Gillian Anderson

[SparklesBitch]

I don't remember a lot about the old Scully interviews, but for me, the dichotomy between what seems like her real personality and Stella, the character she plays in The Fall, is most striking. Stella's got a lot of compassion, but she'll cut you where you stand and we don't see her heart very often. (As opposed to Scully, I mean, who's all heart.) I think Stella is the most interesting character she's ever played. So to watch Gillian be Stella and then watch her talk about Stella fascinates me because in those interviews, she seems a lot more serious than usual, which matches the character. It's almost like she sort of puts Stella on (I don't mean in a phony way at all) to talk about her.

 

Agreed. I still love Scully more than any other character GA has played (it's hard to win against nostalgia), but I find Stella endlessly fascinating for all the reasons you mentioned. I can't wait to watch her and learn more about her in season 3. I can definitely understand why GA has called The Fall her favorite project she's ever worked on, and I love that in interviews you can tell she's having such a blast playing her.

 

One thing I really like about Stella is that she doesn't take crap from people, but she also doesn't pretend she's never wrong. She's fair, yet firm. She's obviously compassionate, but doesn't need to be that woman who falls apart just to show us she cares. I like that (unlike Scully) she gets to have sex! There are a few scenes in particular I really enjoy for one reason or another, but there's one where Stella and Reed Smith are at the bar having a drink and Stella is telling Reed about the years she spent interviewing murderers....and I love just sitting back and watching Stella's mind work as she's describing what it was like and what she learned from the experience. Good stuff. I could fangirl over Stella forever. =)

 

Right?! Stella is so, so awesome! I've watched both seasons twice now and wait for season three with much less patience than I want to admit! And can we just talk about her clothes?? Those silk blouses and wool coats...totally fabulous!

 

Oh lord, Stella's fabulous wardrobe! There are a few TV characters whose wardrobes I covet (Kate Beckett's gorgeous coat collection, anyone?), and she's definitely one of them. They've nailed making Stella look both feminine AND professional while still, for the most part, keeping her clothes appropriate for the sort of job she's doing. Also, as someone who went to school for forensics and ended up doing cleanroom/lab work/other sciencey things, can I just say that I appreciate their willingness to put their actors and actresses in shapeless cleanroom-like jumpsuits when the situation calls for it? I was blown away the first time I saw that.....heck, after having such low expectations of crime scene accuracy from American TV, I was thrilled when Stella bothered to tie her hair back!

 

I imagine, though, that for them, it would all be gross and invasive. Imagine going to work every day and having people speculating or whispering or flat-out asking you in every single meeting if you were secretly sleeping with a coworker. Oh, but come on...aren't you? Oh, but you're so cute together. Oh, but you belong together. Oh, but you work so well together. Oh, but I saw him kiss you hello. And so on. It would make me nuts! Acting and interviews and panels are just their job. And I know entertainment is much more voyeuristic than sitting in a cubicle...and the public tends to view celebrities as possessions...but still. They're also human beings with feelings and lives and kids, etc.

 

Agreed 100%! I mean, I'm enjoying the Twitter flirtation between DD and GA as much as the next person, and am getting as much of a kick out of their joint interviews now as I did in years past, but yeah, the whole are they/aren't they thing just makes me uncomfortable for all those reasons. Not going to lie, they're definitely being incredibly cute lately, and I can't fault fans for wondering if there is something more going on between them than they are letting onto. They seem more comfortable with each other currently than they used to be (judging by interviews), and because of the nature of the requirements this time through, are able to be all relaxed and have fun with the revival now that they aren't contracted to 20 some episodes a season for X amount of years and seem to be past whatever ugliness went down between them years ago. That being said, they are real people with their own lives, who, like you said, don't belong to us, and it rubs me the wrong way when idle wondering turns into constant speculation, and (for some scary Twitter fans) flat out obsession.

 

This might be my own issues talking because I have a personal space bubble about half a mile thick and am intensely private, but the idea of thousands of people constantly speculating about MY private life makes me shudder. I've sort of lived it too....I had a temp job a few years back where once the middle aged women in the lab found out I was a lesbian, all the questions started. Things like was your father absent? Was your mother overbearing? How exactly do lesbians have sex? Who's the "woman" and who's the "man"? So, like....what do you do in bed? Do you, like.....use toys? I was a temp, so I had no protection and I needed the job, so I had no choice but to be as gracious as I could so that I didn't upset them and get fired. It's not exactly what the celebrities go through, but to have to be nice while people demand to know all about your sex life? Yeah, no thanks. It was hell.

 

They don't owe fans or the press any information as to the nature of their relationship. I think people forget that about celebrities. They're people just like anyone else who just happen to have jobs that put them in the public eye a lot more often than the rest of us. Frankly, I don't blame either one of them for getting annoyed and/or flustered by the constant questions.

Edited February 18, 2016 by SparklesBitch

[eleanorofaquitaine]

This might be my own issues talking because I have a personal space bubble about half a mile thick and am intensely private, but the idea of thousands of people constantly speculating about MY private life makes me shudder. I've sort of lived it too....I had a temp job a few years back where once the middle aged women in the lab found out I was a lesbian, all the questions started. Things like was your father absent? Was your mother overbearing? How exactly do lesbians have sex? Who's the "woman" and who's the "man"? So, like....what do you do in bed? Do you, like.....use toys? I was a temp, so I had no protection and I needed the job, so I had no choice but to be as gracious as I could so that I didn't upset them and get fired. It's not exactly what the celebrities go through, but to have to be nice while people demand to know all about your sex life? Yeah, no thanks. It was hell.

 

What? I mean, yes, I understand you needed the job but no, you don't have to be gracious when people are asking questions like that, particularly because they are homophobic as well as intrusive.  When I was talking about speculation about my relationship, I meant speculation about whether or not I was dating my boss (we were both single), who was in a rather high profile position at the time. (Long story short, no we were not dating when we were working together. Yes, we did start dating after we stopped working together. Yes, we're still together).  But if people asked questions about my sex life (which would have been weird given the work we were doing), I would have shut them down.  And so yes, I think that for any celebrity, people making direct assertions about a person's sex life is gross and wrong.  But speculating about whether or not there is a relationship doesn't cross a line, to me.

