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
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)
