‘The X-Files’ Vet Mitch Pileggi To Return As Walter Skinner In Season 11

Mitch Pileggi is set to reprise his role as Walter Skinner in the next installment of “The X-Files.”

According to Deadline, the 65-year-old actor has closed a deal to return for the 10-episode Season 11 of the Fox sci-fi drama. Pileggi’s Skinner last appeared in the six-episode Season 10 of the Chris Carter-created series, in which he convinced Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) to return to active duty on the X-Files.

A lot of things had changed since the original nine-season run of “The X-Files” ended in 2002. However, there were also some things that remained the same when the series returned 14 years later for Season 10, and one of those was Skinner’s position at the FBI.

READ: “The X-Files” alum Kim Newton talks show’s “survival-of-the-fittest” writers’ room

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in 2015, Pileggi explained why Skinner still works as an assistant director at the FBI several years after the events in the Season 9 finale. “The reason he’s still an assistant director is because he was hanging out with Spooky [Mulder] for too long,” Pileggi said. “He’s probably been ostracized a little bit by the other higher ups in the FBI, because he hasn’t advanced.”

When asked why he thinks his character continues to work with the FBI despite his marginalized position at the agency, Pileggi said, “Because that's the type of person he is. The dedication, I think he’s a very dedicated person at what he does. He’s very dedicated to Mulder and Scully [Gillian Anderson], but before that, he was very dedicated to his job in the FBI. He obviously, has connections with people who have power, because he is still there.”

No matter what Skinner’s position at FBI is, Pileggi said that Skinner is a role he “always” wants to play. “It’s a great character, a great show, and the excitement about it coming back is palpable,” he said at the time. “It’s a huge part of my life, and it’s a huge part of my career.”

Pileggi added, “I told Chris, ‘I owe a huge part of my career to you, and to Wes Craven.’ Those two people are the most instrumental people in any success I’ve had. So it's very important to me.” Craven wrote and directed the 1989 slasher film “Shocker,” in which Pileggi starred alongside Michael Murphy, Peter Berg and Cami Cooper.

Plot details about the upcoming Season 11 of “The X-Files” are being kept under wraps, but TVLine revealed last month that Carter will be working with veterans Glen Morgan, Darin Morgan and James Wong as well as newcomers Benjamin Van Allen and Brad Follmer for the new season.

“The X-Files” Season 11 will premiere midseason on Fox.