 

I think that the last thing I've seen GA on that wasn't The X-Files was The House of Mirth. I wouldn't mind seeing Streetcar Named Desire, but Tennessee Williams makes me want to kill myself.  I really wish that she'd involve herself in shows that don't involve serial killers.

Edited February 18, 2016 by eleanorofaquitaine

[madam magpie]

This might be my own issues talking because I have a personal space bubble about half a mile thick and am intensely private, but the idea of thousands of people constantly speculating about MY private life makes me shudder.

Me too. I couldn't possibly imagine it, and that makes me feel a lot of compassion for people under that microscope (especially ones I like). I feel like it's got to be awful. That said, like you, I enjoy the flirty banter too. They're a lot of fun together, and I find it both sweet and entertaining. The scary, obsessive element is in a league all its own, but it's also a fringe component of the larger issue. And you know what that reminds me of? Stella Gibson!

Remember that moment after Jim comes at Stella in her room and she compares his behavior to Spector's? It completely horrifies him to be compared to such a psycho. It's not the same, she finally agrees, and it's not. But the implication is that it's all on the same spectrum.

 

And on that note, let's dish on Stella! I find The Fall to be one of the best-written, best-acted, best-constructed bits of storytelling I've come across in a long time, and I became semi-obsessed with making everyone I know watch it. One of my friends asked me if I liked Stella better than Scully. I was like...BETTER?? No, not better. No one likes anyone BETTER than Scully because Scully is the very best. I grew up with her and her sweet, smart, compassionate badassery. But Stella is so incredible and fascinating that I do think she's my favorite character of Anderson's from a storytelling perspective.

 

Oh lord, Stella's fabulous wardrobe! There are a few TV characters whose wardrobes I covet (Kate Beckett's gorgeous coat collection, anyone?), and she's definitely one of them. They've nailed making Stella look both feminine AND professional while still, for the most part, keeping her clothes appropriate for the sort of job she's doing. Also, as someone who went to school for forensics and ended up doing cleanroom/lab work/other sciencey things, can I just say that I appreciate their willingness to put their actors and actresses in shapeless cleanroom-like jumpsuits when the situation calls for it? I was blown away the first time I saw that.....heck, after having such low expectations of crime scene accuracy from American TV, I was thrilled when Stella bothered to tie her hair back!

 

Right?! I spend my life of TV watching complaining about all these women running around after criminals in heels with their long hair flowing. Not Stella! She's got classy sensible shoes, a ponytail, and a coat that's to die for. I totally agree about how well they've succeeded at making her look feminine and professional. And her meticulousness with her job and her clothes is such a great character touch.

 

I think what I love best about The Fall is how overtly, but not hit-you-over-the-head, feminist it is. I read an article (in the Guardian, I think) that called it the most feminist show on TV, and I agree with that completely. There's no discussion of feminism, it just is. Stella's good at her job. People listen to her. She's compassionate but not overly emotional. She's controlled and obsessive, but not because of her poor, deep dark personal trauma. She's so incredibly smart. And she's unapologetically sexual and calls the men around her on the double standard of the life she lives and the life they want.

Remember that part after Jim says he'd have left his wife and family for her because she's so intoxicatingly fabulous (which she is, of course) and he says, "You have no idea of the effect you have on men." And she just looks at him like, "Fuck you. Why is that my problem? Keep your pants on if I'm too sexy for my silk shirts."

 

Also, I love that if Stella's emotionally attached to any of the romantic entanglements, it's

Reed Smith. She seems to really respect and (sort of?) care for her, and I'm wondering if we'll see Stella form an emotional attachment to her in the next season. I don't necessarily want her to fall in love (actually, I absolutely do not want her to fall in love), but I'd like to know how deep her heart goes. We know it's there. And I don't judge one-night stands at all, but I do think that over time, that kind of behavior has to wear on a person because of the mixed-up intimacies. Can she even fall in love?? Does she trust anyone? (Well...maybe Dani and Reed Smith, yeah?) But right now, I mostly have no idea.

 

As an aside, your job sounds fascinating. What a cool career path to choose!

Edited February 18, 2016 by HalcyonDays

[madam magpie]

And so yes, I think that for any celebrity, people making direct assertions about a person's sex life is gross and wrong.  But speculating about whether or not there is a relationship doesn't cross a line, to me.

 

I think most people would agree with the first statement. It's the second statement that gets into the ethical iffy zone. No one would do that to me in a meeting...speculate about a romantic relationship. It would be illegal. They'd gossip behind my back, sure, but no one would get to the Q/A portion of my meeting and ask me if I were in a relationship with the guy I got along with and worked closely with on my team. That's not so different from an interview about a TV show to me. Why is it OK to ask Gillian Anderson if there's more to her relationship with Duchovny in an interview about her job on a TV show, but not to ask me in a meeting about my job on a project?

 

Also, lawdy, lawdy...I really don't like Streetcar. I can't with Tennessee Williams, though if given the opportunity to see this production, I'd probably go. Maybe she does all the serial killer shows because she's so good at it? I always say that if I'm ever serial killed or abducted by aliens and harvested for organs, I want Gillian Anderson on my case.

Edited February 18, 2016 by madam magpie

[eleanorofaquitaine]

I think most people would agree with the first statement. It's the second statement that gets into the ethical iffy zone. No one would do that to me in a meeting...speculate about a romantic relationship. It would be illegal. They'd gossip behind my back, sure, but no one would get to the Q/A portion of my meeting and ask me if I were in a relationship with the guy I got along with and worked closely with on my team. That's not so different from an interview about a TV show to me. Why is it OK to ask Gillian Anderson if there's more to her relationship with Duchovny in an interview about her job on a TV show, than to ask me in a meeting about my job on a project?

