X-Files' Scully Role Almost Went to an Entirely Different Anderson
It would be a whole different show for sure, but would it be as good?
Even if you have watched every episode of The X-Files from beginning to end more times than you can remember, the show may still hold some interesting facts for you.
Such iconic TV shows usually have a lot of very fun and very interesting behind-the-scenes stories and facts that can come up years and years after the show has aired.
This one, however, would make you rethink the whole Dana Scully character with just one sentence.
To cut a long story short: Dana Scully was supposed to be played by Pamela Anderson from the beginning. Of course, this casting was caused by a completely different storyline for her character.
Originally, the idea was to cast someone who was much better known to the general public.
Pamela Anderson with her recent success in Baywatch was exactly what they were looking for.
Gillian Anderson, who eventually got the part and played it so well that she became a household name, recalled the doubts the X-Files production team had about her.
"They were looking for someone bustier, taller, leggier than me. They couldn't fathom how David and me could equal success... At the beginning, nobody trusted that I could do anything. I had no body of work behind me at all, and, certainly Fox felt very strongly that I wasn't the right person for the job," the actress said.
Although Fox wasn't entirely in favor of Gillian taking the role, she was saved by Executive Producer Chris Carter, who was sure that she was the only one who could read Scully's part the way it was meant to be read.
Fortunately, he was right, and the talent he saw in Gillian Anderson from the beginning led to a total of 62 Emmy nominations and 16 wins for The X-Files in the long run, marking a huge success for the series.
If you're in the mood for an X-Files binge, you can stream it on Hulu or Disney Plus.
Source: Entertainment Weekly