Gillian Anderson Biography

Gillian Anderson
Biography

Birth Name
Gillian Leigh Anderson
Date of birth (location)
9 August 1968
Chicago, Illinois, USA

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Attractive red-haired Gillian Anderson was brought up in London. Her family eventually returned to the United States, where she became involved in community theatre, and studied at DePaul University.

Anderson went from anonymity to cult favorite practically overnight. After picking up a Theatre World Award for her Off-Broadway debut in "Absent Friends" (1991), she made her way to Los Angeles where a role in the little-seen feature "The Turning" (1992) and a guest spot on the Fox drama series "Class of '96" (1993) preceded her landing the star-making role of FBI agent and forensics expert Dr. Dana Scully on Fox's successful paranormal crime drama, "The X-Files" (1993-2002).

Teamed with David Duchovny as investigators of unexplained phenomena, the actress brought intelligence, restraint and a strong note of skepticism to her character and proved an excellent foil to her more credulous partner. While the show was slow in achieving cult status and critical cachet, by mid-second season, it had become a solid success. Anderson went on to amass several accolades for her work including a 1997 Emmy and reprised the role in the big screen outing "The X-Files: Fight the Future" (1998).

Rather than cash in on sure-money parts trading on her small screen persona, Anderson aggressively pursued eccentric feature roles, proving to be a chameleonic actress. Called "the thinking man's crumpet" by the English press for her work as Scully, she took a cameo as a big-haired working-class girl wrangling with her boyfriend in "Chicago Cab" (1997) and made an even stronger impression as an alcoholic biker chick in "The Mighty" (1998).

Anderson then took her biggest change-of-pace leap in Willard Carroll's character-driven comedy-drama "Playing By Heart" (also 1998) as a romance-leery theater director whose barbs somehow do not deter Jon Stewart, her architect-suitor. In an ensemble that included such heavyweights as Sean Connery, Ellen Burstyn and Gena Rowlands, among others, she more than acquitted herself. Undoubtedly, this actress will continue exercising a determined purposefulness in her choice of future roles that will prepare her for a well-rounded, post-Scully career.

In fact, Anderson found the vehicle that proved she could carry a film when she undertook the role of Lily Bart in "The House of Mirth" (2000). Although funded by Showtime, the feature received rapturous reviews when it played at various film festivals and was slated for a theatrical release in 2000. As the frivolous Wharton heroine under the direction of Terence Davies, Anderson delivered a beautifully nuanced performance that sparked talk of end-of-year award consideration, but somehow her brilliant performance went overlooked.

For all her television success, Anderson has not abandoned the stage. She took part in Eve Ensler's The Vagina Monologues and starred in Michael Weller's play "What The Night is For" staged in London in November 2002.

Anderson wed Clyde Klotz in January of 1994. Shortly thereafter the two had a child, Piper Anderson. The couple divorced in 1997.

She was chosen by "People" magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World in 1997.

She has a younger sister, Zoe and a younger brother, Aaron who suffers from neurofibromatosis - she has done work to encourage government to increase funding for research.

Gillian and her boyfriend, Mark Griffiths, became the parents of a premature baby boy, Oscar, on November 1, 2006 at London's Portland Hospital. Oscar weighed in at 6 lbs. 8 oz.