Ultimate Pop Culture Wiki
Register
Advertisement

Gillian Leigh Anderson (born August 9, 1968) is an American actress. After beginning her career in theatre, Anderson achieved international recognition for her role asSpecial Agent Dana Scully on the American television series The X-Files. Her film work includes The House of Mirth (2000), The Mighty Celt (2005), The Last King of Scotland (2006), and two X-Files films, The X-Files (1998) and The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008). In 2013, Anderson became a recurring character on Hannibal and in 2014, she began starring in Crisis, which was cancelled half way through it's first season on May 9th, 2014, with the final episode airing June 21st.

Anderson has received five Primetime Emmy Awards nominations winning one and five Golden Globe Awards nominations with one win.

Contents[]

 [hide*1 Early life

Early life[edit][]

Anderson was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Rosemary Anderson (née Lane), a computer analyst, and Homer Edward "Ed" Anderson III, who owned a film post-production company.[2][3] She has EnglishGerman, and Irish ancestry.[4] Soon after her birth, her family moved to Puerto Rico for 15 months; her family then moved to theUnited Kingdom where she lived until she was 11 years old. She lived for five years in Rosebery Gardens, Crouch End, London, and for 15 months in Albany Road, Stroud Green, London,[5] so that her father could attend the London Film School. She was a pupil of Coleridge Primary School. When Anderson was 11 years old, her family moved again, this time to Grand Rapids, Michigan.[6] She attended Fountain Elementary and then City High-Middle School, a program for gifted students with a strong emphasis on the humanities; she graduated in 1986.[5]

Like some other actors (notably Linda Thorson and John Barrowman) Anderson is bidialectal. With her English accent and background, Anderson was mocked and felt out of place in the American Midwest and soon adopted a Midwest accent. To this day, her accent depends on her location — for instance, in an interview with Jay Leno she spoke in an American accent, but shifted it for an interview with Michael Parkinson.[7][8][9]

Anderson was interested in marine biology,[5] but began acting her freshman year in high school productions, and later in community theater, and served as a student intern at the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre & School of Theatre Arts. She attended The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago (formerly the Goodman School of Drama), where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1990.[10] She also participated in theNational Theatre of Great Britain's summer program at Cornell University.[5]

Anderson's brother died in 2011 of a brain tumor, at the age of 30.[11][12]

Career[edit][]

1990s[edit][]

Anderson moved to New York when she was 22 years old.[13] To support herself when she started her career, Anderson worked as a waitress. She began her career in Alan Ayckbourn's play, Absent Friends at the Manhattan Theatre Club alongside Brenda Blethyn; she won the 1990–91 Theatre World "Newcomer" Award for her role.[5] Her next theatrical role was in Christopher Hampton's The Philanthropist at the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven, Connecticut.[14] Anderson moved to Los Angeles in 1992, spending a year auditioning. Although she had once vowed she would never do TV, being out of work for a year changed her mind.[15] Anderson did Home Fires Burning for a cable station, as well as the audio book version of Exit to Eden. She broke into mainstream television in 1993, with a guest appearance on the collegiate drama, Class of '96, on the fledgling Fox Network.[15]

As a result of her guest appearance in Class of 96, Anderson was sent the script for The X Files at the age of 24. She decided to audition because "for the first time in a long time, the script involved a strong, independent, intelligent woman as a lead character." Producer Chris Carter wanted to employ her, but Fox wanted someone with previous TV exposure and greater sex appeal.[16] Fox sent in more actresses, but Carter stood by Anderson, and she was eventually cast as Special Agent Dana Scully. Anderson got the part assuming it would run for 13 episodes, the standard minimum order for American TV networks. Filmed for the first five seasons in Vancouver before moving to Los Angeles, the series would run for nine seasons, and included two films, released in 1998 and 2008. During her time on The X Files, Anderson won several awards for her portrayal of Special Agent Scully, including an Emmy Award,[17] Golden Globe and two Screen Actors Guild awards for "Best Actress in a Drama Series." While filming, Anderson met assistant art director Clyde Klotz,[5] whom she would eventually marry.

In 1997 Anderson worked on the independent film Chicago Cab. In 1998 she starred in the film Playing by Heart with Sean ConneryAngelina Jolie,[15] Ellen Burstyn and Anthony Edwards. Anderson also had a supporting role in the film, The Mighty with Gena RowlandsHarry Dean StantonJames Gandolfini and Sharon Stone.[5]

In 1999, Anderson had a supporting role in the English-language release of Hayao Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke, where she voiced the character of Moro. Anderson is a fan of Miyazaki's work.[18] She also took part in Eve Ensler's The Vagina Monologues.[19]

2000–present[edit][]

In 2000, Anderson starred in the film The House of Mirth with Eric Stoltz, an adaptation of the Edith Wharton novel of the same name, where she won such awards as the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress, also British Independent Film Award for Best Actress and Village Voice Film Poll Best Lead Performance.[15]

[1][2]Anderson at the stage door for the play The Sweetest Swing In Baseball in 2004.

