49 Actors You Forgot Were On X-Files
From Burt Reynolds to Jodie Foster, we’ve uncovered 49 X-Files guest stars you may have forgotten about.
49 Actors You Forgot Were On X-Files
Scully, you’re not gonna believe this. Just in case you were worried that 2020 couldn’t get any weirder, the Pentagon recently released some actual, real-deal footage of UFOs this week–why not, right? Which, in addition to making us start to question the very nature of reality itself, prompted us to take a look back at one of the best sci-fi television shows ever made: The X-Files. We came for the spooky extraterrestrial content, but quickly realized there were a lot (and we do mean a lot) of famous celebrities in that show.
Beyond just launching the careers of Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny, The X-Files was home to dozens upon dozens of guest stars, many of whom were young unknowns at the time, playing one-off parts as supernatural creatures, hapless victims, or disgruntled FBI agents who were sick of Mulder and Scully’s bizarre theories. We trawled through each episode of the show to find a whopping 49 guest stars that you’ll definitely recognize today, whether they went on to star in some of your favorite (non-alien related TV shows), continued on to become A-listers in big budget movies, or were already A-listers to begin with.
Who were your favorite X-Files guest stars and who surprised you most on this list? Let us know in the comments below.
1. Seth Green (Season 1 Episode 2)
Comedy mainstay Seth Green guest starred as an alien-loving stoner in the second episode, “Deep Throat.”
2. Donal Logue (Season 1 Episode 3)
Terriers and Sons of Anarchy star Donal Logue showed up as an FBI agent and friend of Scully in “Squeeze,” the episode that introduced recurring (and super disgusting) villain, Eugene Victor Tooms.
3. Felicity Huffman (Season 1 Episode 8)
Oscar nominee Felicity Huffman is better known for her career on Desperate Housewives, but in The X-Files she played a scientist trapped in an Alaskan outpost.
4. Brad Dourif (Season 1 Episode 13)
Deadwood’s Brad Dourif played a psychic serial killer named Luther Lee Boggs in “Beyond The Sea.”
5. Mark Sheppard (Season 1 Episode 12)
Supernatural mainstay Mark Sheppard played a pyrokinetic sociopath in the aptly titled “Fire.”
6. Bradley Whitford (Season 2 Episode 9)
You’ll probably recognize him from hits like The West Wing and Cabin In The Woods, but before he was advising fictional presidents Bradley Whitford was playing a troubled geologist in The X-Files’ “Firewalker.”
7. Terry O’Quinn (Season 2 Episode 12/Season 9, Episode 6)
Also known as Locke from Lost, Terry O’Quinn’s Lt. Brian Tillman would make two appearances in the show and later guest star in the first movie.
8. Dean Norris (Season 2 Episode 22)
Breaking Bad’s Hank Shraeder, Dean Norris, played a role in the deeply disgusting “F. Emasculata.”
9. Tony Shalhoub (Season 2 Episode 23)
Beloved character actor Tony Shalhoub played a riff on Bruce Banner in “Soft Light” where he was a mild-mannered scientist named Dr. Banton who was irradiated in an experiment.
10. Jack Black (Season 3 Episode 3)
The man, the myth, the legend, Jack Black played a hapless arcade employee named Zero in “D.P.O.”
11. Giovanni Ribisi (Season 3 Episode 3)
Known for his roles in Sneaky Pete and Avatar, Giovanni Ribisi played a troubled kid with an obsessive crush on his high school teacher and the ability to control lightning in “D.P.O.” He also murdered Jack Black’s character. R.I.P.
12. Peter Boyle (Season 3 Episode 4)
The late Peter Boyle of Young Frankenstein and Everybody Loves Raymond fame played a reluctant psychic whose ability to predict the future came from his love of The Big Bopper in “Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose.”
13. Ryan Reynolds (Season 3 Episode 13)
Before he was Deadpool, Ryan Reynolds was busy being a high school jock turned cult murder victim in “Syzygy.”
14. Michael Bublé (Season 3 Episode 15)
Crooner Michael Bublé played an unnamed background character (no really) in the WW2 flashback parts of “Piper Maru.”
15. Lucy Liu (Season 3 Episode 19)
Before her big break on Ally McBeal, Lucy Liu played the daughter of a gambler in over his head in “Hell Money.”
16. BD Wong (Season 3 Episode 19)
Law & Order SVU’s BD Wong joined Liu as a detective investigating a supernatural gambling ring in “Hell Money.”
