THE X-FILES vet Robbie Amell talks with reporters about playing Agent Miller in the revival, his memories from the set, working with David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, his take on the show’s legacy, and more.

SCREEN RANT – As a brand-new take on The X-Files approaches, free streaming service Pluto TV is honoring the classic series that defined a generation by streaming all 11 seasons. Last month, the Paramount-owned platform began “The Fan is Out There” contest, determined to discover the biggest X-Files fan and invite them to Joshua Tree for a nine-day marathon of their favorite show.

Eager viewers can join in the marathon experience by streaming The X-Files on Pluto TV alongside winner Molly Hottle, either linearly from the dedicated 24/7 channel, or by picking out their personal highlight episodes on demand. To kick off the marathon, which began at 9am PT on April 20 and lasts for nine days, Pluto TV brought revival series star Robbie Amell and several members of the press to Joshua Tree.

Looking Back At Life With The X-Files

ScreenRant was among the party, enjoying a paranormal-themed dinner, stargazing activities, and a sneak peek at the off-grid “bunker” where Hottle was to spend the next nine days. While there, Amell sat down for an interview about his time on X-Files seasons 10 and 11, his career as a whole, and his thoughts on Ryan Coogler’s upcoming reboot.

ScreenRant: How did that experience on The X-Files change your perspective on the franchise or fandom?
Robbie Amell: It didn’t really change. I was so happy to be a part of it. It was one of those things you audition for because you’re like, “It’s The X-Files!” But you never actually think you’ll get it because it’s The X-Files. You’re like, “This is iconic.” It was pretty wild when I got it.

Chris Carter is brilliant and could not have been nicer. He’s just wildly intelligent, and he always has everything under control. I’ve never seen anybody more chill in a very unchill environment, which is what it’s like if you’ve ever made a TV show.

David and Gillian are maybe the most iconic duo in television history. 218 episodes of the biggest sci-fi show ever, and they were super down-to-earth, very kind, and very generous with their time. It was everything you would hope it would be.

ScreenRant: What did you take away from working with icons such as those two?
Robbie Amell: It wasn’t The X-Files-specific; it was David and Gillian-specific. To be the leads of a 218-episode massive hit and not have any ego about it, but just to be great people. That’s what I took away from it: how impressive it was, and they work very hard. They put their prep work in, and they do an amazing job. But talking to David about work-life balance was really interesting for me.

ScreenRant: Do you have any headcanons for Agent Miller outside of what was onscreen?
Robbie Amell: Chris is so brilliant that anything I would come up with is not going to touch what he has. He was very good about talking to Lauren [Ambrose] and me about our backstory, our history, and our relationship.

Because not a lot of it is onscreen, but it had to feel like it is. The relationship had to feel worn in a little bit, and he was wonderful about that. But when you’re working with somebody like that, you take everything he gives you and then make the character, not the other way around.

ScreenRant: Do you have favorite episodes of classic X-Files that you would recommend people stream on Pluto TV?
Robbie Amell: You have to watch the pilot. If you want to go dark, watch “Home.” It got pulled off TV for a little while. My favorite episode is “X-Cops”, which is X-Files mixed with Cops. It’s just a great episode, and there are moments you can see David laughing and really enjoying himself in the episode. I would watch an entire series of X-Cops. I think that would be great. I should talk to Chris Carter. We need to make X-Cops!

Robbie Amell Endorses X-Files Reboot & Reflects On His Career

ScreenRant: Obviously, the reboot is coming, and Ryan Coogler is helming it. What are you most excited about for that? What are you nervous about?
Robbie Amell: I’m not nervous about anything. I’m a huge Ryan Coogler fan. He doesn’t miss. For him to get the blessing of Chris Carter, and for Gillian to be talking about how excited she is for it? I mean, great. I’m very excited to see what he does. I have no reservations.