 

Well, for one, I am not sure it would be illegal for someone who isn't your employer to ask you if you are in a relationship (I'm not even sure that it is illegal for your employer to ask but I'm not a lawyer and don't know what the law says on that mere question vs. a question about one's sex life). And that's actually what we're talking about here - interviewers, etc., aren't employers to celebrities, they are more like clients.  Secondly, part of the deal with the entertainment industry is that one's personal life can be used as part of one's "brand."  I mean, I get why it would make a lot of actors uncomfortable but I am not sure any of them can go into the business without understanding that - if you make it big - you're going to be asked about your love life.  Thirdly, I mean, this is a business where people film sex scenes with strangers (though, obviously not these two particular people, more's the pity) and where people are paid to pretend like they are in love with someone.  As such, the rules as to what could be considered sexual harassment or discrimination in a normal workplace aren't going to apply.

[Baby Button Eyes]

So far, I've seen 3 episodes of the Fall and it's intriguing. I'd like to follow the Stella things but I'm getting through an X-Files rewatch and I think trying to watch two shows starring Gillian playing two different women and going back and forth with a 20 year age difference of the same person might be too much for me at the same time, lol. For now, it's going to be just Scully for me, and Stella's going to have to wait a bit. All I can say is Gillian is stunning in both roles and I'll be shallow and say I think she looks best as a vibrant redhead!

[madam magpie]

Well, for one, I am not sure it would be illegal for someone who isn't your employer to ask you if you are in a relationship (I'm not even sure that it is illegal for your employer to ask but I'm not a lawyer and don't know what the law says on that mere question vs. a question about one's sex life). And that's actually what we're talking about here - interviewers, etc., aren't employers to celebrities, they are more like clients.  Secondly, part of the deal with the entertainment industry is that one's personal life can be used as part of one's "brand."  I mean, I get why it would make a lot of actors uncomfortable but I am not sure any of them can go into the business without understanding that - if you make it big - you're going to be asked about your love life.  Thirdly, I mean, this is a business where people film sex scenes with strangers (though, obviously not these two particular people, more's the pity) and where people are paid to pretend like they are in love with someone.  As such, the rules as to what could be considered sexual harassment or discrimination in a normal workplace aren't going to apply.

 

I feel like HR would lose its mind...but I'm not a lawyer either. I can't swear it's illegal. I know we can't ask anything like that in job interviews, though. We can't even ask someone if he/she has children.

 

The sex scenes with strangers...yes, it's a weird business they're in. But that is SO regulated. The contracts about what you can and can't do, say, film, show, etc. are super detailed. So normal HR doesn't apply, but there are rules to fit the business.

 

I'm not saying the intrusion isn't a fact of life for celebrities. It is, for sure. Same with paparazzi stalking them and their kids and lies being all over the internet and so on. But I don't think it's OK, and I do think it's a form of indecency that we tolerate because on some level, we're all on the spectrum...like I said, I like the flirty banter too. If they went out in real life, I'd probably think it was delightful. But honestly, just knowing they're such good friends is pretty delightful for me. And asking them about it in interviews, watching them be uncomfortable, it makes me uncomfortable too. They handle it well, but they obviously both don't like it. Normal rules of polite behavior would mean we stop asking. Celebrities don't get that courtesy, though.

Edited February 18, 2016 by madam magpie

[SparklesBitch]

What? I mean, yes, I understand you needed the job but no, you don't have to be gracious when people are asking questions like that, particularly because they are homophobic as well as intrusive.  When I was talking about speculation about my relationship, I meant speculation about whether or not I was dating my boss (we were both single), who was in a rather high profile position at the time. (Long story short, no we were not dating when we were working together. Yes, we did start dating after we stopped working together. Yes, we're still together).  But if people asked questions about my sex life (which would have been weird given the work we were doing), I would have shut them down.  And so yes, I think that for any celebrity, people making direct assertions about a person's sex life is gross and wrong.  But speculating about whether or not there is a relationship doesn't cross a line, to me.

 

Oh, I totally got that your experience was different! I think I rambled badly instead of making any kind of actual point. I tend to do that! =)

 

There is a definite difference between speculation and purposefully asking intrusive questions. The first, I agree, is pretty harmless, and I think that's where the majority of fans are, if they wonder about the relationship between DD and GA at all. The second thing, the intrusive questions, I was trying to compare more to the incessant media/Twitter obsession with their relationship. I feel like they get asked about their relationship in more interviews than is completely necessary, and scary fans on Twitter always seem to be wanting to know if they're sleeping together or writing those real person fanfic things. That's the stuff I think is disrespectful, and more like what I dealt with, though mine was on a smaller scale.

 

Remember that moment after Jim comes at Stella in her room and she compares his behavior to Spector's? It completely horrifies him to be compared to such a psycho. It's not the same, she finally agrees, and it's not. But the implication is that it's all on the same spectrum.

 

Which brings me to...let's dish on Stella! I find The Fall to be one of the best-written, best-acted, best-constructed bits of storytelling I've come across in a long time, and I became semi-obsessed with making everyone I know watch it. One of my friends asked me if I liked Stella better than Scully. I was like...BETTER?? No, not better. No one likes anyone BETTER than Scully because Scully is the very best. I grew up with her and her sweet, smart, compassionate badassery. But Stella is so incredible and fascinating that I do think she's my favorite character of Anderson's from a storytelling perspective.

 

 

Right?! I spend my life of TV watching complaining about all these women running around after criminals in heels with their long hair flowing. Not Stella! She's got classy sensible shoes, a ponytail, and a coat that's to die for. I totally agree about how well they've succeeded at making her look feminine and professional. And her meticulousness with her job and her clothes is such a great character touch.