17. Alex Trebek (Season 3 Episode 20)
Game show host Alex Trebek played a shady government Man In Black (who looked suspiciously like game show host Alex Trebek) in the legendary “Jose Chung’s From Outer Space.”
18. Jesse Ventura (Season 3 Episode 20)
Wrestling superstar Jesse Ventura joined Trebek as a Man In Black in “Jose Chung’s From Outer Space.”
19. Tom Noonan (Season 4 Episode 10)
Manhunter and Last Action Hero star Tom Noonan played a memento-collecting killer in “Paper Hearts.”
20. Jodie Foster (Season 4 Episode 13)
Jodie Foster didn’t actually make an on-screen cameo, but she did provide the voice for a cursed tattoo in “Never Again.”
21. Richard Belzer (Season 5 Episode 3)
Unofficially crossing the X-Files over with Law & Order SVU, Richard Belzer guest starred as Det. John Munch. Talk about a cinematic shared universe.
22. Jerry Springer (Season 5 Episode 5)
Talk show host Jerry Springer played himself in the wildly funny “Post-Modern Prometheus.”
23. Luke Wilson (Season 5 Episode 12)
Young Luke Wilson appeared as Sheriff Hartwell in the vampire-comedy episode, “Bad Blood.”
24. Bryan Cranston (Season 6 Episode 2)
Walter White himself, Bryan Cranston, guest starred as Patrick Crump, a man suffering a strange affliction causing him to drive west or die in “Drive.”
25. Lily Tomlin (Season 6 Episode 6)
Comedian and actor Lily Tomlin played a ghost named Lyda in “How The Ghosts Stole Christmas.”
26. Bruce Campbell (Season 6 Episode 7)
Horror legend Bruce Campbell played a man who may or may not have fathered a demonic baby in “Terms Of Endearment.”
27. Jesse L. Martin (Season 6 Episode 19)
The Flash’s Jesse L. Martin played an extraterrestrial baseball player in “The Unnatural.”
28. Jim Beaver (Season 6 Episode 21)
Before he was in Deadwood and Supernatural, Jim Beaver had a bit part as a coroner in “Field Trip.”
29. Lance Henriksen (Season 7 Episode 4)
In an episode that crossovered with creator Chris Carter’s other series, Millennium, Lance Henriksen, aka Bishop from Aliens, appeared as Frank Black.
30. Octavia Spencer (Season 7 Episode 4)
Also in the Millennium crossover episode was Octavia Spencer, playing the aptly named Nurse Octavia.
31. Dick Clark (Season 7 Episode 4)
Yet another Millennium episode cameo was legendary TV personality Dick Clark as himself.
32. Ann Dowd (Season 7 Episode 5)
Ann Dowd of The Leftovers and Hereditary fame appeared as the mother of a supernatural teenager in “Rush.”
33. Shia LeBeouf (Season 7 Episode 6)
Baby Shia LeBeouf appears in an episode about unlikely chains of events titled “The Goldberg Variation.”
34. Constance Zimmer (Season 7 Episode 13)
Emmy nominee and Entourage star Constance Zimmer guest starred in the hilariously ’90s “First Person Shooter.”
35. Garry Shandling (Season 7 Episode 19)
Comedian Garry Shandling appears in the in-universe X-Files movie as Mulder for the episode “Hollywood A.D.”
36. Tea Leoni (Season 7 Episode 19)
Bad Boys and Madam Secretary star Tea Leoni played Scully for the in-universe X-Files movie in “Hollywood A.D.” She was married to David Duchovny at the time.
37. Kathy Griffin (Season 7 Episode 20)
Comedian Kathy Griffin played identical twins Betty Templeton and Lulu Pfeiffer in “Fight Club.”
38. Rob Van Dam (Season 7 Episode 20)
Professional wrestler Rob Van Dam also guest starred alongside Griffin in “Fight Club.”
39. Will Sasso (Season 7 Episode 21)
Mad TV alum Will Sasso played a man who accidentally summoned a genie in “Je Souhaite.”
40. Danny Trejo (Season 8 Episode 6)
Cult favorite Danny Trejo played a gangster in Season 8’s “Redrum.”
41. Zach Grenier (Season 8 Episode 19)
Zach Grenier of Devs played a medical doctor named Herman Stites in “Alone.”