When The X-Files ended, Anderson performed in several stage productions and worked on various film projects. She has participated in narrative work for documentaries on scientific topics. In 2005, she appeared as Lady Dedlock in the BBC television adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel Bleak House,[15] had a starring role in the Irish film The Mighty Celt (for which she won an IFTA award for Best International Actress) and performed in A Cock and Bull Story, a film version of the novel Tristram Shandy.[15] In 2006, Anderson was nominated for a British Academy Television Award (BAFTA) for Best Actress and won the Broadcasting Press Guild Television and Radio Award for Best Actress for her role in Bleak House.[15]Anderson also received an Emmy nomination for "Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie" for her performance as Lady Dedlock. She was nominated for a Golden Satellite Award and Golden Globe for her performance in Bleak House and came in second place in the Best Actress category of the 2005 BBC Drama website poll for her performance as Lady Dedlock (Billie Piper came in first and Anna Maxwell Martin came in third).[15]

During 2006 and 2007, Anderson appeared in two British films: The Last King of Scotland with James McAvoy[15][20] (2006) and Straightheads with Danny Dyer (2007).[21] Anderson hosted Masterpiece Theatre during the Jane Austen series.[22] From December 2007 to March 11, 2008, Anderson filmed The X-Files: I Want to Believe.[23] Anderson portrayed Nora in Ibsen's A Doll's House at the Donmar Warehouse in London's West End during a limited engagement which ran from May 14, 2009 until July 18, 2009.[24][25] Anderson had a nomination for Best Actress in the Lawrence Olivier Awards 2010, for productions which opened in the 2009 calendar year for her portrayal of Nora.[26] In April 2011 she starred in the BBC adaptation The Crimson Petal and the White as Mrs. Castaway.

Anderson appears as the head of MI7 Pamela Thornton in Johnny English Reborn, which opened internationally in Australia on September 15, 2011,[27] and to some acclaim as Miss Havisham in a three-part BBC adaptation of Great Expectations that aired in late December 2011.[28][29][30] In May 2013, Anderson appeared in the lead role in The Fall, a drama serial for BBC Two and RTÉ ONE.[31] She took part as a recurring character in Hannibal, portraying Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier.

Personal life[edit][]

[3][4]Anderson pregnant with her son Felix at the premiere of The X-Files: I Want to Believe, July 25, 2008===Relationships[edit]===

Anderson married her first husband, Clyde KlotzThe X-Files series assistant art director, on New Year's Day, 1994, in Hawaii in a Buddhist ceremony. They had a daughter, Piper Maru (born September 1994), for whom Chris Carter named the X-Files episode of the same name, and divorced in 1997.[32] In December 2004, Anderson married Julian Ozanne, a documentary filmmaker, on Lamu Island, off the coast of Kenya. Anderson announced their separation on April 21, 2006.[33] Anderson and former boyfriend, Mark Griffiths, have two sons: Oscar, born November 2006[34] and Felix, born October 2008.[35] She ended their relationship in 2012.[36] In March 2012, Anderson told Out magazine about her past relationship with a girl while in high school.[37]

Celebrity ratings[edit][]

In 1996, Anderson was voted the "Sexiest Woman in the World" for FHM'100 Sexiest Women poll.[38] In 1997, she was chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World.[39] Askmen listed her at No. 6 on their Top 7: '90s Sex Symbols.[40] In 2008, she was listed 21st in FHM'All Time 100 Sexiest Hall of Fame.[41]

Activism and charity work[edit][]

Anderson is an honorary spokesperson for the Neurofibromatosis Network.[42] Her brother Aaron died from the disease and was diagnosed when Gillian was just a teenager. She also supports Children with Tumours,[43] a new UK group devoted to helping children with NF.[44] She is also a member of the board of directors for Artists for a New South Africa and a campaigner for ACTSA: Action for Southern Africa. Anderson is an active member of PETA, and supports animal rights.[45] She also supports tribal rights charity Survival Internationalleading to her performance in a London stage fundraiser in early 2010.[46] In late 2010, Anderson and other celebrities joined a campaign to boycott Botswana diamonds over the government's treatment of the Kalahari San.[47] On February 2011, Anderson narrated a short film about recent footage of an uncontacted tribe.[48] The Amazon Indians were spotted from the air on the Brazil-Peru border. Anderson has said, "What comes across powerfully from this amazing footage is how healthy and confident these people appear. I hope they can be left alone – but that will only happen if the loggers are stopped."[49] In June 2011, Anderson became an ambassador for Survival.[50] Anderson has also been active in the LGBT community, particularly with youth.[51] During the Fall 2013, Anderson also joined the Fishlove campaign, urging to fight unsustainable fishing practices that harm the marine ecosystem.[52]

