TV 2 months ago

Gillian Anderson’s Late Realization About The X-Files

Discover Gillian Anderson's journey from The X-Files to acclaimed roles, her reflections on fame, and her diverse career in film and television.

Gillian Anderson is primarily recognized for her role in The X-Files, but she has admitted that there was a period when she didn’t fully value the sci-fi series. In a recent episode of the Smartless podcast, hosted by actors Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes, Anderson reflected on this experience.

At first, she felt overwhelmed by the constant praise for the show. “When you're in that position, all anyone says is, 'Oh my god. The show. It's incredible!' You just want to tune it out,” she shared. It wasn't until about five years after the series concluded that she truly recognized its significance. “I suddenly understood what people meant; I thought, 'Yeah, that was pretty cool. I was part of this amazing show,'” Anderson recalled.

The X-Files aired from 1993 to 2002, with a revival in 2016, adding two more seasons. Throughout the series, Anderson portrayed Dana Scully, an FBI agent who teamed up with David Duchovny’s Fox Mulder to explore mysterious cases in this 15-time Emmy-winning program.

She mentioned needing time away from the role after being so immersed in it for years. “When you're on a long-running show, everything gets intertwined. You feel like you're living and breathing this entire experience,” Anderson explained. After nine years, she felt it was time to move on.

Initially, she compartmentalized her experience with the show. “I wanted to move past it and pursue what I envisioned for my career before accepting that role,” she stated, expressing her desire to act in Merchant Ivory films and other projects.

Despite her mixed feelings at the start, Anderson now recognizes the impact that The X-Files had on her career. In a previous interview with Variety, she reflected on her early days: “I was inexperienced and young, just figuring things out. I stepped onto this hit show, and it was my first serious job; it felt like a whirlwind.”

Aside from her iconic role as Scully, Anderson has taken on notable characters, including Margaret Thatcher in The Crown (2020), Eleanor Roosevelt in The First Lady (2022), and Jean Milburn, a sex therapist in Sex Education (2019-2023).