 Gilligan wanted to try a " different " approach to The X @-@ Files with " Hungry " by telling the main story through the eyes of the monster . Actor Chad Donella , who portrayed the monster , was chosen because he possessed a " subtle , interesting quality , " according to casting director Rick Millikan . Manners was pleased with Donella 's performance , calling him a " great little actor . " Because both David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson were filming movies , Return to Me and The House of Mirth respectively , the production company decided to film " Hungry " before any of the other episodes , despite the fact that it would be aired third , after the conclusion of " The Sixth Extinction " arc . 
