth is out there…and the truth is blunt when it comes from Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny. The X-Files stars teamed up to discuss the show at Wizard World Chicago.

Not many shows can say they lasted for 25 years. Technically, The X-Files can’t, considering they were off the air from 2002-2016. But just because there weren’t new episodes airing, it doesn’t mean that fans weren’t dedicated.

Even now, fans are as passionate as ever. When Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny took the stage together at Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, they entered to a thunderous standing ovation.

Anderson made her co-star, and the audience, bust up laughing almost immediately when she answered honestly about what led her to The X-Files to begin with: “Hunger.” She really didn’t want to do television originally. Neither did Duchovny, in fact. He wanted to write plays.

Of course, things eventually worked out for the actors in a big way. But both Anderson and Duchovny agreed, they considered themselves successful when they had a steady paycheck and food on the table, not when fame hit.

You’d think that after 25 years together, the stars of the show would have plenty to say on their experiences. In actuality, their answers were quite succinct. Still, there was a clear chemistry between Anderson and Duchovny. It just happened to be Anderson who took the reigns when answering.

It’s possible that their answers were quick solely because of how many questions were asked. The panel was opened to fan Q&A almost immediately, so as to get through as many as possible.

In the case of one fan question though, the brevity of the answer was simply due to Anderson’s bluntness. The stars were asked: “If you could say one thing to your fans over the last 25 years, what would you say?” Anderson shot back immediately: “I’m so sorry.”

She was indeed referring to the way it all ended. After that answer, what else could Duchovny say? Anderson even taunted him “Top that, motherf***a,” which earned yet another round of applause. She then helped him out, saying the answer was on behalf of both of them.

She even took her honesty one step further when another fan asked: “If you could give a piece of advice to your character, what would it be?” Anderson quipped: “Don’t do it.” Duchovny shied away from answering that one. “I’m worried by that whole scenario,” Duchovny said of being able to talk to Mulder as himself.

With a successful series and a successful revival under their belts, it’s easy to think the series found the winning formula. (Although Anderson did mention that she’d love to have done a proper spoof of the show).

Even so, one fan encouraged the stars to think of the series from a different perspective. She asked how they thought the show might be different if written from a more feminist perspective.

This caught Gillian’s interest. She thought intently on it, and guessed that there would be less of a focus (read: obsession) on Scully’s reproductive abilities. Anderson also mused that she might’ve been positioned differently in conversations. But Anderson didn’t let the audience forget: Scully “is and remains a feminist icon.”