Gillian Anderson is the actress
who plays Special Agent Dana Scully, on the Fox Network's
"The X-Files" on Friday nights.
2. How is Gillian pronounced?
Jill'-ee-un.
3. Where does she come from?
Gillian was born on August 9,
1968 in Chicago, IL, to Ed and Rosemary Anderson and is one of
3 children. She lived in Puerto
Rico, and then in London, so her father could attend a film school
there (Her family still owns
a flat there). At age 11 she moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan,
where she attended elementary
and then high school. She then moved to Chicago where she went
to college and once she had
gained her BFA she then moved to New York, N.Y. where she made
several theater performances
and then to Los Angeles in about '91/'92. Upon gaining the role of
Dana Scully, Gillian then relocated
to Nth Vancouver, Canada where she now resides with her
husband and daughter.
4. What is her educational background?
Gillian attended Fountain Elementary
and then City High in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After
graduating in 1986 she moved
to Chicago and attended the Goodman Theater School at DePaul
University (a major theater
conservatory), in Chicago, IL where she obtained her Bachelor of
Fine Arts degree. While attending
DePaul Univeristy, she also studied at the summer program at
the National Theater of Great
Britain at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y.
5. Vital Statistics?
Gillian is 5'2 ", smallish build,
auburn hair, hazel eyes (although they appear to change color
regularly, but that is probably
due to different lighting) cute nose, fair complexion(slightly
freckled), perfect lips, yatta
yatta yatta ;)
6. Is Gillian married?
Yes, after an engagement that
lasted "shorter than a month but longer then a week," with, well she
wants it kept quiet.... Anyway
they met on the set of the X-Files where he worked for several of
the early episodes and the couple
tied the knot on New Years Day (1994) on a golf course in
Hawaii.
"We kept it
very, very small. In fact, it was just the two of us and a Buddhist priest
on
the 17th
hole of this golf course in Hawaii"
7. Is Gillian pregnant?
She was yes. (The last episode
she appeared pregnant in was EP #06 of Season 2.) Gillian was
due on the 09/13 and gave birth
on 09/25/94.
8. What was the baby named?
Gillian gave birth by Cesarean
on the 09/25/94, to a baby girl, 8 lb. 10 oz, named Piper
Anderson.
9. How did she get into acting? How did she get the role of Dana Scully?
After initially wanting to be
a marine biologist, at about age 17, she was in "a couple of
auditions" in the Grand Rapids
Community Theater, where she was "cast in a couple of things,"
and from then it was as if she
"had never thought about marine biology." While studying for her
Bachelor of Fine Arts at DePaul
University, Gillian spent some time in the National Theater of
Great Britain. During this time,
she also had a role in a film named "The Turning" in 1988. After
receiving her degree, she moved
to New York and embarked on a serious career in theater -
including an off-broadway production
of Alan Ayckbourne's "Absent Friends," for which she
won a Theater World award in
1991. She also appeared in "The Philanthropist" at the Long
Wharf Theater in New Haven,
Connecticut. Gillian then moved to Los Angeles and spent a year
auditioning for various things,
during which time she did "Home Fires Burning" for a cable
station as well as the audiocassette
version of "Exit to Eden" by Anne Rice. Although she had
once vowed she would "never
do TV", and seemed set on a career in film or theater, being out of
work for a year or so changed
her mind and she had a role in an episode of "Class of '96" and
then was impressed enough by
the role of Dana Scully that she auditioned for the role.
"The chance
to play FBI Special Agent Dana Scully was the series key attraction, I
was reading
something that for the first time in a long time involved a strong,
independent
intelligent woman as a lead character"
The auditioning went well and
it seems Chris Carter had decided on casting Gillian for the role.
The network (FOX) "freaked"
at the possibility of casting someone with as little TV experience
as Gillian and also appeared
to be looking for someone more "bimboish". So they flew in more
actresses from New York, but
Chris stood his ground and they cast Gillian as Special Agent
Dana Scully. Gillian, who was
also somewhat surprised at being cast said, "I was convinced
they were looking for someone
leggier, and with a bigger chest." (Thank god for Chris Carter and
small miracles...) Gillian is
enjoying working on the show, even if it was a little stressful at first
and sees the recognition she
has been getting as a great step which will open many doors for her,
as her goal is to do some more
theater as well as feature and independent films eventually. (in an
X-Files movie we all hope) :)
10. What
is Gillian's view on the possibility of the phenomenon covered on
the show?
A quote from GA can sum it up better than I could:
"The more
I get comfortable with the character, the more she's becoming like me in
some of her
mannerisms. I'm *not* that much of a skeptic. I do believe in UFO's, I
do
believe in
certain paranormal phenomena, like ESP and psychokinesis and all that.
I've
always been
fascinated with it and I think, on a certain level, I've just known or
assumed it
to be reality. In that respect we're very different. I think that I have
a
tendency
to get as single-minded and obsessed with my work as Dana does, but in
a
different
way. She's a medical doctor and an FBI agent and I'm an actress."
Also Gillian has said that when
she was in Hawaii getting married she spent a lot of time
watching the sky looking for
"them", and that she is "a full fledged believer" in addition to being
"one of the least straight laced
people you will ever meet." So yes, it's safe to say Gillian's view
on such phenomenon is that anything
is possible.
11. What is Gillian Anderson like???
From all reports she is a very
intelligent, hardworking, and charming woman with an easygoing
and bubbly personality (in other
words a heartbreaker to us guys) who genuinely enjoys her work
even though she found the schedule
of working in a weekly show very stressful at first, though
you wouldn't guess it from her
consistently exemplary performances. She is also very open and
honest, as well as having a
quirky and charming sense of humor. Glen Morgan has referred to her
as "very smart" and Chris Carter
is also impressed by how hardworking she is. Gillian was at
work each day up until two days
before the birth of Piper. She took 6 weeks off to recover and
spend some time at home.
12. Does Gillian Anderson know that the GATB exists?
Yes, she does know the GATB exists,
and this is what she said in an article, "The X-Philes,"
from Starlog Platinum #4, November
1994. (Shamelessly stolen from Julianne Lee.)
Anderson is
surprised, though she says it's flattering. "It's something I certainly
didn't
expect,"
she says, "especially with Scully. She's independent and she's passionate
about her
work. The character is not just a little bit of those attributes, she's
very much
so. I find
it terrific that some people should find that stimulating."
and also from the Sacramento
Bee,10/09/94 "Creepy, smart "X-Files" Inspires a cult following"
by Steve Pond:
And while
the actors aren't quite so computer literate, they are aware of the attention.
"I've been
told that on one of the computer services there's something called the
Gillian
Anderson
Testosterone Brigade," says Anderson with a laugh. "That just tickles me."
What can I say but... :)
13. What is Gillian's phone number/Email address, etc?
Her phone number is unknown,
which is just as well I think. From all reports Gillian isn't on any
computer service, but I asked
if she had an Email address in my letter anyway...not that I'd tell
any of you (if I ever get a
reply) :) As far as a contact address for fan mail, gifts and such:
Gillian Anderson
c/o The X-Files Production Office
Building 10
110-555 Brooks Bank Avenue,
North Vancouver, BC,
V7J 3S5, Canada.