 

I think what I love best about The Fall is how overtly, but not hit-you-over-the-head, feminist it is. I read an article (in the Guardian, I think) that called it the most feminist show on TV, and I agree with that completely. There's no discussion of feminism, it just is. Stella's good at her job. People listen to her. She's compassionate but not overly emotional. She's controlled and obsessive, but not because of her poor, deep dark personal trauma. She's so incredibly smart. And she's unapologetically sexual and calls the men around her on the double standard of the life she lives and the life they want. Remember that part after Jim says he'd have left his wife and family for her because she's so intoxicatingly fabulous (which she is, of course) and he says, "You have no idea of the effect you have on men." And she just looks at him like, "Fuck you. Why is that my problem? Keep your pants on if I'm too sexy for my silk shirts."

 

Also, I love that if Stella's emotionally attached to any of the romantic entanglements,

it's Reed Smith. She seems to really respect and (sort of?) care for her, and I'm wondering if we'll see Stella form an emotional attachment to her in the next season. I don't necessarily want her to fall in love (actually, I absolutely do not want her to fall in love), but I'd like to know how deep her heart goes. We know its there. And I don't judge one-night stands at all, but I do think that over time, that kind of behavior has to wear on a person because of the mixed-up intimacies. Can she even fall in love?? Does she trust anyone? (Well...maybe Dani and Reed Smith, yeah?) But right now, I mostly have no idea.

 

As an aside, your job sounds fascinating. What a cool career path to choose!

 

YES! Jim's all scandalized that she would draw that comparison at all, but it's spot on enough to be fair,

 

As for Scully vs. Stella, you said it better than I ever could. I completely agree. As for the show itself, I am continually amazed by how good the writing is. I'm wondering if there's something to said for having fewer longer episodes in a season of a show rather than having so many shorter ones. It seems to give the characters more room to be fleshed out and the storylines to be tighter. You're right too, that the acting is superb and the pacing is perfect...there's just so little to complain about. Next to most American shows, it's like heaven.

 

Also, totally agree about the feminism. I love that they don't feel the need to bash us over the head with it. It's there and it's subtle, yet obvious and brilliant and Stella doesn't apologize for being who she is.

I adore that scene with Jim. I also like that she refuses to feel guilty about sleeping with the younger cop...can't remember his name right now. When he turns up dead and Jim's all "I can't believe you slept with him, he was a married man!", she fires right back that Jim was also married when he slept with her and that she didn't know that the young cop was married and that his choices were his own, as were Jim's, and she's not to blame for them. Go, girl!

 

I've decided that I don't want Stella to fall in love either, but like you,

I very much enjoy the dynamic between Stella and Reed. I actually like that Reed didn't follow Stella up to her hotel room, and I think that made Stella respect her even more, in a weird way...and afterwards, they were able to get right back into their professional relationship without any awkwardness. It was perfect. I do think that Stella cares for her in some fashion, and I'm also looking forward to that being explored next season. I think that they could be close friends....Stella definitely trusts her....and Dani too. Sweet, adorable Dani. Love her!

 

I think that Stella could fall in love, but I think there's a story there. Maybe she's a little jaded, for one reason or another. Maybe she likes being alone. I too, would think that the endless one night stand thing could wear a person down, but maybe that's what she needs? I don't know, but I'd like to find out. Stella kind of strikes me as the sort of person who doesn't get easily invested in people, but once she does, there's nothing you can do about the fact that she cares about you.

 

I am glad though, like you said, that Stella doesn't seem to be hiding some deep, dark personal trauma. That's been done on so many shows already. We don't need to see that again. I'd actually prefer it if she just wasn't a person who needs or wants a long term relationship. That said, it doesn't stop me from reading Stella/Reed fanfic. ;)

 

As for my career path, thanks! I'm rather happy with where I ended up, although it was sort of by accident! =)

[madam magpie]

YES! Jim's all scandalized that she would draw that comparison at all, but it's spot on enough to be fair,

 

As for Scully vs. Stella, you said it better than I ever could. I completely agree. As for the show itself, I am continually amazed by how good the writing is. I'm wondering if there's something to said for having fewer longer episodes in a season of a show rather than having so many shorter ones. It seems to give the characters more room to be fleshed out and the storylines to be tighter. You're right too, that the acting is superb and the pacing is perfect...there's just so little to complain about. Next to most American shows, it's like heaven.

 

Also, totally agree about the feminism. I love that they don't feel the need to bash us over the head with it. It's there and it's subtle, yet obvious and brilliant and Stella doesn't apologize for being who she is.

I adore that scene with Jim. I also like that she refuses to feel guilty about sleeping with the younger cop...can't remember his name right now. When he turns up dead and Jim's all "I can't believe you slept with him, he was a married man!", she fires right back that Jim was also married when he slept with her and that she didn't know that the young cop was married and that his choices were his own, as were Jim's, and she's not to blame for them. Go, girl!

 

I've decided that I don't want Stella to fall in love either, but like you, I very much enjoy the dynamic between Stella and Reed.

I actually like that Reed didn't follow Stella up to her hotel room, and I think that made Stella respect her even more, in a weird way...and afterwards, they were able to get right back into their professional relationship without any awkwardness. It was perfect. I do think that Stella cares for her in some fashion, and I'm also looking forward to that being explored next season. I think that they could be close friends....Stella definitely trusts her....and Dani too. Sweet, adorable Dani. Love her!

 

I think that Stella could fall in love, but I think there's a story there. Maybe she's a little jaded, for one reason or another. Maybe she likes being alone. I too, would think that the endless one night stand thing could wear a person down, but maybe that's what she needs? I don't know, but I'd like to find out. Stella kind of strikes me as the sort of person who doesn't get easily invested in people, but once she does, there's nothing you can do about the fact that she cares about you.

 

I am glad though, like you said, that Stella doesn't seem to be hiding some deep, dark personal trauma. That's been done on so many shows already. We don't need to see that again. I'd actually prefer it if she just wasn't a person who needs or wants a long term relationship. That said, it doesn't stop me from reading Stella/Reed fanfic. ;)

 

As for my career path, thanks! I'm rather happy with where I ended up, although it was sort of by accident! =)

 

Yeah, you know, almost as soon as I hit "reply," I thought...

