Interviews

Aliza Vellani – The X-Files

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By: Jamie Steinberg

Q) What are the recent projects that you are working on?

A) I recently just came off working for the Toni Braxton movie Unbreak My Heart on Lifetime, which aired last Saturday. That was a fun project to work on.

Q) Please tell us where we pick up with “The X-Files.”

A) Episodes two, three, four and five are more stand alone episodes within the series. The finale “My Struggle II” revolves more around Scully’s (Gillian Anderson) world, which is mostly where Sandeep is in the series. You really get to see more of the kind of work relationship the two have.

Q) How was your character, Sandeep, originally described to you?

A) Originally, when I auditioned for the role, the series was casting Sandeep as “OR Nurse” to appear in only the first episode. It wasn’t until later that I was asked to come back for the finale and they changed my character’s name to Sandeep.

Q) What made you want to be a part of the show?

A) “The X-Files” has played such a huge part in Vancouver’s film history. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of such an iconic series with such incredibly talented people?

Q) Did your character evolve in any fashion from how she had initially been in your audition?

A) Well, because Sandeep’s character in the first episode wasn’t planned to come back, the finale episode definitely goes deeper in the relationship between Dr. Scully and Sandeep and how they work together.

Q) Was there anything you added to the role that wasn’t originally scripted for you?

A) Funnily enough, Sandeep’s character wasn’t expected to have an accent. That developed organically in the audition room when one of the casting directors remembered I had just come back from India. After talking about it for a few minutes, [writer & EP] Chris Carter asked me to try a subtle accent on the role for fun. Amazingly enough, it added another incredible layer to her character.

Q) What did you find challenging about the role?

A) I would say keeping her accent consistent when filming started to go into the later hours of the night was a little bit of a challenge, but luckily I pulled through.

Q) Sandeep works closely with Agent Scully. What was it like working with costar Gillian Anderson?

A) I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with such an incredible inspiration. Gillian Anderson’s dedication to a role she has played for twenty years really taught me the true meaning of dedication as an actor.

Q) What were some of your most memorable moments from filming “The X-Files?”

A) I’ve told a couple of people this and they have laughed at me. I had an opportunity to ride on one of the camera man’s camera dollies as we were resetting a scene that Gillian and I were doing. I was hesitant at first because I didn’t want to appear too unprofessional, but then Gillian said that almost every actor has done it so just hop on! I pretty much turned into a five year old when I hopped onto that dolly. But can you blame me? How many people can say they have ridden on a camera dolly on the set of “The X-Files?”

Q) What did you take away from your experience working on such an iconic show?

A) This show is more than just series, it’s a family. And having that in an industry like this is so valuable, you can never go wrong.

 Q) Is there anything you want to be sure fans know about this upcoming season?

A) It’s full of all “The X-Files” mysteries you know and love. So, keep watching!

 

 

 

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