42. Lucy Lawless (Season 9 Episodes 1 and 2)
Xena herself, Lucy Lawless stars as an immortal super soldier in “Nothing Important Happened Today” parts one and two.
43. Jane Lynch (Season 9 Episode 5)
Glee’s Jane Lynch played the mom of a rowdy teenager in the disgusting “Lord Of The Flies.”
44. Aaron Paul (Season 9 Episode 5)
Aaron Paul of Breaking Bad fame was the main villain, a teenager who could control insects, in “Lord Of The Flies.”
45. Burt Reynolds (Season 9 Episode 13)
Burt Reynolds played a fictional version of himself that also may or may not be the face of God in “Improbable.”
46. Joel McHale (Season 10 Episode 1)
Community’s Joel McHale played a conspiracy podcaster named Tad O’Malley in “My Struggle.”
47. Kumail Nanjiani (Season 10 Episode 3)
Comedian (and X-Files fan podcaster) Kumail Nanjiani played an animal control officer in “Mulder And Scully Meet The Weremonster.”
48. Rhys Darby (Season 10 Episode 3)
Comedian Rhys Darby played the titular weremonster in “Mulder And Scully Meet The Weremonster.”
49. Haley Joel Osment (Season 11 Episode 6)
Haley Joel Osment of The Sixth Sense fame played a haunted Vietnam vet in “Kitten.”
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Please, Stop Turning Anime Into Arena Fighters
The world of anime is full of so many different opportunities, but video games always seem to reach for the same one. It’s time to stop.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Announced, Set In The Viking Age
At the end of the livestream revealing the Viking setting of the next Assassin’s Creed game, Ubisoft announced the game’s official title: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. A full trailer is scheduled to release tomorrow, April 30, at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET.
As previously rumored, Valhalla takes place during The Viking Age. Occurring between the ninth and eleventh centuries, The Viking Age occurs roughly 100-400 years prior to the events of the original Assassin’s Creed. That could mean that this game will continue the origin stories of how the Hidden Ones and The Order of Ancients went on to become the Assassin Brotherhood and Templar Order, respectively–a narrative first started in Origins and continued in Odyssey.
In the artwork used to announce Valhalla’s setting, a Viking warrior separates two different scenes. On the left, you see Viking raiders sailing in longboats and on the right you see Viking raiders attacking English soldiers. The Viking warrior in the middle is holding an axe, with the symbol of the Assassin Brotherhood engraved into its blade. Additionally, there is a raven flying over the shoulder of the Viking, which could suggest the bird takes on the in-game role of reconnaissance that the eagles Senu and Ikaros did in Origins and Odyssey, respectively. In Norse mythology, ravens are seen as the eyes of Odin–so getting a drone-like view of the world through one would fit into the Viking theme of Valhalla.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ Fake Art Is Doing Some Creepy Stuff
Animal Crossing: New Horizons‘ latest update brought back two returning characters: the shrub-selling Leif and shady art vendor Redd. The latter operates a small merchant ship called Jolly Redd’s Treasure Trawler, which is the only place you can purchase artwork to donate to the museum’s new art wing.
As before, many of the pieces Redd sells are of…dubious origins, and since Blathers will only accept genuine works of art for the museum, you need to suss out the real pieces from the fakes before you make a purchase. This time, however, some of the forgeries are worth owning in their own right, because it appears they are haunted.
Since Redd arrived in New Horizons, players have been sharing clips of fake artwork they’ve purchased from him on social media. While many of the forgeries have subtle inaccuracies, some have apparently been seen doing unusual–and often creepy–things. We haven’t stumbled upon any of these in the game ourselves yet, but people have shared clips of paintings opening their eyes, while the fake version of the ancient statue levitates when touched. You can take a look at some of the fakes below.
Best Digital Game Deals For Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, And PC This Week
Picking up a new physical game isn’t as easy as it was just a couple of months ago. Shipping delays and low stock have emphasized the importance and convenience of digital games. Luckily, most games are available digitally on PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. We’ve put together a list of the best digital game deals this week, and there are a lot of good titles up for grabs at discounted prices, including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Outer Wilds, and Dishonored 2.
The PlayStation Store and Microsoft Store have multiple ongoing sales. PSN has a stellar Games Under $20 sale in addition to its Big in Japan sale. Meanwhile, Microsoft has an Activision publisher sale, Golden Week sale, and a massive sale on add-ons such as season passes. The Switch Eshop is a tad lighter on deals, but there’s a solid NIS America publisher sale for Golden Week 2020. On PC, you can pick up a bunch of EA games for really low prices at Amazon.