Naw, if she falls for Reed Smith (and her ohmyfrakkingod sexy motorcycle), that would be totally OK with me. I don't want her to fall in love with a man. I love that men are not where she puts her attention. I think you're right, too, that Stella really came to respect Reed after she turned her down and then they went right back to working together. It was unexpected, sort of like when Dani confessed to being outside when the murder happened. It impressed her. Also, remember how the reason she bailed on Olson was because she misread him and realized he wasn't the kind of person who understood discretion, or something like that? After the sexting and barreling in on her crime scene when he had no reason to be there. I felt like she realized she misread Reed too, but in a good way, and when she realized she'd underestimated her, it made Reed even more attractive.

 

I love too that Stella is a supporter of women. Not only does she bust her ass to save them, but she boosts them in a professional setting, and she does it quietly...and only if you deserve it. I loved how she covered for Dani and then sort of swooped a protective barrier around her by making her right-hand man. And it was all done with such finesse that no one would ever even notice except Dani.

 

One of my favorite moments was so small.

It was after that press conference where her shirt is open. She realizes and buttons up, and then is pissed about it in the hallway afterward. The PR lady says she did good even so, and Stella just goes, "Cleavage?" And the PR lady says, "Just chest." And that's better, but sexual as she is, she also knows the game and plays it to win, so she was mad at herself for exposing herself by accident. Oh, how I love the small details on this show.

 

Also, yeah, short seasons. I'm all for short seasons. They force the story to be tight, whereas long seasons are allowed to ramble. So even though I wish I had dozens of episodes of The Fall to watch, I'll happily take the few they give us. Just hurry up about it!

 

Oh! And one more thing: I think you're right that there's something in her past, something jaded or...something.

I have no idea what. Remember that little detail with the hair band, when she tells Annie Brawley to snap it on her wrist when her thoughts start to overwhelm her? She says it worked for her, or something like that. So she's definitely the way she is for a reason, but it doesn't inform her entire story. I think everyone's like that. You're the product of your life, but that doesn't necessarily define you at the core.

Edited February 18, 2016 by HalcyonDays

[Bastet]

Y'all know there's a forum for The Fall, right?  :-)  I have only seen season one thus far, so I stay away.

 

I agree that, as much as I adore Scully, Stella is the most interesting role Gillian has played (and she has said the same thing).  I also love that it got Gillian to switch from that, "No, I'm not a feminist, but ...[insert litany of feminist positions]" stance that makes me crazy to "Yep, I'm a feminist."

 

I've seen a few people say they like Gillian better as a redhead, but I've always thought the blonde suits her even better (splitting, well, hairs, as she's gorgeous, regardless).  Perhaps because she's a natural blonde (although not that shade of blonde), it just looks that extra level of perfect with her skin and eyes?  But the red works well enough I buy Scully as a natural redhead.

 

I love that she seems to have achieved some real contentment with herself and her life that was a struggle in her younger years.  Her interviews give off a palpable desire that her daughter, and young women in general, take an easier path to self empowerment and acceptance than she did.  

 

I've met her a few times over the decades at charity events, and I just really dig her as a person (the little I can truly know of her) as well as an actor.  She's just living her life as a well-meaning person, and being pretty open about the mistakes along the way while still preserving privacy for herself and her family. 

[madam magpie]

I also love that it got Gillian to switch from that, "No, I'm not a feminist, but ...[insert litany of feminist positions]" stance that makes me crazy to "Yep, I'm a feminist."

 

I think a lot of us in her generation did this. I was...20 when The X-Files came on. We long thought we'd won. (Hey! We had Murphy Brown!) And that feminism was long over. We were humanists now. It took some growing up to realize how wrong we were.

 

Her interviews give off a palpable desire that her daughter, and young women in general, take an easier path to self empowerment and acceptance than she did.

 

This is probably one of my favorite things about her, actually. I get that a lot from her interviews too.

 

Y'all know there's a forum for The Fall, right?

 

Yes, but there's no one over there! Same actress.. Should we not discuss Stella here?

 

Also, if we're talking hair, I definitely think the blonde suits her. I'm actually having a hard time with Scully's red hair this time around.

Edited February 18, 2016 by madam magpie

[SparklesBitch]

Yeah, you know, almost as soon as I hit "reply," I thought...

Naw, if she falls for Reed Smith (and her ohmyfrakkingod sexy motorcycle), that would be totally OK with me. I don't want her to fall in love with a man. I love that men are not where she puts her attention. I think you're right, too, that Stella really came to respect Reed after she turned her down and then they went right back to working together. It was unexpected, sort of like when Dani confessed to being outside when the murder happened. It impressed her. Also, remember how the reason she bailed on Olson was because she misread him and realized he wasn't the kind of person who understood discretion, or something like that? After the sexting and barreling in on her crime scene when he had no reason to be there. I felt like she realized she misread Reed too, but in a good way, and when she realized she'd underestimated her, it made Reed even more attractive.

 

I love too that Stella is a supporter of women. Not only does she bust her ass to save them, but she boosts them in a professional setting, and she does it quietly...and only if you deserve it.

I loved how she covered for Dani and then sort of swooped a protective barrier around her by making her right-hand man. And it was all done with such finesse that no one would ever even notice except Dani.

 

One of my favorite moments was so small.

It was after that press conference where her shirt is open. She realizes and buttons up, and then is pissed about it in the hallway afterward. The PR lady says she did good even so, and Stella just goes, "Cleavage?" And the PR lady says, "Just chest." And that's better, but sexual as she is, she also knows the game and plays it to win, so she was mad at herself for exposing herself by accident. Oh, how I love the small details on this show.

 

Also, yeah, short seasons. I'm all for short seasons. They force the story to be tight, whereas long seasons are allowed to ramble. So even though I wish I had dozens of episodes of The Fall to watch, I'll happily take the few they give us. Just hurry up about it!

 

Sexy motorcycle indeed! Speaking of Reed, the actress who plays her, Archie Panjabi, was also on The Good Wife for a few seasons. I'm trying to make my way through that now specifically to watch her. The character she plays in that show, Kalinda Sharma, is totally badass and wears a lot of leather. She's incredibly hot.

