Gillian Anderson has lived life in her characters. Some have become woven into the tapestry of contemporary culture today, like Stella Gibson from The Fall, Jean Milburn from Sex Education and, of course, Dana Scully from The X Files. But Anderson, now 56, has also transcended fiction by stepping into the shoes of history’s most influential—and complex, controversial and even downright dislikeable women—like Margaret Thatcher, Eleanor Roosevelt and Wallis Simpson.
There’s a theme here. In past interviews, Anderson chalks it up to having a face that looks “intellectual”... when, in fact, she’s mulling over her dinner options. On the day of our interview, her presence is undeniable—still and poised, she exudes an air of regality, which is peppered with a quick sense of humour. “It takes a village doesn’t it,” she laughs, waving a hand at the nearly dozen people crammed into the Claridges hotel room.
