We knew we’d get to see Agent Mulder in the flesh on Monday when we attended former X-Files star David Duchovny’s theatrical debut in the Off Broadway production of Neil LaBute’s The Break of Noon, about a man who survives an office shooting and finds God. But what we didn’t expect was to see Agent Scully (a.k.a. Gillian Anderson) by his side in the intensely crowded opening-night after-party. We grabbed them for a hot three minutes in between their mingling with old friends Ben Stiller, Garry Shandling, and Duchovny’s wife, Téa Leoni.
How often do you see each other?
Duchovny: Not often. Twice a year?
Anderson: Yes, twice a year.
Duchovny: Depending on whether we’re doing an X-Files movie or not. If we’re doing an X-Files movie, we see a lot of each other.
Anderson: In France, apparently, there is going to be one in France.
With you guys?
Duchovny: No, no. Not at all. Apparently the script’s written.
Anderson: We’re not in it at all.
Duchovny: But we always would love to do another one. So we’ll see. We’re getting a little long in the tooth, but we’ll do it. Just me. Not her. Long in the tooth, I mean.
Would you do your same roles or become FBI mentors?
Duchovny: Well, I wouldn’t be doing her part.
Anderson: I’ll be on crutches. He’ll be in a wheelchair. But, yeah, it would be fun.
Duchovny: I would do it forever. I will always come back. By the end of the run, we were all good.
Do you keep in touch over e-mail?
Duchovny: A little bit, yeah.
Anderson: A little bit of texting, a little bit of BlackBerry action.
Duchovny: I don’t know if you know this, but Gillian’s an accomplished stage actor. She came all the way from London just to see this. I’m very touched by that.
What are you doing in London?
Anderson: I live there. I’m shooting Johnny English 2, but I live there.
And you just couldn’t miss David’s opening night?
Anderson: I was told that he finally got to levitate. I had to see it with my own eyes.
Didn’t you levitate in The X-Files?
Duchovny: Oh sure, I did.
Anderson: Oh sure, yeah.
Duchovny: That’s why they hired me in this play. That’s something I can do.
Anderson: Typecast again, man!
This was a more realistic levitation?
Duchovny: Real enough.
Did you get hurt at all in the scene with Amanda Peet where she’s beating on you?
Duchovny: Sometimes she gets my ear but mostly she just gets my cheek.
There’s a scene with a prostitute. Did Californication help with your prep for the blow-job scene?
Duchovny: There are prostitutes other places other than on Californication. It’s not the only show that has sex on it.
Your wife, Téa [Leoni], said you use your iPad as your scene partner …
Duchovny: I do. It’s amazing.
Anderson: Your iPad?
Duchovny: This is going to be an advertisement. There’s this thing called iRehearsal.
Yeah?
Duchovny: You get your script on the iPad and you can record your lines or the other person’s lines and the script will scroll.
Anderson: No! And speak the other person’s lines at you?
Duchovny: Yeah, you record their lines. So you can rehearse all by yourself with the lines, and just talk to yourself. It’s great.
Last thing. Have you started to pray more now that you’re doing this play?
Duchovny: Not really. I pray enough in the show.