Gillian Anderson Movies
When actress Gillian Anderson landed the role of Agent Scully for the Fox television series X-Files (1993- ) she could not have foreseen that within two years she would become an internationally known cult phenomenon. She was born in Chicago, but moved to London at age two and remained there until she was in her early teens. She and her family then moved to Grand Rapids, MI, where she rebelliously got heavily into the punk rock scene complete with spiky, brilliantly colored hair and body piercings with safety pins. When she was 14, she became romantically involved with a 20-year-old punk singer and occasionally sang in his band. Her punk period lasted through high school. Following graduation, she got involved in local theater and from there studied fine arts at the Goodman Theater School of Drama at Chicago's DePaul University. Following graduation, she moved to New York where she waited tables and appeared in off-Broadway plays, most notably in Absent Friends, in which she had a starring role that won her a Theater World Award. Anderson made her film debut in 1992 with the low-budget drama The Turning. She then appeared in a theatrical production of The Philanthropist and after that moved to Los Angeles. Though she was frequently courted for television roles, Anderson disdained the medium until the X-Files audition came along. Though the producers were looking for a brainy version of a Baywatch girl, the beautiful but more natural looking (having long passed her outrageous days) Anderson got the role thanks to the insistence of the show's creator Chris Carter. The show became a smash hit within two seasons and Anderson found herself an international star, as did her co-star David Duchovny, the subject of numerous pages on the Internet, and the recipient of such awards as a Golden Globe, an Emmy, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In addition to continuing work on the X-Files, Anderson hosted a couple of television specials, including More Secrets of the X-Files and the BBC documentary series Future Fantastic. She also lent her voice as a documentary narrator on Spies Above and as a guest character on the television series The Simpsons and Reboot. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide- 2007
Director Dan Reed's revenge thriller Straightheads constitutes a long, penetrating meditation on the psychological fallout experienced by two attack victims. This cathartically ultraviolent picture opens on a deceptively placid note - with romance blossoming between Alice (Gillian Anderson) and a much younger electrician, Adam (Danny Dyer). When the pair's relaxing sojourn at a country estate leads to a skirmish with a trio of backwoods toughs, Danny is beaten unconscious and scarred, and Alice brutally raped. In an attempt to cope with the trauma, the two put their heads together, pack guns, and venture out to the scene of the attack - where they plan to find the responsible parties and turn the tables by exacting an ugly toll of sexual violence on their psychotic victimizers. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gillian Anderson, Danny Dyer, (more)
Concert for Diana captures a 2007 tribute to the deceased Diana Spencer, the former Princess of Wales. Among the many performers who appear on the bill are Nelly Furtado, Elton John, Duran Duran, Rod Stewart, and Kanye West. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Prince William, Prince Harry, (more)
A young boy from a broken home learns the harsh realities of life after adopting an awkward greyhound and befriending a mysterious figure from his mother's past in this tender coming of age story starring Gillian Anderson, Robert Carlyle, and Tyrone McKenna. Donal (McKenna) and his single mother Kate (Anderson) share a small home in Belfast. When their finances start to dwindle, Donal goes to work for local dog trainer Good Joe (Ken Stott) to help make ends meet. Despite the benevolence that his name implies, Good Joe is anything but, and has a reputation for going back on his word. So when Good Joe recognizes Donal's special connection to dogs and offers him the "Mighty Celt" if the canine can win three races in a row, the boy is understandably wary. Things start to look up, however, as the races get underway and a man named O (Carlyle) returns to strike up a warm friendship with Donal. It's obvious from the onset that Good Joe is suspicious of O, and Donal's mother Kate makes no secret of the fact that she would rather O had never returned to town. In the aftermath of a dramatic revelation that will change the lives of all involved, young Donal learns that not all stories have a happy ending. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gillian Anderson, Robert Carlyle, (more)
