For "X-Files" Fans Interested in a Good Cause

Actor Mitch Pileggi ("Walter Skinner" from The X-Files) has reached out to his fans to request for help for a family member. His sister, Judi Ward, has been diagnosed with a very rare, aggressive form of cancer called leiomyosarcoma. Since she won't accept direct financial help from her brother, Pileggi is offering up memorabilia for sale at a fundraiser in Southern California this Saturday and will be appearing in person at the event. Additional "big ticket" memorabilia items will be sold on eBay and a website has been established for direct monetary donations.

In an email to the webmistress of one of the actor's longtime fansites, Pileggi wrote: "As you’ll see in the attachment my sister has become ill and is financially in pretty dire straits. She refuses to accept money from me directly and I’m trying to figure out ways to help her. I will be at the fundraiser mentioned in the flyer and they will be raffling off some memorabilia that I am providing them. I’m also going to have my sister-in-law sell some of my more valuable “stuff” on eBay and give the proceeds to my sis."

The attachment mentioned is the flyer below, which explains that Ward's financial difficulties began when she was laid off last year and subsequently lost her health insurance. The fundraiser at which Pileggi will be appearing will be held this Saturday, October 3 at 2 PM at the following location:

PC's Bar & Grill

4250 Los Angeles Ave.

Simi Valley, CA

805-579-9079

Mitch Pileggi's acting credits encompasses a range of sci-fi and fantasy shows including The X-Files, The Lone Gunmen, Stargate: Atlantis and Supernatural. Most recently, he's been seen on the small screen in the season premiere of Grey's Anatomy reprising his role as Larry Jennings, head of the board of directors for Seattle Grace, and in the second season premiere of FX's Sons of Anarchy in the recurring role of Ernest Darby, head of a rival gang.

(I know this is an unusual post to find on Pop Wenches, but I've lost two family members to cancer in the past 18 months and another family member is currently losing her battle against the same disease, so this hits close to home. I can also say from personal experience that Mitch Pileggi has always been very kind to and appreciative of his fans, which earns him an extra gold star in the karma department.)

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Spotnitz Exploring New, Futuristic Worlds for HBO

Writer and executive producer Frank Spotnitz, best known for his work on The X-Files, is going to be a busy man in the near future.  Spotnitz has been tapped by both HBO and FX to develop a total of three television series.

The writer will develop two futuristic drama series for HBO.  The first, Humanitas, is a medical thriller "set in a time when major advances . . . have created dilemmas for doctors and fanned fears that a devastating pandemic is imminent."  Spotnitz will co-executive produce the series.

He will also exec produce a series based on Robert Silverberg's sci-fi novel The World Inside, a dystopian novel "where overpopulation has run amok, and people live in carefully controlled urban centers where frustration and anger are eliminated, sex is rampant and fertility is the most prized human attribute."  Yup, that sounds like it's right up HBO's alley.

Spotnitz told Variety that his pilot for FX, Arc, is "sort of about what would happen if Jason Bourne decided to leave the spy game and try to fit into normal life."  The premise is taken from the life of a real person who is part of the covert operations world.  Spotnitz describes the show as character-based, as opposed to action-based. [Variety]

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Sci-Fi Crossover Alert (sort of): Scully meets the Doctor

Numerous British tabloids have recently reported that former The X-Files star Gillian Anderson could appear on the next season of Doctor Who.

If this works out, Anderson would be playing The Rani, a Time Lady and evil/amoral scientist originally portrayed by Kate O'Mara in the 1980s. She will be appearing opposite Matt Smith, the actor playing the Eleventh Doctor, in what seems to be a one-off episode.

Anderson, who has been based out of London since The X-Files came to an end, is also going to be starring in a London production of A Doll's House opposite Ninth Doctor Christopher Eccleston this summer. [Daily Express]

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