The following is a translated interview which was printed in the Science Fiction Report number 1 in 1996. The article was originally written by Anton Damen and translated by Ralph M. van het Nederend. (English cleaned up a little by Leigh.) A lot of rest isn't something an "X-Files" actor gets much. Not even during a vacation period between two recording seasons. Mitch Pileggi aka Skinner (the grumpy boss of Mulder and Scully) and Nicholas Lea (aka Krycek, the untrustworthy as well as dangerous colleague of our duo) are using their vacation to do a promotion tour across Europe. SF Report spoke with the two supporting actors at the end of the ride, in a Paris Hotel, a stone's throw away from the Arc de Triomphe. Mitch Pileggi and Nicholas Lea are tired, dead tired. Thick black bags under their eyes and a pale color skin are the toll that their European tour took out of them. But professional as they are, they aren't letting their heads down, and take all of their remaining energy to another interview. One cigarette after another (an amount which will turn the CSM into a non-smoker!) and one cup of coffee after another is keeping the duo on their feet. "The first time I came in contact with The X-Files, was in the first season. In an episode in which I had a small supporting part ('Genderbender,' not as agent Krycek). My first impression as I came on the set, it is just like a movie set. You see that the lights are good, that kind of things. You don't know if something is going to be good of course. So I had no idea about that. I mean, there are so many good shows that become giant flops, and by the way there are a lot of bad programs that become a hit, so that makes it clear that you can never predict what the public likes or doesn't. I knew that it would become a show with a high quality level. And this is three years ago." Lunch Only in the second season does the figure of FBI director Walter Skinner come in view. At that point the rest of the team had already a full year behind them to learn about each other. Is it easy to find a place among them ? Mitch: "Usually it isn't, no. But The X-Files is one of the easiest experiences I have had. Ever. Usually you start a tv show as a guest star, and everybody knows each other, they know how the others work. So that is hard, not only because you are an outsider but mainly because they treat you as an outsider. When I first joined The X-Files, I immediately felt at home. I was accepted by everybody: David and Gillian, the director, the producers, everybody. That isn't something that happens." Nicholas interrupts him: "I myself had a close friendship with David. By the way, the directors and the producers are such nice people, really the kind of people you like to embrace straight away. Literally. That is the main reason we like talking about the X-Files: we feel loyal to the team, and we are proud as hell to work with them. All you can do is admire Chris Carter! He is the one responsible for everything that has to do with the show, even the little details. He does the video-inlays and the covers of the X-Files books." "Even our Lunch", says Pileggi :-) Puppets The unique thing about the X-Files is that there are a lot of suggestions being made , but little is explained. Isn't that hard for an actor, when you don't know for sure what is going to happen to your character ? Pileggi: "That is something you may find out yourself. We do talk with the screenwriters about that. Wait for the third season, you will see that there is a lot revealed about our characters, and why they do the things they do. My character started as a bureaucrat but during the season he is getting more sympathetic. The producer thought that Scully and Mulder needed somebody at their side. There is an episode in which X tells Mulder that he has a friend in in the FBI. When I heard that, I knew that they were talking about Skinner. It couldn't be about somebody else. In another scene Mulder says to me that there is only one person he can trust, and that was Deep Throat. When we played that scene it really hurt inside. Mainly because that wasn't something I wanted to hear. I was always there for Mulder, but Mulder didn't see that. That hurts. In the third season Skinner because more of an ally. But that is the force of the X-Files : The viewer is never given any certainty. It is being built up so that you will never know the finer details. Who is the puppet and who is the puppetmaster. Maybe Skinner is up to something, and is he manipulating Mulder and Scully. You never know, although I don't think it is that way." Lea: "That paranoid-air, makes the show popular. What makes it that good is that nobody can be trusted the fully 100%. There are no saints. Just as nobody is totally evil. There is a scene in which Mulder goes to CSM, meaning to kill him. And then he says; "I don't have any family, I have a little power, but not that much". This creates a little bit of sympathy for him." Pileggi: "Even for him" "While he is the most evil, corrupt character on the show," Lea adds. Is that so ? We always thought that double agent Krycek was the biggest bad guy? Nicholas Lea: "Uh... um, I ... well, thanks !" Quickly Pileggi comes to the rescue; "Wait for the third season, there are going to be moments you will feel sorry for Krycek!" Lea; "I don't consider Krycek a bad guy by the way. He is more a victim of the circumstances. He is trying to do his job the way he thinks it is supposed to be done. He is just a young guy, who makes the wrong choices." Ratboy Is it true that Lea, whose character is baptised "Ratboy" on the Internet, is receiving threatening letters? Lea: "I have had death threats." Pileggi: "Yeah, every day by me." Lea: "Last year there was this fan club, with their own newsletter: the I Hate Nic Lea-Fan Club. They didn't call it the I Hate Krycek Fan Club. And I once got a letter from a "fan" with the question if I wasn't afraid that somebody would wait for me outside the set with a gun. This because I was such a son of a bitch. These days I'm not getting those threats anymore, but it makes you think. I just hope people can see the difference between fantasy and real life." Is there a life after the X-Files? Or are Lea and Pileggi afraid that the will be Krycek and Skinner for the rest of their lives ? "Well, if this show would go on for another fifteen years like for some actors in Star Trek, then there might be that danger. But I don't think that it will come that far. Not only for us, but I am convinced that both David and Gillian still have a fantastic carreer before them. David is busy working on a film ("Playing God"), in which he plays a totally different character than you are used to from him.. Conventions Talking about Star Trek: there are also big conventions around the X-Files. What do you think about that ? Pileggi: "I don't think they are ridiculous. It is always interesting to do a convention. It gives a lot of satisfaction to see people that enthusiastic about the show. And I can understand that. They are fans of the show, and so am I. So that is something we have in common. The difference is that I wouldn't consider waiting in line for 5 hours just for a signature!" "A convention is very good for your ego" says Lea, "but you can't take it too seriously. I mean; the fans are enthusiastic about the show, maybe about my character and hopefully also about me as an actor. But it isn't about me, they don't know me personally. Maybe they wouldn't like me if they knew me personally. Who knows? But the fact remains, if the X-Files weren't so popular, we wouldn't be here!" Love Scenes Pileggi: "I keep finding it very strange that people look up to you as an actor. My sister is a nurse, she saves lives. And I am making more money she will ever make in her whole life. Just like sports stars. People adore Michael Jordan. Come on; he is only human. Who just happens to play a good came of basketball." Finally, If you could do something different on the show, what would it be ? Pileggi: " I would like to have ..." "More hair!" jokes Lea. "No, with me having no hair isn't anything wrong," corrects Pileggi. "I would only like Skinner to have more loves scenes. In every show which I am in at this moment!" :-) :-)