Perhaps best known for her role as Agent Dana Scully in The X-Files, Gillian Anderson was born on August 9, 1968 in Chicago, Illinois. She initially dreamed of becoming a marine biologist, but she eventually took up an acting career, starting in high school and community plays, and at one point becoming an intern at the Grand Rapids Civic Theater in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She trained in acting at The Theater School at Chicago’s DePaul University, where she graduated in 1990.
Anderson moved to New York when she was 22 years old, and began taking on roles in different stage productions. She then moved to Los Angeles, where she spent a year auditioning, until she took television roles despite earlier vowing never to act for the small screen. In 1993, she had a guest appearance on the collegiate drama Class of ’96, which led to her being approached for a role in the science fiction drama The X-Files.
Anderson was impressed with the story, which had a “strong, intelligent, independent woman as a lead character.” The show’s producer, Chris Carter, stood by her casting while network executives wanted a more experienced actress. Her role as FBI Special Agent Dana Scully—the skeptical agent who prefers to believe what science can prove—won her several awards, including an Emmy, a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Drama Actress. She also played the role in a 1998 film tied in to the program.
The X-Files ended in 2002, after which she pursued more roles on stage and film. She appeared in the BBC’s 2005 adaptation of Charles Dickens’ novel Bleak House, where she played Lady Dedlock. Her performance earned her nominations from the BAFTA Awards and the Emmys for Best Actress in a Miniseries. She recently appeared in The Last King of Scotland and Straightheads, and currently host of the PBS drama series Masterpiece.
Her favourite X-Files episodes are "Triangle" and "Bad Blood".
Her tattoos include a Tahitian tribal symbol on the inside of her right ankle, the words "every day" in Sanskrit on her right wrist, and a "P" on her left hip.
She is an avid art collector.
In high school, Gillian was voted "Class Clown" and "Most Bizarre Girl."
The X-Files' episode "Piper Maru" was named after Gillian's daughter.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Emmy Awards, 1997 (The X-Files)
Best Actress - Drama Series, Golden Globe Awards, 1997 (The X-Files)
Best Actress - Drama Series, Screen Actors Guild Awards, 1996 (The X-Files)
Best Actress - Drama Series, Screen Actors Guild, 1997 (The X-Files)
Three at Once (1986), B&W student production, as "Woman 1"
A Matter of Choice (1988), B&W student production
The Turning (1992), as "April Cavanaugh"
Chicago Cab, aka Hellcab (1998), as "Southside Girl" (or "Brenda")
The Mighty (1998), as "Loretta Lee"
The X-Files: Fight the Future (1998), as "Dana Scully"
Playing by Heart (1998), as "Meredith"
Mononoke Hime (1997), aka Princess Mononoke (English language version, 1999), voice, as "Moro"
The House of Mirth (2000), as "Lily Bart"
The Mighty Celt (2005), as "Kate"
A C*ck and Bull Story (2005) as "Gillian Anderson/Widow Wadman"
Bleak House (2005) as "Lady Dedlock"
The Last King of Scotland (2006), as "Sarah Merrit"
Straightheads, aka Closure (2007) as "Alice Comfort"
How to Lose Friends and Alienate People (2008), as "Eleanor Johnson"[11]
Boogie Woogie (Unknown release date, finished shooting 2nd November 2007), as "Jean Maclestone"
The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008), as "Dana Scully"[12]
Gellhorn (2010) as "Martha Gellhorn"
- I want to be Harry Potter. I want to go to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I want to do it all because Harry lives in the coolest world. But my daughter, who so badly wants to fly, would have to live there with me.
-Somehow, I have no idea how the transition was made from wanting to be an archeologist or a marine biologist, to wanting to be an actress, but it just kind of happened.
-So much of this world is based on illusion, temporariness, and disposability that I think it's essential that our closest relationships reflect what is real.
-People generally treat me like I'm very intelligent and really, I'm much less intelligent than she is. Scully is insanely intelligent.