At the top of today’s The X-Files session on the Fox lot, Gillian Anderson got the elephant in the room out of the way: Why is this her last season of the The X-Files?

“Why? There’s lots of things I want to do in my life and in my career,” she replied. “It’s been an extraordinary character, but there’s lots of things to do and I don’t want to be tied down doing one thing.”

Anderson said she didn’t feel like the last six episodes repped the proper means to go out.

“As [series creator] Chris [Carter] has said, that short stack of episodes felt like learning to walk again, and the decision of 10 felt like a pace where we’re up and running.

“It wasn’t suggested that now is a new series,” said Anderson to the TCA press corps. “But I’m serious. I’m finished.”

Carter wasn’t at the panel today as his house in Montecito was evacuated due to the post-wildfire flooding.

Glen and Darin Morgan mentioned that they haven’t finished production on the limited series but have shot Anderson’s ending.

How does she feel about it?

“I’m not sure how to answer that,” said Anderson. “That’s a good question.” Carter has mentioned in interviews that he wouldn’t want to do more X-Files without Anderson.

Anderson also mentioned that she won’t be starring in any more American Gods on Starz. What’s next? TBD.

As for the other X-Files lead, David Duchovny has an album coming out and a tour upcoming. In the summer, he’s going to try to mount another indie feature directorial based on his book Bucky F*cking Dent. The last film that Duchovny directed was 2004’s House of D with then-wife Tea Leoni and the late Robin Williams.