 

But anyway, topic. I liked how Stella

reacted to Dani confessing to being outside during the murder. She was clearly impressed that she "ratted" herself out, but also recognized that Dani was feeling guilty for absolutely no reason. Short of illegally (I'm guessing, I know it obviously doesn't take place in the US) barging into the woman's house on half a hunch, Dani and her partner really couldn't have done much. They also couldn't be expected to force the victim to stay with her sister. Stella recognizes all that and realizes that hey, this person is a real asset, let me put her to good use. Like you said, she supports women and I like that a lot too. She supports them professionally, like you said, and also personally. She "saved" Reed from that total creeper guy at the bar. Also, my favorite, is that she supported Rose when she was telling Stella about how she got involved with Spector in the first place. There was no judging about how Rose went out with Spector after she already met her husband, no judging about Rose going along with the kinky stuff that Spector liked until it got too weird for her. She also made clear that she understood how hard it was to talk about. Heck, she even emotionally supported Reed after Reed didn't follow her up to her hotel room. She didn't try to convince her or make her feel badly about turning her down...and then when that saw each other again it wasn't even an issue.

 

As for bailing on Olson (thanks, forgot his name!), yes, she misread him badly! She shut it down as quickly and decisively as she could though, which I thought was great. I think that Stella is intrigued by people who surprise/impress her. That's what makes a person worth her time. So far we haven't seen a man on the show do that. They've all been unimpressive for one reason or another or needy or something. I think that's why she's not giving them any time of day.....they haven't "earned it". If anything, the men on this show have done nothing but disappoint/disgust her....the ones that she's been personally entangled with, anyway.

 

Yes, that little moment with the cleavage was nicely done! See, Hollywood? Things can be done subtly and work very, very well! You're right, the little moments are perfection.

 

I wish they would hurry too! My logical side knows that quality takes time, but my impatient side wants it now! =) That being said, I'm very much enjoying how each episode feels lovingly crafted. You can just tell by watching how much work everyone is putting into it to make it as good as they possibly can. No wonder GA is having such a great time on this project!

 

Lastly....not going to lie, if Stella is going to fall for someone, I agree, it needs to be Reed. Otherwise, I'd like her single! =)

 

Oh! Thought of something else! Speaking of busting her ass to save these women, I really enjoy that she obviously cares very much about solving the cases and saving whichever women haven't been killed yet, but one of my most favorite things about this show is that she's not getting over-the-top personally involved like very other female detective/cop seems to do on TV right now. It's refreshing and new.

[madam magpie]

Also, my favorite,

is that she supported Rose when she was telling Stella about how she got involved with Spector in the first place. There was no judging about how Rose went out with Spector after she already met her husband, no judging about Rose going along with the kinky stuff that Spector liked until it got too weird for her. She also made clear that she understood how hard it was to talk about.

 

A thousand times, yes to this. And she did it in such a matter-of-fact way too.

She wasn't overly maternal or sweet about it either. Like...this isn't complicated. Yes, he was a weirdo. No, you're not a tramp. Yes, it's OK to have some sex if you want. No, it's not OK for the guy to almost kill you in the middle of it. And I love too that the reason she cares so much about Rose...why she gets so emotionally involved...is because SHE'S the one who made the mistake that put Rose in danger. It's not just that a poor woman is being held captive. They're all women being abused. What sets Rose apart and connects them is that Stella herself accidentally put herself in league with Spector...he bested her. And that makes her so upset. (I mean, as upset as she gets.) I did tear up with her when she was watching that video Rose made.

 

I read over on The Fall board people saying that they thought Stella

tried to save Spector in the end because she had some twisted feelings for him. I was stunned by that. Are we watching the same show? She hates him; she's not creepily in love with him. What the...what?? That would ruin everything that's great about this show.

 

Lastly....not going to lie, if Stella is going to fall for someone, I agree, it needs to be Reed. Otherwise, I'd like her single! =)

 

Oh, yeah. Most definitely. The men are so lacking. And the thing is that I don't want falling in love to save her or anything like that. I feel like that's so often where the story goes. Even on The X-Files, which I like so much, I get the sense that Mulder and Scully falling in love was meant to heal them. I don't want Stella healed! She's already whole and awesome. I do want to open her up a little bit, though, mainly just because I want to see inside.

So maybe she can fall for Reed on her own terms, whatever those are.

 

P.S. I've tried so hard to watch The Good Wife. No idea why I don't like it. But I do like Archie Panjabi a lot. She was also Jess's sister in Bend it Like Beckham. Good times!

Edited February 18, 2016 by HalcyonDays

[HalcyonDays]

Hey Guys? Mind keeping this thread spoiler free about other shows? If you are going to discuss Anderson's character in The Fall, then you should take it to THAT forum. This is about GA, but more specifically should reference her role as Scully.

 

You've also spoiled some people on that other show, which is not nice, so I've hidden your posts until we can figure out what to do with them. Here's the thread for The Fall. Go there.

[madam magpie]

OK, sorry! I thought since the show had been out for more than a year, it wouldn't be spoilers anymore...

[GreenScreenFX]

The fact that this is not The Fall chat room should have been a factor.

[SparklesBitch]

I'm sorry! Got a little carried away.

[HalcyonDays]

No worries. Just remember that some people haven't seen the series - many people binge watch a show a few months later, therefore by discussing the show, you've inadvertently spoiled them.

 

Basically:

 

a) You can discuss the various characters GA has done.

b) But if you start to get into an in-depth discussion about The Fall, take it to the actual thread!!

c) Spoiler-tag if it's plot points/spoilers from about a year ago's airing of other shows. After that, we can't protect everyone single person.

d) All of the posts are back and spoiler-tagged what looks like plot points.

e) Thanks!

[festivus]

I love Stella but Scully is always going to be my favorite because she was my first love. I also love the red hair more but that's just a personal preference as I don't care much for blond hair but Gillian looks stunning either way.