A trio of orphans becomes embroiled in a mysterious and long-running lawsuit in this sprawling BBC adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel. A legend in the legal circles of Victorian London, the messy inheritance case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce has been trickling through the courts for years with no end in sight. Nobleman John Jarndyce (Denis Lawson) has seen the case destroy more than one life, so when he becomes guardian to three young people -- beautiful Ada Clare (Carey Mulligan), Ada's cousin Richard Carstone (Patrick Kennedy), and her devoted companion, Esther Summerson (Anna Maxwell Martin) -- he vows to shield them from its pernicious effects by bringing them to the safety of his estate, the eponymous Bleak House. Richard, however, becomes obsessed with the unattainable Jarndyce inheritance, to the detriment of his career and mental health. Esther, meanwhile, remains haunted by her origins; the product of a scandalous pregnancy, she was raised by her aunt and knows nothing about her dead mother's identity. Meanwhile, imperious noblewoman Lady Dedlock (Gillian Anderson) plots to hide the evidence of her own mysterious past -- a quest that leads her to the intrigue surrounding Jarndyce and Jarndyce. She is but one of dozens of characters who find themselves drawn into the lawsuit's web of corruption, blackmail, and murder. Bleak House debuted October 27, 2005, on BBC One. It received its U.S. premiere on January 22, 2006, on PBS's Masterpiece Theatre, where the 15 British episodes were combined into six longer blocks. Britain's Royal Television Society named the series Best Drama Serial of 2005. A previous adaptation of Dickens' novel ran on Masterpiece Theatre in 1985. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gillian Anderson, Patrick Kennedy, (more)
Now you can rent or own the entire ninth season of THE X-FILES. All 19 classic episodes (including the 2-hour series finale) are available for the first time in this exclusive 7-disc collector's edition. From the revelation about Scully's baby in 'Nothing Important Happened Today' and the mystery surrounding the murder of Agent Doggett's son in 'Release' to Mulder's final confrontation with those who would deny 'The Truth,' these Season Nine episodes are a must for every X-Files fan!
- Starring:
- Gillian Anderson, Robert Patrick, (more)
- 2000
Series regular Gillian Anderson made her X-Files writing and directing debut with the April 9, 2000, episode "all things." Not surprisingly, the episode focuses on Agent Scully, as she seriously begins to question the choices she has made in her professional and personal life. Scully's journey of self-discovery is triggered by a chance encounter with her former teacher, Dr. Daniel Waterston (Nicholas Surovy), the first of several coincidental events. Colleen Flynn guest stars as crop circle researcher Colleen Azar, who may hold the answer to the questions raised in the course of the story. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2000
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This video features the music icon Paul McCartney, with a stellar cast of performers, giving a live benefit concert for PETA. The organization, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, was the special concern of the former Beatle's deceased wife Linda McCartney. The concert honors her memory while it raises funds for an organization that has been embraced by people around the world. The performers include Ricki Lane, Brian McKnight, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ellen DeGeneres, Chrissie Hynde, Sarah McLachlan, and the B-52's. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul McCartney, Jamie Lee Curtis, (more)
- 1999
Christine Baranski makes her first series appearance as Seattle radio therapist Dr. Nora Fairchild, a spoof of a certain well-known, ultraconservative talk-show host. Dr. Nora's outspoken, bullying and predominately homophobic "my way or the highway" radio personality is extremely irritating to many observers, including Frasier (Kelsey Grammer), who to his everlasting regret recommended Nora to the KACL management. Even so, the outrageous Nora dramatically increases the station's ratings -- setting the stage for a riotous showdown between the Doctors Crane and Fairchild. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The seventh season of The X-Files offered more input from its lead characters than any of its predecessors; Gillian Anderson penned and directed the spiritual "All Things," while David Duchovny did the same for "Hollywood A.D." Aside from the actors' directorial jaunts, however, the series became even further immersed in an already-impossible amount of conspiracy theories, government cover-ups, and alien-born afflictions. The season picks up with Scully rushing to find a cure for Mulder's rapid neurological decline, and later offers viewers a resolution to a mystery seven years in the making -- the fate of Mulder's sister, Samantha. There is also no lack of classic X-Files fare; Scully and Mulder are caught on a Cops-style television show as they hunt for what appears to be an escaped werewolf in "X-Cops," and they go on to unearth a complicated heist arranged by rival magicians in "The Amazing Maleeni." To the delight of fans, Mulder and Scully finally consummate their romantic feelings for one another. The X-Files: Season Seven is also notable for being the last season of the series to feature David Duchovny as a lead actor. Though he continued to make appearances in the show's final seasons, the role of Scully's partner would ultimately be filled by Robert Patrick as Special Agent John Doggett. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, (more)
