Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny discuss onetime feud

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 20 (UPI) -- Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny's relationship has come a long way since their early days on The X-Files.

The 47-year-old actress and 55-year-old actor discussed their onetime feud in the Jan. 19 issue of Variety. The pair played Dana Scully and Fox Mulder on the Fox sci-fi series for nine seasons, and only developed a friendship years after the show ended.

"The crucible of doing that show made monsters out of both of us," Duchovny admitted. "Once we got to step back, it was like, 'Oh, wow, we really like each other. I didn't know that was going to happen.' The way we work together has changed. Whatever rapport we have as actors, we earned."

"I think we're more on each other's side," Anderson added. "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?"

Duchovny said their relationship changed when they reunited for the 2008 movie The X-Files: I Want to Believe six years after the show's series finale. He told the New York Post he and Anderson now have "a real friendship with real history."

"We went through a hugely turbulent time," he said. "We became famous together. We got careers together. I think we lost our minds a little bit. I think we went a little crazy. Having gone away for a while, we both appreciate each other and forgive each other for what happened."

Anderson and Duchovny will reprise Scully and Mulder for Fox's forthcoming X-Files revival. The six-episode limited series premieres Jan. 24, although series creator Chris Carter recently told reporters there may be more episodes to come.