 

Also, as someone who went to school for forensics and ended up doing cleanroom/lab work/other sciencey things, can I just say that I appreciate their willingness to put their actors and actresses in shapeless cleanroom-like jumpsuits when the situation calls for it?

 

Yes, I like that. They do that on Whitechapel too. I also like that on Whitechapel nobody is really a looker on that show. I love my British TV.

[baileythedog]

Without getting too deep into "The Fall", I am curious about GA's comment in which she finds Stella a far more fascinating character than Scully or enjoys playing her more, etc. etc. 

 

Obviously having seen TXF and also both seasons of The Fall, I don't agree at all that Stella is a more fascinating character.  Which isn't to say that I don't like her or the performance, I do, but Scully is, in my opinion, a far and away more dynamic character than Stella is. 

 

Some of this has to do with the sheer number of episodes, of course, and the fact that The Fall, despite being two seasons, seems like it takes place entirely over the course of one month or so. As an audience, we're thus not given the opportunity to really see Stella grow or change or experience any other scenario than the case right in front of her.

 

I can totally understand why GA would appreciate Stella's no-fucks-given attitude, but I'm struggling to see why she would find it a more challenging role given the diverse and dynamic storylines given to Scully and the radical shifts in tones and narrative devices. 

 

I wonder if GA is just plain good and sick of Scully for the most part?  

[AntiBeeSpray]

Maybe it's more to do emotionally. She's basically said as of late that she kind of views Scully as a square. I don't think she's necessarily tired of her as much as she's outgrown her somewhat. I think she tries her best to let Scully grow, but there's only so much she can do within the confines of the character them-self. 

[madam magpie]

I think it has to do with Stella, whom I also think is the far more interesting character. The psychological and sexual themes and gender issues are done so well on The Fall. I absolutely love Scully (love, love her), but Stella's fascinating to me and a total mystery. If Gillian's saying she finds Stella more interesting, I absolutely get why. The Fall is genius, and it's a different genre from X-Files, so preference just depends on what each person is most interested in. I don't think it has anything to do with her being bored by Scully or thinking the character is too square to allow for growth (I'm not sure what that means), though since I'm not in Gillian's head, I have no idea. My guess is that as an actor she wants to explore as many different types of people as she can, inhabit them, and try to figure them out. That's probably one of the more fun aspects of her job. Stella is such an enigma that the process has to be engaging for the actor. It's not so much growth that's interesting about her at this point; it's peeling away layers so we get to see more of her and figure out what makes her tick. I don't think Stella needs to grow, actually; we meet her fully formed. She needs to be revealed. The head game of the thriller is also probably pretty interesting.

Edited February 22, 2016 by madam magpie

[AntiBeeSpray]

I think it has to do with Stella, whom I also think is the far more interesting character. The psychological and sexual themes and gender issues are done so well on The Fall. I absolutely love Scully, but Stella's fascinating to me and a total mystery. If Gillian's saying she finds Stella more interesting, I absolutely get why. I think The Fall is genius, but it's a different genre from X-Files and preference just depends on what each person is most interested in. I don't think it has anything to do with her being bored by Scully or thinking the character is too square to allow for growth (I'm not sure what that means), though since I'm not in Gillian's head, I have no idea. My guess is that as an actor she wants to explore as many different types of people as she can, inhabit them, and try to figure them out. That's probably one of the more fun aspects of her job. And Stella is such an enigma that the process has to be engaging for the actor. It's not so much growth that is interesting about her at this point; it's peeling away layers so we get to see more of her and figure out what makes her tick. The head game of the thriller is also pretty interesting to me.

 

Good explanation about Stella! I just got the Fall recently myself on dvd. Still have to catch up there.

 

As for square, it generally means bland or boring, a geek, a nerd. And in a way, Scully is, and so is Mulder and I wouldn't change a thing.

[madam magpie]

Lol...no, I know what square means. I'm saying I don't know what being square has to do with boring growth. Scully evolved tremendously over the course of the series. On some level, she grew up as Gillian grew up, and those of us who were in that generation grew up with them. That's not boring for me.

Edited February 22, 2016 by madam magpie

[AntiBeeSpray]

Lol...no, I know what square means. I'm saying I don't know what being square has to do with boring growth. Scully evolved tremendously over the course of the series. On some level, she grew up as Gillian grew up, and those of us who were in that generation grew up with them. That's not boring for me.

 

Oh I see lol. Yea she did. But it looks like Gillian thinks otherwise, which isn't a bad thing. Not for me either. I find the characters cool. They grew up as we did.

[madam magpie]

I didn't get the impression Gillian thought any of this, except that Scully is more square than Stella. She seems to like Scully fine from what I've seen.

[baileythedog]

I think it has to do with Stella, whom I also think is the far more interesting character. The psychological and sexual themes and gender issues are done so well on The Fall. I absolutely love Scully (love, love her), but Stella's fascinating to me and a total mystery. If Gillian's saying she finds Stella more interesting, I absolutely get why. The Fall is genius, and it's a different genre from X-Files, so preference just depends on what each person is most interested in. I don't think it has anything to do with her being bored by Scully or thinking the character is too square to allow for growth (I'm not sure what that means), though since I'm not in Gillian's head, I have no idea. My guess is that as an actor she wants to explore as many different types of people as she can, inhabit them, and try to figure them out. That's probably one of the more fun aspects of her job. Stella is such an enigma that the process has to be engaging for the actor. It's not so much growth that's interesting about her at this point; it's peeling away layers so we get to see more of her and figure out what makes her tick. I don't think Stella needs to grow, actually; we meet her fully formed. She needs to be revealed. The head game of the thriller is also probably pretty interesting.

 

Well, that's the thing. She's a character that is fully formed and is slowly revealing things, but not really all that much. And everything that is revealed is pretty much expected. She's a character that is certainly a strong female and bucks some expectations but she stays fairly static throughout. 

 

I don't know.  I enjoyed the two seasons of "The Fall" but nothing at the end of the second season made me want to see more. Because nothing that was ever revealed about Stella really challenged the initial depiction we had of her in the first episode of S1.  

