1994-95 1996-97 1998 1999-00 2001-03 2004-06

Xpose
November 1997 (Issue #16)

Dana's Day

Gillian Anderson just can't seem to stop winning awards. Xpose met up with her as she scooped best actress at the Emmy's.

There are few more prestigious occasions in American television than the Annual Emmy Awards. This year's winner of the coveted Best Actress was Gillian Anderson. Xpose was on the scene as Ms Anderson stepped from the stage bearing what has turned out to be only the latest in long line of awards for her work on the X Files. Looking slightly breathless and utterly stunning in a designer evening dress, Gillian took a moment to talk to us about her prize.

"I was very pleasantly surprised, and as I said on stage really proud to have been awarded the statue by Helen Mirren. That was quite something," she said, looking justly pleased with herself. "It was difficult to know who to thank and in retrospect, because you're up there and going so fast, I thought you only had a certain amount of time, I didn't realize that the show was running short, so I had more time than I thought I had. But I would also liked to have thanked David and Chris (Carter), and all the writers and everybody else that works on the show. Because without them I certainly wouldn't be up here."

Gillian Anderson is well known for taking her daughter everywhere with her - including the set of the X Files - although tonight little Piper was at home. In a recent award ceremony, Gillian thanked her daughter although little Piper didn't get a mention tonight.

"Well I don't mean for this to sound self-grandizing or whatever, but I thank different sets of people at different award ceremonies, and that way everyone gets thanked at least once. And so I did Piper, and I will again. It's so difficult to be politically correct."

It's a mark of her success that she has to make sure she doesn't repeat her dedications at reward ceremonies. Presumably she's had to buy more posh frocks as well. We asked her about the elegant outfit she had chosen for the Emmy's.

"Felicia Forah designed it. And I was also carrying - well I was supposed to be carrying a shawl," she grins and looks vaguely over to her seat. "Which I think someone is holding over there. It's a Gucci shawl and is actually really quite stunning. But I didn't know what to do with it so...." She shrugs and for a moment looks as if she is only dressing up in all this Hollywood glamour. "And the jewellery is by Martin Katz."

We asked whether she had to do anything special to prepare for the show today?

"I spent two hours on hair and make-up, that's about as big as it gets."

It's been a quick rise to superstardom for Gillian. We asked her about how success has changed her life. Was she now chased by paparazzi wherever she goes?

"I have. Fortunately it doesn't happen too much in Vancouver, knock on wood. There have been different times where stuff has escalated in the press and people have flown up there. But on a general basis I don't get followed in that degree. When I was in LA filming the movie, there was much more activity. I think that's partly because were not based there and aren't out very much. So it was an opportunity for them to get shots that they don't usually get.

"But there was a period of time that was quite unfortunate shall we say, where I was followed a few times to a playground with my daughter and shot with a camera. I had to be very careful because it infuriates me and I have to be very careful of what I do and say. I think it's not right and should not be allowed and there are places and times where it's set up and appropriate and there are times it's just not."

The X Files move to the big screen has been long awaited by fans. We asked at what stage the film is at, is it finished yet?

"No, but David and I are finished. We've already started the series, actually we only had two days off in between the movie and starting the series. So I'll be back in Vancouver tomorrow. Oh no, actually I don't have to work tomorrow. It's the day after I have to be back on set."

We asked Gillian if she was excited at the prospect of Mulder and Scully's celluloid adventures.

"Yes, I am, but it's such a long way off that it's hard to have a great deal of enthusiasm for it now, because it's probably going to be next summer that it hits the screens and you can actually see it. Once I can actually sit down and see it and see what it looks like and what the performances are like, basically see it as a whole, I'll be able to talk more freely and with more enthusiasm."

With such a tight working schedule it sounds like the show dominates her life. We wondered whether she could ever get away from it, or does it even give her nightmares.

"Funnily enough I don't have nightmares about the show. By the time I go to sleep my brain just doesn't want to think about it any more, and will not go there. Sometimes I have waking nightmares about the show though."

With only a break of a day before she's back on set for the new season, we asked Gillian what direction she saw the new season of the X Files taking. "I really don't know," she says and laughs. "Which is a good thing, because I don't have to lie! But what I do know is that we're going to be dealing with Scully's cancer, and we are going to be doing more conspiracy theory stuff, and eventually it will all lead into the feature film."

We begged for some information about the new series but Gillian wasn't having any of it. When we asked whether Mulder had really died at the end of Season Four, she only shook her head and said teasingly, "Now that's a very good question."

Couldn't she even tell us if this is going to be the last season of the show?

"I have no idea. I really don't know. We are on contract for more seasons than this one and we'll just have to see how the cards fall."

At this point in the proceedings we were joined by several more journalists eager for a few words from Gillian Anderson. One of the new arrivals started of by contentiously telling Gillian that while the show was doing fine in terms of ratings, it had hit a few lumps artistically. Gillian raised an eyebrow and looked a little surprised.

"Did you say lumps? I wasn't aware of the lumps," she said with a good-natured laugh. "But I think the fourth season was one of our best, the scripts get better and better and the filming gets tighter and stronger and I think we've been moving upwards with the success of the show."

Another journalist wanted to know about Gillian's feelings about her virtual fans, who form an international fan community which spans the globe. Did she have anything to say to her online fans?

"I guess I'd like to say a big thank you, because there is so much support it seems on the net and with the fans of the show. It's just been a very, very strong community that has backed us from the beginning. I guess what I really want to say is that I appreciate and I am very aware of that, so thank you very much."

The questions were coming thick and fast now, with reporters eager to know what other projects Gillian had planned beyond the X Files. Again she was careful not to say too much, perhaps knowing how uncertain the world of Hollywood really is.

"The work that I'm looking at right now is exactly the kind of stuff that I want to be doing, the stuff I'm in discussion to do that is, and if winning the Emmy makes them move along faster, or secures me that position or whatever, then I'll be a happy clam."

We could sense the Gillian was eager to return to her friends and we quickly asked one last question before she left. So how would she be celebrating her Emmy win.?

"I'll be going to the Fox party, I guess they're having one, and I'll probably call my Mom and Dad."

We congratulated her on her amazing achievement and let her make her way back to the party.