What Is Gillian Anderson's Net Worth and Salary?
Gillian Anderson is an American actress with a net worth of $40 million. She is best known for her role as Special Agent Dana Scully on the long-running TV series "The X-Files." Beyond this iconic role, she has had a successful career in both film and television.
Early Life
Gillian Anderson was born on August 9, 1968, in Chicago, Illinois. Her father, Edward Anderson, owned a film post-production company. The family moved several times, including stints in Puerto Rico and London, where her father attended the London Film School. Anderson spent her early years in London's Crouch End before moving back to the U.S. and settling in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
During her teen years, Anderson experienced a rebellious phase, leading to therapy at 14. She attended The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1990. She also participated in the National Theatre of Great Britain's summer program at Cornell University. Gillian is bidialectal, effortlessly switching between American and English accents.
Early Career
At age 22, Anderson moved to New York City and began her career with the play "Absent Friends," earning the Theatre World Award for Best Newcomer. She moved to Los Angeles in 1992, landing her first film role in "The Turning." Despite initially avoiding TV roles, she made her TV debut in 1993 with a guest appearance on "Class of '96," leading to her role on "The X-Files."
The X-Files
Anderson portrayed FBI Special Agent Dana Scully on Fox's "The X-Files," which debuted on September 10, 1993, and ran until May 19, 2002, with 202 episodes over nine seasons. The show was a massive hit, launching Anderson and co-star David Duchovny into A-list status. Anderson won an Emmy, a Golden Globe, and a SAG award for her role. She is also the first woman to write and direct an episode of the series. The show saw a reboot in 2016.
The X-Files Salary
Initially, Anderson earned significantly less than her co-star David Duchovny. Her original contract even required her to stand behind him in scenes. However, thanks to her pivotal role, she successfully renegotiated equal pay, with both actors earning $240,000 per episode from the fourth season onwards. She also earned $4 million for the first "X-Files" film and an estimated $6 million for the second film.
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After The X-Files
After "The X-Files" ended in 2002, Anderson returned to London and made her West End debut in "What The Night Is For." She later starred in "The Sweetest Swing in Baseball" at the Royal Court Theatre in 2004 and in "A Doll's House" in 2009. In 2006, she earned nominations for a BAFTA, an Emmy, and a Golden Globe for her role in the BBC miniseries "Bleak House."
In 2013, Anderson starred as Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson in the critically acclaimed series "The Fall" alongside Jamie Dornan. She also served as an executive producer for the second season. Between 2013 and 2015, she appeared in the NBC series "Hannibal." In 2014, her performance as Blanche in "A Streetcar Named Desire" at the Young Vic Theatre was highly praised.
More recently, Anderson has appeared in "American Gods," "Crooked House," and "All About Eve." In 2019, she began playing Jean Milburn in the Netflix series "Sex Education." Additionally, she was cast as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the fourth season of Netflix's "The Crown."
Personal Life
Gillian Anderson has been married twice, first to Clyde Klotz (1994-1997) and later to Julian Ozanne (2004-2007). She has three children, two with ex-boyfriend Mark Griffiths, whom she separated from in 2012. Since 2016, she has been in a relationship with screenwriter Peter Morgan. Anderson resides in London.
Anderson is deeply involved in charitable and activist work. She supports the Trevor Project, Feminist Majority Foundation, and the Neurofibromatosis Network, among others. In 2008, she co-founded South African Youth Education for Sustainability. She is active in organizations supporting women's rights.
