Mulder Its Me: The Gillian Anderson Files Essay, Research Paper

Gillian Anderson has exceeded the point of recognition, and has become a role model for young and old alike. Her popularity has evolved over the years due in part for her notorious role as Special Agent Dana Scully, on the once cult hit television series The X-Files. With the show now entering its 7th season, presumed to be its last, the concern of the once apprehensive Gillian losing the role of Scully is no longer an aspect. The reputation of the character has brought the actress apperception, which has lead to her being featured on magazine covers, in books, on CDs, at conventions, in movies, and she?s one of the most popular candidates for a website to be created about. Nonetheless, Gillian Anderson has gone from virtually unknown to known all over the world, and that itself is reason enough for her to be written, and read, for that matter, about.

Gillian Leigh Anderson began her life in Cook County, Chicago on August 9, 1968. By the time she was only a mere 6 months old, her and her family were residing in Puerto Rico. At the age of 1, she relocated once again, this time in London, England. At this point, it is safe to say that the Anderson family was somewhat nomadic. Now being an inhabitant of England, the family moved several more times. At the age of 5, Gillian was living in Crouch End in north London, where she attended her first school. By this time Gillian had spent most of her life in London but had picked up her parents? American accent. Her classmates teased and taunted her, and she was bullied in the schoolyard. She immediately learned how to fight back, and she practiced her north London accent until it became impeccable enough to call her own. By the time Gillian was 11, with a settled home life, lots of friends, and the memories of once being an outsider well behind her, her parents decided to move back to the United States. Gillian and her family relocated for the last time, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Now back in the states, Gillian?s accent once again alienated her from the other children, but this time it was for obtaining a British, not American, accent. She had left the exciting London behind and by contrast Grand Rapids hardly measured up. Grand Rapids is a sleepy prairie town, and the kids were totally out of it as far as she was concerned. Gillian hid her unhappiness and never complained, but her frustration was evident in other ways. She was always in the principal?s office for stealing papers, throwing paper airplanes, and once she even put pigs? eyes in the desk drawer of a teacher. When Gillian turned a teenager, she entered the punk rocker scene. Getting body piercing, tattoos, vintage clothing, and mohawks. Gillian and her punk friends would walk down the street giving the finger to whom ever stared. All of which lead up to her getting arrested on graduation night for breaking and entering into the high school. So it is safe to say that Gillian?s friends, social position, and the society in which she lived all were influential to her life. Gillian does not regret entering the punk scene, because she perceives it as something that she had to go through to get where she is now in her life. Physically and mentally.

Giampietro 2

After graduating in 1986, Gillian studied acting at the prestigious DePaul University?s Goodman Theater and graduated with a Bachelor?s degree in Fine Arts, which inevitably lead to her wanting to pursue a career in the field. Not only has her education influenced her, but her family has as well. Gillian has two younger siblings, a sister named Zoe and a brother named Aaron. Her brother was 3 when he was diagnosed with the disease Neurofibromatosis. On May 3, 1996, with her new found celebrity, she worked to raise public awareness and funding for research by flying to Washington D.C. to address congress about the disease.

Gillian?s most memorable speech is the one that she addressed to congress about Neurofibromatosis. The speech was giving to try to make “an effort to raise awareness of a disease that is in dire need of acknowledgment, community education, and extensive research if we are going to find a cure.” It shows how she is a very admirable person who is willing to do almost anything in order to help a loved one, and others that might have the disease as well. To try to put and end to the disease and find a cure. What is even more commendable is that she went to herself, and didn?t just send a representative instead.

Gillian Anderson has definitely had her share of achievements and failures, but she has a single greatest for each. Her greatest achievement is when she gave parturition to her daughter named Piper Maru. Gillian has always felt unhappy, in a sense that something was missing in her life. When she had Piper, the emptiness inside of her was filled, and she was truly content for the first time in her life. Piper has kept her in check, and she is blessed to have such a wonderful little girl. Piper is constantly teaching Gillian new things, which seems unlikely to becoming from a 4 year old, but she claims it is true. A daughter is what Gillian needed, a companion to love and go through the journey of life with. Therefore, Gillian is at that point in her life when she can say that she has a purpose. To be there for her daughter, to guide her through life.

Her greatest failure would have to be losing her virginity at the age of 13. She lost it to a punk guy. She says it was “awkward, stupid, unadulterated crap. I?ll think you?ll find that most people?s first times are less then mind-blowing.” Gillian battled with sex, alcohol, relationships, and family during her teenage years. What she thought was that if someone liked her then she was obligated to sleep with him. What Gillian didn?t realize was that she had a choice. “It was another way to get attention.” She also said that “I didn?t enjoy it?I don?t think I enjoyed it back then at all. For a long time I felt like it was something I had to do, and it wasn?t really a place where I could be free and experiment and enjoy.” Then when she was 22, she suddenly realized that she liked it for the first time in her life.

What is ironic is how both her greatest failure and achievement are related. In order to give birth it is necessary to engage in sexual intercourse. Something that brought her much shame, also brought her happiness for the first time. What she realized later on is that if you love someone enough sex doesn?t have to be because you feel you have to, but instead something as beautiful as your love can be created. Gillian didn?t like sleeping with guys, and sleeping with one gave her what she had been looking for her whole life, someone to love and return the gesture. She loves her daughter more then anything in this world, she didn?t love the guy she slept with. Nevertheless, even though Gillian Anderson may be a celebrity role model, but she is still human. Human enough to make mistakes like everyone else in this world.