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Entertainment Tonight
Oct. 8, 1998

GILLIAN ANDERSON is taking a break from her weekly chores as Agent Dana Scully on "The X Files" to star opposite SHARON STONE in the heartwarming fable 'The Mighty.' Take a look, through Gillian's wild imagination, at the making of this film.

JULIE: I didn't even recognize you in this role. That was so fun to see you in such a different situation, character, everything. Was that fun for you to play that?

GILLIAN: Absolutely. I guess that's what doing the work is about. It's about having the ability to do as many different things as possible. Part of that is creating different characters. I love that part of the process. I really love choosing the hair, the makeup, the wardrobe, the walk to really dive into the character. This gave me the opportunity to do that.

JULIE: How 'bout her fashion sense. Oh my God... the colors, the fur. Where did that come from?

GILLIAN: I don't know. When I started thinking about it I had a discussion with [director] PETER [CHELSOM] about how he saw the character. I started to contemplate that and when you're in that creative place, thoughts just come to you. Ideas come to you and you think, "That would be great for her," or "I wonder if they can get a hold of one of these," or "It's better to wear the red earrings over the blue ones because this change is happening in her life." You get to play. It's all part of the fun.

JULIE: That hair! Was it a wig? Was it part yours?

GILLIAN: I think it was a fall.

JULIE: Was it a lot of work?

GILLIAN: Yeah. I think it was glued in my hair.

JULIE: That was a lot of hair, but it was so perfect for her. Did you ever look in the mirror and go, "Oh my gosh!"

GILLIAN: There were a couple times when I forgot and I was walking around in between shots. I'd be talking to somebody and would be Gillian and they'd be looking at me strangely. It was fun.

JULIE: You know, I'm from Georgia, and you had that Southern accent down.

GILLIAN: Well, thank you.

JULIE: Where did that come from?

GILLIAN: I have no idea. What's interesting though is that I was born in England so British was my first "language." Apparently, I've heard before, that British is similar to Southern. It's easier for Brits to do Southern than to do a normal American accent. Maybe that's part of it.

JULIE: Does it come easily? Can you still say something Southern?

GILLIAN: Yeah, but I'm not going to. (Laughs) But you've dropped yours.

JULIE: It comes back when I talk to the family back home. Did your daughter see you in the hair and the makeup and the outfits?

GILLIAN: No.

JULIE: What would she have thought?

GILLIAN: She's seen me in similar states of disarray on the show. Usually more gruesome or troublesome than Loretta [her character]. She's seen me go through some rough stuff.

JULIE: These kids in the movie had such great imaginations that were used to overcome a lot in their lives. Were you an imaginative kid growing up?

GILLIAN: Yes. I had almost two much of an active imagination. I was in my imagination more than I was in my school work.

JULIE: Did you have any imaginary characters or situations?

GILLIAN: I didn't have imaginary friends but I wrote a lot of stories when I was little. I actually had an opportunity to go back and read some of them and I couldn't write stories like that now. There were words that I don't think I know now that I was using when I was little.

JULIE: The kids were in here and ELDEN [RATLIFF] has a crush on you.

GILLIAN: He does not! Does he?

JULIE: He's like, "You are it!"

GILLIAN: Awww. That's sweet. I think he's the cutest thing. And his hair? I love it.

JULIE: He said you were great to work with, though. You were really helpful to him. They have really nice things to say about you. Was it fun to work with them?

GILLIAN: Very much so. First of all, with KIERAN [CULKIN] and everything that he had to bare in the crutches and the brace and the head gear and the backpack, he was a tremendous trooper. He just comes across with that genius dialogue so easily. There's such a light in his eyes. And Elden, has such levity and depth of compassion.

JULIE: 'Chicago Cab.' You wanted to be in that movie. Why?

GILLIAN: Because it was an opportunity to do something different for a day. It was good to be involved in a project with people that I knew and respected. It was fun go for a day and be spontaneous and funny.

JULIE: Well, this was so great and I don't think you're fans are going to recognize you.

GILLIAN: Great. Thank you.