Renowned German actress Sandra Huller has said in a recent interview that Gillian Anderson’s iconic performance as FBI Agent Dana Scully in The X-Files was a major influence on her portrayal of Eva Stratt in ‘Project Hail Mary.’
The film, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, has been a box office juggernaut since its March 2026 release, and stars Huller alongside Ryan Gosling as the determined leader working to save humanity from extinction.
How Dana Scully Shaped Sandra Huller’s Performance as Eva Stratt
Huller, coming off her Oscar-nominated performance in ‘Anatomy of a Fall‘ and her chilling role in ‘The Zone of Interest,’ plays Eva Stratt, the formidable head of the Petrova Taskforce.
Related: Will ‘Project Hail Mary 2’ Happen? Andy Weir Shares Major Update After Ryan Gosling’s Sci-Fi Hit
In the story, Earth’s sun begins to dim due to a mysterious astrophysical phenomenon, putting all life on the planet at risk. Stratt, given extraordinary authority by world governments, recruits Ryland Grace (Gosling), a reluctant scientist, for a desperate interstellar mission. In Andy Weir’s novel, Stratt is an enigmatic and ruthlessly efficient character whose inner life is mostly hidden, and bringing her to the screen required Huller to make bold interpretive choices.
“There were some characters, actually, that were very inspiring. Agent Scully in The X-Files, Gillian Anderson did such incredible work with her,” Huller told Polygon. “I think she’s the first female scientist in a leading role on TV — she set a lot of standards with that work. I found it, when I was younger, very inspiring and motivating, encouraging to [see a woman] do these jobs. My child is a big fan, so she even works for younger generations, still.”
Huller drew inspiration from Scully’s combination of rigor, emotional control, and calm authority under pressure, qualities that reflect Stratt’s high-stakes leadership.
Bringing Eva Stratt from Page to Screen in Project Hail Mary
According to the outlet, directors Lord and Miller gave Huller broad creative freedom to shape the character, while focusing on themes of responsibility, leadership, and empowerment. Much of Stratt’s depth emerged naturally on set through improvisation.
In case you missed it: Why Ryan Gosling’s ‘Project Hail Mary’ Leaves Out the Book’s Most Terrifying Part
“They gave me a lot of freedom in the decisions regarding Eva Stratt,” the 47-year-old said. “I think we mainly talked about responsibility and enabling somebody else to believe in themselves, and about what it means to be professional and to be a leader. But how she would move or how she would talk — all of these things, we found on set while playing with each other.”
The filmmakers even used earbuds to give actors real-time guidance in some scenes, allowing both Huller and Gosling to experience the character’s power and emotional layers.
Other Inspirations Behind Sandra Huller’s Project Hail Mary Role
Huller also said she drew inspiration from other fictional figures, like Morgan Freeman’s character in Se7en, but Scully was her main reference for a pioneering female scientist.
“He’s this detective who’s very present and warm, but he would never talk about his feelings or anything,” Hüller said of Morgan’s iconic detective character. “He’s just very present and helpful and guiding.”
Anderson’s Scully was groundbreaking in the 1990s, portraying a brilliant, composed woman in STEM at a time when roles like that were rare on TV. And now, decades later, Hüller’s Stratt carries that legacy into today’s blockbuster films.
As ‘Project Hail Mary‘ continues its successful run in theaters and looks towards awards season, Huller’s careful approach to Eva Stratt highlights the film’s mix of science, emotional depth, and wide audience appeal.
You might also like to read: ‘Project Hail Mary’ Rockets To $80 Million Premiere, Biggest Non-Franchise Opening Since ‘Oppenheimer’
