Gillian Anderson Height, Weight, Age, Spouse, Children, Facts, Biography

May 2024 · 13 minute read
Gillian Anderson Quick Info
Height5 ft 3 in
Weight56.5 kg
Date of BirthAugust 9, 1968
Zodiac SignLeo
Eye ColorGrayish Blue

Gillian Anderson is an American actress, voiceover artist, producer, director, writer, and activist who is known for her roles like British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in The Crown, Lily Bart in The House of Mirth, FBI Special Agent Dana Scully in The X-Files, Jean Milburn in S*x Education, Miss Havisham in Great Expectations, Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier in Hannibal, and DSU Stella Gibson in The Fall. Her work has won her many accolades and in 2016, Anderson was appointed an honorary Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to drama and in 2018, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Born Name

Gillian Leigh Anderson

Nick Name

Gillian

Sun Sign

Leo

Born Place

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Residence

Central London, England, United Kingdom

Nationality

American and British

Education

Gillian went to Coleridge Primary School in North London.

After turning 11, she started studying at Fountain Elementary followed by City High-Middle School in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

In 9th grade (freshman year), Gillian developed an interest in theater and started participating in high school productions and community theater.

Gillian finished school in 1986 and auditioned to get into The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago, the only school she applied to. She was accepted and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts (BFA) in 1990.

She was also selected to participate in a summer program organized by the National Theatre of Great Britain at Cornell University, New York.

Occupation

Actress, Producer, Director, Writer, Activist

Family

Manager

Gillian has been signed with these agencies –

Build

Slim

Height

5 ft 3 in or 160 cm

Weight

56.5 kg or 124.5 lbs

Boyfriend / Girlfriend / Spouse

Gillian Anderson has dated –

  • Jodie Foster – Gillian is rumored to have had an affair with actress and director-producer, Jodie Foster in the past. They are close friends.
  • Clyde Klotz (1994–1997) (Divorced) – She started dating the Canadian assistant art director Clyde Klotz on her show, The X–Files, and married him just after a few months of courtship. They got married in a unique ceremony at the 17th hole of a Golf course in Hawaii by a Buddhist priest. But, the marriage did not last long and ended after three years. Her first child was with Clyde. It was an unplanned pregnancy that nearly got her fired from her iconic show for imposing such an inconvenience. But, the makers changed the storyline and worked around it. Gillian was back on the sets 10 days after giving birth to her first child. Daughter Piper Maru was born in September 1994.
  • Adrian G. Griffiths (1996–1997) – Another Canadian actor, Gillian met him when he guest-starred as Sherman Peacock on The X–Files in 1996. Until about 2010, he was credited as Adrian Hughes in all his acting jobs. Post the divorce, Adrian appeared to be Gillian’s rebound guy and there was talk that the actors were living together in Vancouver where Gillian’s show was shot and produced. The couple became much bigger tabloid news when it was discovered that Adrian was charged with multiple counts of sexual assault which became the obvious reason for Gillian to break up with him quickly thereafter.
  • Rodney Rowland (1997–1998) – Gillian had a brief and passionate affair with the former model and actor, popularly known as Rod, who also guest-starred on The X-Files, where the two first met. He was by Gillian’s side when she won the Emmy award in 1997 and the two were frequently clicked together by the paparazzi. Unwanted attention and Gillian’s demanding work schedule diminished this relationship as well.
  • Julian Ozanne (2002–2007) (Divorced) – Gillian attempted marriage for a second time with Kenya-born, London-based photojournalist and documentary filmmaker Julian. They got married in a private ceremony at Shella Island in London socialite, Kate Barker’s beach house situated right across Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast. Their marriage ended after 16 months owing to their opposing professional ambitions. Julian who was formerly Financial Time’s Africa Bureau chief went on to become a full-time financial consultant. He got a job as the director of a Biofuels company in Hawaii in 2004 while Gillian’s work and personal life were primarily based in London.
  • Mark Griffiths (2006–2012) – She had her longest relationship with the British businessman and it helped that he was a non-celebrity. Their split after a six-year relationship was mutual and amicable. After their break-up, Mark retains his role as an active and hands-on father in the lives of his children. Gillian has two sons with Mark: Oscar Griffiths (b. November 2006) and Felix Griffiths (b. October 2008).
  • David Duchovny (2012) – It was RUMORed that she had a fling with actor, filmmaker, novelist, and singer-songwriter David Duchovny in 2012. They have also worked together on projects like The X Files, The X Files: I Want to Believe, and The X-Files.
  • Peter Morgan (2016–2020; 2021) – Gillian quietly started dating British film writer and playwright in 2016 and accompanied him to New York to promote his new Netflix series, The Crown. While the couple had tried to maintain a low profile as far as their relationship was concerned, they were frequently spotted on vacations together. In December 2020, it was announced that they had separated after spending 4 years together. However, after a few months apart, the duo was rumored to have rekindled their relationship in 2021.
  • Race / Ethnicity

    White

    She has English, Irish, and German ancestry.

    Hair Color

    Mousy Brown

    She says that her hair is neither red nor blonde.

    Eye Color

    Grayish Blue

    Sexual Orientation

    Bisexual

    Distinctive Features

    Measurements

    35-26-36 in or 89-66-91.5 cm

    Dress Size

    6 (US) or 10 (UK) or 38 (EU)

    Bra Size

    32C

    Shoe Size

    7.5 (US) or 5 (UK) or 38 (EU)

    Brand Endorsements

    Gillian initiated her career with TV advertisements. Some of these included:

    Religion

    Non-religious

    But, she believes in Buddhist / Spiritual values.