For International Women's Day 2014, Anderson is one of the artist signatories of Amnesty International's letter to UK Prime Minister David Cameron campaigning for women's rights in Afghanistan.[53]

Filmography[edit][]

Film[edit][]

Year Title Role Notes
1986 Three at Once Woman 1 Short film
1988 A Matter of Choice Unknown Short film
1992 The Turning April Cavanaugh
1997 Chicago Cab, aka Hellcab Southside Girl or Brenda
1998 The X-Files Dana Scully
1998 The Mighty Loretta Lee
1998 Playing by Heart Meredith
1999 Princess Mononoke Moro Voice
1999 Harsh Realm Video Narrator Voice (uncredited)
2000 The House of Mirth Lily Bart
2005 The Mighty Celt Kate
2005 A Cock and Bull Story Herself/Widow Wadman
2006 The Last King of Scotland Sarah Merrit
2007 Straightheads, aka Closure Alice Comfort
2008 The X-Files: I Want to Believe Dana Scully
2008 How to Lose Friends & Alienate People Eleanor Johnson
2009 Boogie Woogie Jean Maclestone
2010 No Pressure Herself Short film
2011 Johnny English Reborn Pamela Thornton
2012 Sister Kristin Jansen
2012 Shadow Dancer Kate Fletcher
2013 Mr. Morgan's Last Love Karen
2013 From Up On Poppy Hill[54] Hana Matsuzaki (voice)
2013 I'll Follow You Down Marika
2014 Sold Sophia
2014 Our Robot Overlords Kate Filming

Television[edit][]

Year Title Role Notes
1993 Class of '96 Rachel Episode: "The Accused"
1993–2002 The X-Files Dana Scully 202 episodes
1995 Eek! the Cat Agent Scully Episode: "Eek Space 9"
1996 ReBoot Data Nully Episode: "Trust No One"
1996 Future Fantastic Herself 9 episodes
1996–2002 Hollywood Squares Herself 5 episodes
1997 The Simpsons Agent Scully (voice) Episode: "The Springfield Files"
1999 Frasier Jenny Episode: "Dr. Nora"
2005 Bleak House Lady Dedlock 14 episodes
2008 Masterpiece Herself Episode: "Sense and Sensibility"
2010 Any Human Heart Duchess of Windsor 3 episodes
2011 The Crimson Petal and the White Mrs. Castaway 2 episodes
2011 Moby Dick Elizabeth 2 episodes
2011 Great Expectations Miss Havisham 3 episodes
2013 The Fall Stella Gibson 11 episodes
2013–present Hannibal Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier 9 episodes
2014 Crisis Meg Fitch 10 episodes
2014 Robot Chicken Fairy Godmother Episode: "Up, Up, and Buffet"

Stage[edit][]

Other[edit][]

  • Wrote and directed the X-Files episode "all things".
  • Provided the voice for the ship's computer in the 1996 video game Hellbender by Terminal Reality and Microsoft.
  • Compiled a collection of electronica music inspired by Future Fantastic, entitled Future: A Journey Through The Electronic Underground. Contributed vocals to one track "Extremis", with music by HAL. The song was distributed by EMI Records in 1997. It was a minor hit in both the UK[56] and Australia.
  • Appeared in two X-Files games, The X-Files Game and provided her voice and likeness for The X-Files: Resist or Serve.
  • Provided the voice for Jenny in the sitcom Frasier, Jenny calls Frasier's show for advice about her boyfriend.
  • Provided the voice for Moro in the English dub of the Japanese anime Princess Mononoke.
  • Read books Exit to Eden and The X-Files: Ground Zero.
  • Narrated movie about the release of footage of uncontacted Indians on the Brazil-Peru border, as part of Survival International's campaign to protect some of the world's last uncontacted tribes.
  • Provides voice work on the children's short animated film "Room on the Boom". (Magic Light Pictures Ltd & Orange Eyes Ltd 2012)

Awards and nominations[edit][]

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Gillian Anderson==Discography[edit]==

  • Hal Featuring Gillian Anderson - Extremis (Virgin Records America - 1997)
Advertisement