The Hilarious Reason Gillian Anderson Kept Falling Down On The X-Files Set
Special effects were a major part of The X-Files, from the nauseating Fluke Man to the black oil, but the most common piece of Hollywood trickery, found in almost every episode involves the height of the show’s two leads. Gillian Anderson, at 5’2″, is significantly shorter than David Duchovny’s 6′, which means most of the shots in The X-Files involved the actress standing on a box to appear slightly closer in height.
This is commonly done using an “apple box,” but the crew had to take it a step further for Anderson, which often led to a disastrous result.
The Simplest Special Effect
Both stars may be talented performers, but without a boost, Gillian Anderson would have spent the majority of The X-Files talking to Duchovny’s chest. The apple box used for Anderson was larger than the industry standard of 8x20x12, measuring roughly an extra half-apple box in total size. Thanks to the boost, Scully was just tall enough to talk with Mulder at almost eye level, which solved the problem until the cameras stopped rolling.
A Frequent Moment In The X-Files Blooper Reels
By her own admission in multiple interviews, Gillian Anderson referred to The X-Files Apple box as the “Gilly Ramp,” while most of the crew called it the “Scully Box.” Anderson admits that she would sometimes, after an intense scene, forget she was standing on the Scully Box and would topple over while stepping off. If you have any DVDs of the series, check the bloopers, and you’ll see multiple examples of this in action.
A Death-Defying Stunt
Of course, what made this even worse was Dana Scully’s sense of fashion, which, while practical, usually involved wearing a small heel. Balancing on a raised surface, in heels, coming off the emotional high of an intense scene? It’s no wonder that Gillian Anderson could fill most of The X-Files bloopers herself.
Noticable When The Scully Box Isn’t In Use
If you want to catch the height difference between Scully and Mulder for yourself, fire up Episode 20 of Season 1, “Darkness Falls.” The episode finds the pair hiking in the forests of Washington, and notable, Scully isn’t wearing her heels.
During the walking scenes, Gillian Anderson’s height next to David Ducovhny is readily apparent for one of the first times in The X-Files. Scully running into Mulder’s backpack is one of the most realistic moments in the show.
Anderson Has Remained The Same Height
Gillian Anderson, after she was finished with The X-Files, didn’t get any taller, but in later projects, she was able to leave the Scully Box behind as most of her co-stars weren’t the size of David Duchovny. She recently played Eleanor Roosevelt in the series The First Lady, opposite Kiefer Sutherland, who only stands at 5’8″, which is average. On Hannibal, where she shared the screen with the 6′ Mads Mikkelsen, Anderson benefited from her character’s higher heels and that she was often sitting down for her scenes as a therapist.
See If You Can Spot It
The next time you’re watching Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny searching for the truth in The X-Files, pay close attention when they are both in the shot and see if you can tell when the Scully Box is being used. Often, the most amazing special effect is the one we don’t even realize is a Hollywood trick.
