Gillian Anderson

**Gillian Leigh Anderson**,  (born August 9, 1968) is an American film, television and theatre actress, activist and writer. Her credits include the roles of FBI Special Agent Dana Scully in the long-running and widely popular series _The X-Files_, ill-fated socialite Lily Bart in Terence Davies' film _The House of Mirth_ (2000), and DSI Stella Gibson on the BBC crime drama television series _The Fall_. Among other honours, Anderson has won a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.

After beginning her career on stage, Anderson achieved international recognition for her role as FBI Special Agent Dana Scully on the American sci-fi drama series _The X-Files_ for all ten seasons (1993–2002, 2016). Her film work includes the dramas _The Mighty Celt_ (2005), _The Last King of Scotland_ (2006), _Shadow Dancer_ (2012) and two _X-Files_ films: _The X-Files: Fight the Future_ (1998) and _The X-Files: I Want to Believe_ (2008). Her other notable television credits include: portraying Lady Dedlock in the successful BBC production of Charles Dickens' _Bleak House_, Wallis Simpson in _Any Human Heart_, portraying Miss Havisham in _Great Expectations_ (2011) and Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier on _Hannibal_. In 2013, Anderson began starring as DSI Stella Gibson on the critically acclaimed BBC crime drama television series _The Fall_. She has been serving as an executive producer from its second series. She will be appearing as goddess Media in the upcoming TV series _American Gods_. Anderson is the co-writer of _The EarthEnd Saga_ novel trilogy and the self-help guide book _WE: A Manifesto for Women Everywhere_.

Aside from film and TV, Anderson has taken on the stage and has received both awards and critical acclaim. Her stage work includes _Absent Friends_ (1991) – for which she won a Theatre World Award for Best Newcomer, _A Doll's House_ (2009) –  that earned her a Laurence Olivier Award nomination, and a portrayal of Blanche DuBois in _A Streetcar Named Desire_ (2014, 2016) – for which she won the _Evening Standard_ Theatre Award for Best Actress and received her second Laurence Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress.

Anderson has been active in supporting numerous charities and humanitarian organizations. She is an honorary spokesperson for the Neurofibromatosis (NF) Network and the co-founder of South African Youth Education for Sustainability (SAYes). Anderson was appointed an honorary Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2016 for her services to drama.

## Other websites

- Gillian Anderson at Emmys.com

## Infobox (person)

- **image**: Gillian Anderson Berlinale 2017.jpg
- **caption**: Anderson at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival, 2017 Berlin International Film Festival
- **birth name**: Gillian Leigh Anderson
- **birth place**: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
- **citizenship**: Citizenship of the United States, United States
- **education**: DePaul University (Bachelor of Fine Arts, BFA)
- **occupation**: Actress, writer, producer, director
- **years active**: 1983–present
- **children**: 3
- **awards**: List of awards and nominations received by Gillian Anderson, Full list