The X-Files: Season Six marked an important moment in the evolution of the series in several ways -- for one, the show's production was moved from Vancouver to Los Angeles, but more importantly, the sixth season followed The X-Files: Fight the Future (i.e. the X-Files feature film). Armed with firsthand experience of the bee-carried alien virus and knowledge of the existence of the most classified government research facility yet, FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) are closer to the heart of the conspiracy than they have ever been. After some of the series' signature lighter fare -- in this case, a body-swapping scenario between Mulder and bored Agent Morris Fletcher (Michael McKean) in "Dreamland" and a tale of a baseball player who may have left his home planet due to love of the game ("The Unnatural") -- the season comes to a head when Scully travels to Africa to find the cause and cure for Mulder's neurological deterioration and finds the long-buried remains of an alien spacecraft. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, (more)
Now five years into their partnership, FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) have developed a bond deep enough to contend with the conspiracy they're faced with both inside and outside their professional lives. Unfortunately, between Scully's cancer and Mulder's guilt regarding his role in her condition, any potential romance is shelved while Mulder searches to find a cure, and Scully, while unsuccessful, comes closer than anyone to proving the government's role in hiding their knowledge of extraterrestrial involvement on Earth from the people of the world. In addition to addressing some of the series' very early mythology, the vast alien cover-up continues to build; ultra-clairvoyant Gibson Praise (Jeff Gulka) is introduced, as well as Cassandra Spender (Veronica Cartwright), Agent Jeffrey Spender (Chris Owens), and Mulder's former flame, Diana Fowley (Mimi Rogers). Despite all the doom and gloom, The X-Files: Season Five nonetheless included some lighter fare, including a much-needed retrospective on Mulder's relationship with The Lone Gunmen, a town obsessed with talk-show host Jerry Springer, and a tale of vampirism as told from Mulder and Scully's wildly differing perspectives. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, (more)
Just when it seemed as though the conspiracy couldn't get any weirder, The X-Files: Season Four brought FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) even more nefarious government escapades with which to contend. In addition to the discovery of the Consortium, an elite international shadow government that includes the mysterious Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis) among its membership, the bureau investigators are now privy to highly dangerous Alien Bounty Hunters, virus-carrying bees, and a cruel Russian experiment involving the extraterrestrial black oil. While Mulder is infected with the oil, Scully finds herself with her own potentially fatal affliction when the neck implant she had removed after her abduction appears to have caused the onset a rare form of cancer; several other alleged abductees, all female, are in the same deadly predicament. Meanwhile, the already small group of people Mulder and Scully trust outside one another continues to dwindle in size -- even the motives of steadfast Assistant Director Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) and Mulder's own mother are in question. In the midst of the cover-up, Mulder and Scully are still faced with their other assignments, which include a strange case of human inbreeding, past lives, shape shifting, and the ability to make oneself invisible. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, (more)
The conspiracy spiraled even further in the third season of The X-Files, which picks up with FBI Agent Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) on a desperate search for her missing partner, Agent Fox Mulder (David Duchovny). Though Mulder was left for dead after having suffered serious bodily harm in a train explosion, a group of Navajo Indians nursed him back to health and offered what help they could to the agents' quest to find the ever-elusive truth. Considered one of the strongest seasons of The X-Files, the 24 episodes in the third season contain some of the most complex and integral aspects of the series' far-reaching mythology, including a heavily encrypted digital tape which may hold the key to government knowledge of intelligent extraterrestrial life, and perhaps even insight into Scully's own abduction. Alien life does, indeed, make an appearance on this season, though not in the form of a little green man. Rather, an insidious, ancient, and alien black oil is unearthed, leaving Mulder and Scully to question its potential impact on humankind, and what the government may already know. Of course, The X-Files wouldn't be complete without its stand-alone, or "monster-of-the-week," episodes, and this season is no exception -- from evil spirits to astral murder and killer cockroaches, The X-Files: Season Three has more than its fair share of earthly, if bizarre, occurrences to its name. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, (more)
With Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) firmly established as the believer and the skeptic, respectively, the second season of The X-Files picks up where the first left off -- with the X-Files closed and both agents in FBI-style exile, forced to work on tedious, non-paranormal assignments. Of course, this doesn't last long; some of the series' most pertinent characters are introduced, such as the seemingly omnipresent Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis), a shadowy informant known only as X, and the double-timing Agent Alex Krycek (Nicholas Lea). The second season also marks the true launch of the complex X-Files mythology, and is home to one of the milestones of the series itself, namely, Agent Scully's own abduction and its far-reaching consequences, including the infamous "Purity Control." Mulder, meanwhile, continues to search for answers regarding his sister's abduction and finds several disturbing clues through visits to his father. Complicating issues further is the existence of a seemingly indestructible -- and quite possibly not of this world -- bounty hunter. Luckily, there are also plenty of monster-of-the-week episodes to turn to when the conspiracy gets too deep. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, (more)
Before the black oil, the Cigarette Smoking Man, and the threat of global alien colonization, there was just Fox "Spooky" Mulder (David Duchovny) researching FBI cases with a paranormal bent in his basement office and Scully (Gillian Anderson), the skeptical agent with a degree in medicine and directions to debunk Mulder's findings. Thus, The X-Files: Season One is relatively devoid of the vast government conspiracy for which the series would become known, and serves mainly as an introduction to the show's two protagonists. Mulder, despite his reputation, is no kook; best in his class and well-known for his criminal profiling abilities, the rogue agent chose his path in hopes of finding his sister, Samantha, whom he witnessed -- or, at least, believes he witnessed -- being abducted by aliens. As eager as Mulder is to find an unearthly solution to his cases, Scully is equally determined to find an answer more consistent with the laws of science. Alone, both agents are somewhat blinded by their respective philosophies, but as partners they are able to complement one another nicely, and Scully's initial task is thrown to the wayside for a deep friendship and mutual respect that would test the boundaries of work, and ultimately the planet itself. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, (more)
- 1992
With his All-American good looks, Cliff (Michael Dolan) has had easy access to the sorts of groups that appealed to him as he traveled around the U.S., mostly Klan and neo-Nazi organizations. He is bitter about his childhood, during which his parents bickered constantly. Now, at 22, he has come back to Pocohantas, Virginia to try and make some peace with his past, if he can, and is disturbed to find that his parents are just finalizing their divorce. His mother (Tess Harper) is taking it particularly badly, having sunk into an alcoholic stupor, and his father (Raymond J. Barry) is getting it on with a new girlfriend (Karen Allen). While steeling himself for a confrontation with his parents, the scary-attractive lad spends some time catching up on things with his old girlfriend (Gillian Anderson). Then, just when one might have expected some long-awaited violence to take place, this slow-paced and almost universally unpopular film unveils a surprise ending. Based on a stage play by Chris Ceraso, the film's highlight seems to be Gillian Anderson's brief appearance. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Karen Allen, Raymond J. Barry, (more)
- 2008
- R
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Frequent Curb Your Enthusiasm director Robert B. Weide makes his feature directorial debut with this screen adaptation of British writer Toby Young's comedic novel of the same name. When self-promoting scribe Sidney Young (Simon Pegg) accepts a position as a contributing editor for iconic fashion magazine "Sharps," his subsequent attempts to ingratiate himself with both his egotistical boss, Clayton Harding, and the superficial celebrities who populate the pages of the magazine prove disastrously hilarious. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Simon Pegg, Kirsten Dunst, (more)
Director Kevin MacDonald teams with screenwriter Jeremy Brock to adapt Giles Foden's novel detailing the brutal reign of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin as seen through the eyes of his personal physician. James McAvoy stars as the doctor who slowly realizes that he is trapped in an inescapable nightmare, and Forest Whitaker assumes the role of the notorious despot. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, (more)
- 2005
- R