You can check out all of the best digital game deals–separated by platform–below. Also, don’t miss out on games you can snag free of charge; we’re keeping a running list of every free game available now. In addition to games, you can save right now on PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold subscriptions.
Division 2 9.1 Update Targeting May Release, But No Info On New Raid Yet
Ubisoft has released a new video on the state of The Division 2. The video, below, sees the team discussing the upcoming Title Update 9.1 patch, connectivity issues, warhound convoy, and more.
First and foremost, Ubisoft has nothing to say about The Division 2’s upcoming raid. “We don’t have any information about the raid yet,” community developer Chris Gansler said. “My goal is to give you at least two weeks of a heads up so you’ll have plenty of time to look at getting ready for the raid and all that stuff.” Gansler went on to say that the raid should come packaged in Title Update 10, but there’s currently no word on when this drops for PC, PlayStation 4, Stadia, and Xbox One.
Ubisoft is continuing its investigation into The Division 2’s connectivity issues. Gansler said the Delta/Foxtrot errors should occur less frequently following a recent backend update. However, the Delta errors persist in general and the team is “currently struggling to figure out what the underlying causes [are].” There’s no word on when these connectivity problems will be fully resolved, but they are the team’s “highest priority.”
Fallout 76: Wastelanders Review – A Disappointing Return
Since its launch in late 2018, Fallout 76 has lacked one element crucial to the series’ identity. The series’ best moments predominantly involved stories of its survivors, the poor souls unfortunate enough to have been exposed to nuclear war and the horrors of its fallout. Fallout 76’s latest free expansion, Wastelanders, attempts to inject some of that humanity into the game by introducing human NPCs and their stories to the auburn hills of Appalachia, while also expanding upon available role-playing options. Taken as a separate part, Wastelanders represents some of the best Fallout content since New Vegas, but Fallout 76’s flawed structure and mechanics prevent it from shining.
It’s been more than a year since I played Fallout 76, and it’s likely that I’m not the only one returning from a prolonged absence now that Wastelanders has launched. This made me decide to start a new character in a bid to see just how much Fallout 76 has changed since then. Wastelanders’ changes are apparent from the start. After the tutorial, you emerge from Vault 76 to something new: Two human travelers, marking the prominent return of human life to West Virginia wasteland, greet you at the entrance to the vault. They mention a treasure rumored to be buried in the hills of Appalachia, which quickly leads you to a newly established bar under the management of Duchess and her party of ragtag brains and brawn. This alternative start to Fallout 76 is more gripping than the previous audio logs that initially introduced you to its world and serves to illustrate how Wastelanders’ content affects the rest of the game.
Initial tutorial quests take you through the broad strokes of Fallout 76’s survival elements and base-building, interspersed with contextual dialogue for each action delivered by a character you can actually interact with. The disembodied audio logs and impersonal robots of the original tutorial are still there if you choose a different route, but running through the same lessons while advancing a more captivating story in Wastelanders make Fallout 76’s opening hours more akin to a traditional Fallout adventure. It can be easy for brand-new players to miss this pair of human NPCs entirely, but for returning players their mere existence will quickly draw you to their new introduction.
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare Just Keeps Growing In Size, And Players Aren’t Happy
Since launch, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare has been steadily growing in size thanks to its frequent, large updates. Following this week’s latest patch and additional content DLC owners of the game, Modern Warfare no occupies close to 200GB on any given platform.
Modern Warfare on PC currently takes about just over 180GB of hard-drive space, while ringing in at just over 185GB on PS4 and Xbox One. This follows two patches that went live on April 28. On PC these were combined into a single 32GB download, while it was split into a 12GB title update and additional 18GB DLC download on consoles. Warzone players on console could skip the latter of the two, reducing their overall download requirement and file size.
Downloading big updates has become normal for Modern Warfare players, so much so that developer Infinity Ward addressed it specifically in February. During the lead up to Season 2, Infinity Ward stressed that the large update size at the time (in excess of 50GB) would help reduce update sizes in the future, while also improving the game’s overall footprint on your hard drive. While 32GB is smaller, the game’s growing size is concerning, especially as it inches closer towards 50% of the total internal capacity of both the PS4 and Xbox One S.