    Best Known For

    First Film

    After 2 short films in 1986 and 1988, Gillian made her film debut in the 1992 American drama, The Turning.

    First TV Show

    In 1993, Gillian appeared in one episode as Rachel on the Fox drama series Class of 96’.

    Personal Trainer

    Gillian Anderson Favorite Things

    Source – Wikipedia, NewBeauty.com, Reddit AMA, Twitter.com, Red Magazine UK, Standard UK, UsMagazine.com

    Gillian Anderson Facts

  • Gillian aspired to be a marine biologist in her childhood until her father’s vocation introduced her to the possibility of acting as a vocation.
  • She was a rebellious teenager who deliberately sported an extreme appearance to make a statement. She wore a nose ring, got a Mohawk hairstyle, and frequently dyed her hair in loud colors.
  • She was put in therapy at the age of 14 to cope with her bizarre behavior.
  • To grow out of her teens, she started dating much older men. In 2012, she revealed she was also in a same-s*x relationship for a very long time in high school.
  • Gillian’s high school girlfriend was offered a large sum of money to reveal their intimate photo which was turned down by her. When she expired in 2011 of a brain tumor, Gillian came out and confessed about her high school relationship as a means to honor her ex-girlfriend.
  • She used to work at a pub in Chicago called Goose Island Brewpub to make some money while she was still a student. Once Gillian became a famous actress, the pub named a drink after her on their menu.
  • She claims to have a command over two dialects and switches between American Midwestern and British accents easily depending upon whether she is in the USA or UK.
  • Right after finishing her education, Gillian swore she would never move to Los Angeles and never work on TV: the two things that eventually gave her career the biggest head start.
  • In 1996, FHM (UK) ranked her as the sexiest woman in the world.
  • In 1997, Gillian won a Screen Actor’s Guild Award, an Emmy, and a Golden Globe for playing Dana Scully in The X–Files.
  • She is an avid patron and collector of art pieces and invests a lot of money in support of European and American artists. Her main area of interest lies in paintings, photography, and lithography.
  • Gillian also has a very keen interest in architecture and interior design. She switches homes every few years and sees each house as a personal project to upgrade in structure and style before putting it back on the market.
  • She has done voiceover work for video games like Hellbender, The X-Files: Resist or Serve, and The X-Files Game.
  • She identifies herself as a feminist and has a low tolerance for derogatory behavior towards women.
  • In 2008, Anderson co-founded a non-profit organization called South African Youth Education for Sustainability (SAYes) that mentors marginalized young people in South Africa.
  • She is a spokesperson for several charitable trusts, networks, and foundations that particularly work towards raising money for people afflicted with Neurofibromatosis, a disease that killed her brother.
  • Gillian actively supports Women’s Rights by aligning with Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF), Children’s Rights by being a patron of Childreach International, Indigenous Rights for Tribals in Africa and Latin America, Animal Rights by associating with PETA and finally, jumped in favor of environmental advocacy by joining Greenpeace in 2012.
  • In 2016, Gillian was bestowed with the most excellent order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to the dramatic arts.
  • She was offered to pose n*de for the cover of Playboy magazine which she declined.
  • Gillian is bad with technology and has a team of experts helping her with her social media accounts.
  • She is known to have four tattoos on her body and shared her intention to get inked for the fifth time in 2015. Only 3 of her tattoos are visibly known which are: a circle on her left hand, a Hindi word on the inside of her right wrist, and a Tahitian symbol of two entwined tortoises on her ankle.
  • She begins every day with a few minutes of meditation without fail.
  • In December 2020, she introduced a new dog named Stella to her Instagram family.
  • She portrayed the character of Margaret Thatcher, a British politician and stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990, in the Netflix historical drama streaming television series, The Crown, in 2020.
  • During the 2021 Golden Globes, she received the “Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or TV Movie” award for her role in The Crown. She also won the 2021 Critics Choice Award for “Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series” and the 2021 Emmy Award for “Outstanding Supporting Drama Actress” for the same role.
  • During the 2022 Canneseries Festival, Gillian was honored with the “Variety Icon Award”.
  • She sleeps with her feet out from the covers.
  • In early 2015, Anderson revealed that she was having a frozen shoulder for the last 2 years and was facing difficulty in moving her shoulder more than 90 degrees to the side.
  • Gillian has kept a fish tank in her house in the past.
  • When she was a kid, she had a black kitten with her named Sponge.
  • Gillian is not good at learning languages.
  • She likes eating dark chocolate.
  • Her memory is not good and is one of the worst according to Gillian herself.
  • Gillian spent 15 months of her life, before she turned 2, in Puerto Rico.
  • She lost her brother Aaron due to a tumor that was connected with the disease he had since birth called neurofibromatosis.
  • She was 24 when she was cast as Scully in The X-Files. However, she told her actual age as 27 to the producers.
  • Her younger sister Zoe is a lesbian and is married.
  • Anderson does not like okra.
  • She used to play the violin when in school. However, she cannot play it now.
  • Gillian is the co-founder of the charity SA-Yes which she started in South Africa.
  • She finds Madagascar 2 as one of the funniest movies of all time.
  • She doesn’t watch television.
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