ScreenRant: I’m curious what folks stop you for most or quote back at you most, whether it’s X-Files or something else. Personally, my favorite roles of yours are The DUFF and Firestorm in The Flash, but Upload is amazing too. You have so much to choose from!
Robbie Amell: I like to say that I’m snap-famous. People are like, “I know you from…”, and they’re waiting for me to finish their sentence. I’m like, “Let’s play this game. You know me from…?”

I’m very lucky that I have worked across several genres, and I don’t feel like I’m known for one thing. But I get a lot of The Flash. I get a lot of Upload. I get the occasional How I Met Your Mother because people love that show, and I played a weird character on it. Somebody will be like, “Bro, Scooby,” and I’m like, “Yeah, you’re the guy that loves me from How I Met Your Mother.”

I’m always very flattered, and it’ll never be normal. The best time for it to happen is when I’m with my mom, because it makes her prouder than anybody.

ScreenRant: More people should be saying The Tomorrow People.
Robbie Amell: You know what? When I get a Tomorrow People fan, they are like, “Why didn’t that show go on for longer?” And I’m like, “Thanks.” The answer is episodes 1- 5 were against an ALDS baseball game, 20 million viewers, Country Music Awards, 20 million viewers, and the World Series. Five episodes in a row with 20 million viewers for something else! It just totally shafted The Tomorrow People.

Robbie was part of Pluto TV’s “The Fan Is Out There” Marathon Experience over the weekend and photos have been added into the gallery! Be sure to check them out!

Events > 2026 > Apr 19 | Pluto TV “The Fan Is Out There” Marathon Experience

On behalf of myself, Robbie Amell Fan visitors, and the rest of Robbie’s fans, I would like to wish him a very happy 38th birthday! We all are wishing you a great year full of happiness, joy, love, luck, success, health and peace. And most importantly, thanks for being such a wonderful person and inspiration to all of us.

If you’d like to wish Robbie a special happy birthday wish, continue to tell him on his Twitter and Instagram!

DEADLINE – EXCLUSIVE: Whodunnit, the indie rom-com starring Lana Condor on which we were recently first to report, has rounded out its cast. Newcomers include Jack Whitehall (Jungle Cruise), Robbie Amell (Upload), Lizze Broadway (Gen V), Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost), and Randall Park (Fresh Off the Boat).

No character details were disclosed. Currently in production in Oregon, Whodunnit follows Tess Klein (Condor), whose life was supposed to follow the plan: love by 25, marriage by 30, baby by 34. But after a spectacularly failed marriage proposal and one wild rebound weekend where her best friend Kelsey tells her “the only way to get over someone is to get under someone else,” Tess finds herself pregnant…and clueless about who the father is. As she sets out to solve the mystery, she discovers that sometimes, the right family finds you.

Hailing from BuzzFeed Studios, CaliWood Pictures, Fortitude International, and Nickel City Pictures, the film’s director is Nora Kirkpatrick (A Tree Fell in the Woods), who is working from a script by Jessica Kravitz and Chelsea Catalanotto, with revisions by Kirkpatrick.

Producers include Richard Alan Reid and Michael Philip for BuzzFeed Studios, along with Mark Fasano and Matthew Goldberg of Nickel City Pictures, and Mike Blutstein of Hooky Media. Nadine De Barros of Fortitude International and R. Wesley Sierk III, John D. Straley, Jina Panebianco, and Audra Gricius of CaliWood Pictures are executive producers. Fortitude International and BuzzFeed Studios are handling worldwide sales.

Whitehall is represented by CAA and Independent Talent. Amell is repped by UTA, Synchrony Artists and Felker Toczek McGinnis. Broadway is repped by WME, Anonymous Content and Myman Greenspan Fox. Mitchell is repped by IAG and Link Entertainment. Park is with UTA and Artists First.

Robbie and Stephen have started a Kickstarter to help fund the release of two graphic novels in the Code 8 universe. Head to the Kickstarter page to see what you can get with the amount of money you pledge!