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A group of actors and filmmakers set out to adapt an "unfilmable" classic novel -- but find that their own petty concerns get in the way -- in this satirical comedy. Laurence Sterne's 18th century novel The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman told the story of its priggish title character from the moment of conception onward, with a bevy of digressions, distractions, and unfinished anecdotes. In adapting the work for the screen, director Michael Winterbottom chose to stay true to its anarchic spirit: the film begins as a mostly straightforward adaptation of events in Sterne's writings, and then veers into a tale about the making of the film itself. Steve Coogan plays Tristram Shandy, who narrates his own life story, beginning with his slightly botched birth, overseen by an addled doctor (Dylan Moran) and his reticent father, Walter (also played by Coogan). Constantly quarreling with his battle-scarred brother, Toby (Rob Brydon), Walter Shandy has an epiphany when he holds his newborn son; however, before that moment can occur, the film switches into the present day, where Coogan and Brydon, playing themselves, bicker over costuming and the size of their roles in the film. The rest of the film's crew has their own concerns. Director Mark (Jeremy Northam) is trying to figure out how to secure a big Hollywood star for a supporting role and shoot a battle scene on a budget. The film's brainy production assistant Jennie (Naomie Harris) worries that their adaptation is leaving out the best parts of the book, as she nurses a crush on one of the cast members. All the while, Coogan tries to deflect a tabloid reporter's inquiry into his strip-club escapades, and attempts to pacify the concerns of his wife, Jenny (Kelly MacDonald). Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story had its North American premiere at the 2005 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon, (more)
The husband-and-wife team of Mary Cybulski and John Tintori (creators of the acclaimed short Manhattan Dinner) directed this Will Kern screenplay which he adapted from his 1992 play Hellcab about a winter's day in the life of a Windy City driver, beginning at 6am in 20 below zero degree weather. Johnny (Paul Dillon) is that rare type of cab driver who will drive anywhere and pick up anyone, and during the 14 hours compressed here into 95 minutes, he ferries about some two-dozen passengers, including a rape victim (Julianne Moore), a hyped-up drug runner, a pregnant woman, and holiday shoppers. Johnny is frustrated that he can't seem to make genuine connections with his passengers or help them. Instead, he can only observe a rear-view image mirroring the passing parade of humanity. Shown at Austin's 1998 South By Southwest Filmfest. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Dillon, Michael Ironside, (more)
Sophomore writer/director Willard Carroll weaves together an all-star cast in interlocking stories about finding love in Los Angeles. The film's theme is spoken by young club-hopper Joan (Angelina Jolie). Taken by the mysterious Keenan (Ryan Phillippe), she tells him that "talking about love" is like "dancing about architecture" (the original title until the studio thought it would be confused with Dancing at Lughnasa), meaning speech is not the medium to adequately express the details of love. They all try, anyway. Others up for the dance include a TV cooking-show hostess (Gena Rowlands) and her husband (Sean Connery) who still fight over his one brief infidelity 25 years earlier; two lovers (Madeline Stowe, Anthony Edwards) who discuss their unhappy marriages; and a theater director (Gillian Anderson) and her architect, Mr. Right (Jon Stewart). Also searching are Dennis Quaid, Nastassja Kinski and Patricia Clarkson. For a familial sort of love, there's Ellen Burstyn as the estranged mother to her son (Jay Mohr) dying of AIDS. ~ Ron Wells, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gillian Anderson, Angelina Jolie, (more)
- 2008
- PG13
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David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson reprise their roles as Fox Mulder and Dana Scully with this long-delayed big-screen continuation that revives the series six years after it headed off the air in 2002. Creator Chris Carter returns to direct, co-writing the script with series veteran Frank Spotnitz for 20th Century Fox. Billy Connolly, Amanda Peet and rapper Xzibit co-star in the stand-alone sequel. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, (more)
This 60-million-dollar science fiction suspense drama (marketed with an additional 25 million dollars), was adapted from the popular TV series The X-Files -- arriving in theaters while the Emmy-winning series was still being aired, continuing plot threads familiar to many of the series' 25 million viewers, and featuring several familiar recurring characters introduced during the previous five TV seasons. In 15,000 B.C., a strange creature attacks a caveman. Cut to present day, when a boy at the same North Texas spot falls into a pit and is contaminated by a black substance. When a bomb threatens the Dallas Federal Building, special FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) locate the device but are unable to prevent the explosion. The agency blames Mulder and Scully for the disaster, subjecting them to lengthy interrogations while trying to sever their partnership. In a bar, conspiracy theorist Kurtzweil (Martin Landau), a friend of Mulder's father, tells Mulder about the group behind the explosion, the cover-up of the boy's death, the bodies of four infected rescue workers removed from the Federal Building, the secret government, and the forthcoming plague. Mulder and Scully set out to find answers, and their investigation becomes a foray into the fantastic. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, (more)