[madam magpie]

But I think that's not the point of the the character or story, and is exactly why I think that show is genius. The goal isn't a typical "growing up" story. Stella is a woman who's already in her skin and comfortable there. I don't really know her, though. With each episode, I get more information, but I don't know her at all really. You think you already know everything about her? Who is she? What does she love, value, admire, respect, etc.? And what made her that way? Where does she come from? I have very little idea.

Scully was a coming of age story in many ways. That's a common theme, especially for women, the ingenue. To meet a female character fully formed, comfortable in her skin, but enigmatic, is more rare. I love that story and am itching to find out more.

Edited February 22, 2016 by madam magpie

[eleanorofaquitaine]

Scully was a coming of age story in many ways. That's a common theme, especially for women, the ingenue. To meet a female character fully formed, comfortable in her skin, but enigmatic, is rare. I love that story and am itching to find out more.

 

It's funny because in my rewatch, I am noticing that right off the bat, what I appreciated about what both the writers and GA did with Scully is present a fully formed human being, as opposed to falling into the gender determinism that you see with most female characters.  That being said, obviously because both the character and GA were in the 20s when the series started, we definitely see Scully grow into the person she'll become, and the truth is that women tend to feel more comfortable in their skins in their 30s and 40s than in their 20s.

 

I don't sense from her interviews that she's bored with Scully, but she has played her for 23 years and I would imagine there is a different feeling in revisiting an old character than there is in creating a new one.  And it seems like that character really is the protagonist of that show, whereas Scully was a co-lead, and somewhat bounded by the M&S dynamic.  (Of course, it is also worth remembering that there is some PR involved here - of course she is going to say good things about the other show she is on currently, plus she probably gets the comparison questions about each character each time).

[madam magpie]

It's funny because in my rewatch, I am noticing that right off the bat, what I appreciated about what both the writers and GA did with Scully is present a fully formed human being, as opposed to falling into the gender determinism that you see with most female characters.  That being said, obviously because both the character and GA were in the 20s when the series started, we definitely see Scully grow into the person she'll become, and the truth is that women tend to feel more comfortable in their skins in their 30s and 40s than in their 20s.

 

I don't find Scully fully formed at the beginning at all. She's a fully realized fictional character in that the way she's written and portrayed is dynamic and complete, lacking in personality or character holes or superficiality. That was unique in a female character when The X-Files came out. But fully formed? No, I don't see that. I see her as super smart, compassionate, well versed in her field, a bit of a prodigy perhaps, but also extraordinarily green, young, inexperienced, and naive. Over nine years, she grows into a commanding, experienced presence who offers both compassion and wisdom. That's a common theme for women on TV. And there's nothing wrong with it. I watch and enjoy a lot of those shows (and books and movies). The coming-of-age story is popular for a reason: there's an appeal and charm to it because we all come of age. As Scully grew up, I grew up. Gillian grew up. Lots of young women I knew grew up. We went from inexperienced, naive, and green to commanding presences. That attaches me to the character of Scully in a nostalgic, familiar way. I love her in that way we all love made-up people we've never met. But who she is now in the revival is much more fully formed than who she was in the early years of the show. For that reason, I also like today's Scully very much.

 

Stella Gibson, on the other hand, is dropped into our world even beyond where Scully is now. She's much more of a commanding presence, there's nothing green or naive about her in the slightest. But she's also a completely different type of person. Sure, they're both extremely smart, compassionate, accomplished career women, but they're nothing alike in personality. Would I rather hang out and be friends with Scully? Probably. Am I more fascinated by the mystery that is Stella? Definitely. And if I feel that way, I have no trouble believing that the person who plays both characters feels that times a hundred.

Edited February 22, 2016 by madam magpie

[eleanorofaquitaine]

I don't find Scully fully formed at the beginning at all.

 

I meant "fully formed" from a gender perspective, not in terms of fully formed as an adult. In other words, female characters are usually written as completely dominated by their biology, as opposed to well-rounded human beings with talents, interests, and ideas beyond being a girlfriend, wife or mother.  From the beginning, Scully is presented as a person defined not by her biology but her intellect and talents. 

 

Obviously, eventually, the questions of her biology due come into play but fairly organically, and only once she is established as a multidimensional character. Scully does a lot of maturing as the show goes on but I would not quite characterize her as an "ingenue," which tends to imply a naivete that we don't really see with Scully.

 

I haven't watched The Fall but given the character's age and stage in life, I would expect the character to be far more mature and comfortable in her skin.

[madam magpie]

An "ingenue" is just an unsophisticated or inexperienced young woman. In fiction, the ingenue is a stock character who's usually wholesome, naive, charming, etc. Often she's virginal; Scully obviously isn't that. Often she's typecast; Scully wasn't that either. But I'd definitely characterize Scully as an ingenue at the start of the series. Plus, she begins as a foil for Mulder; she doesn't initially exist singularly. None of that is unique. What was unique was that Scully was allowed to grow out of her inexperience into a fully formed female character. It was also unique that Scully was defined as a character by her intelligence rather than her ingenue quality, yes. Both of those things aren't as unique today, though; there are many female TV characters like that now. I do think the character of Scully played a huge role in changing that view of women on TV, but in some respects, she began in the typical way. I think that was unavoidable since Gillian herself was so young. There's just no way to put a cherubic, young, pretty girl in the very adult role of FBI agent/doctor and have her not come off looking out of place. I mean, hell, even her pants suits often looked too big for her. She sort of looked like a kid playing at grown-up at first. But that was part of Scully's charm; that's a reason we all loved her so much and in some ways why she worked so well. I don't mean to imply that any of this was sexist or bad. It just was...which was also one of the great and unique things about The X-Files. Scully was allowed to be BOTH the ingenue and the heroine. And then, like real-life young women before and after her, she grew out of being the ingenue and became just the heroine.

Stella Gibson is no ingenue, not even a little bit. I don't know if she ever was. She doesn't grow up or need to be healed. She comes to us as a fully formed heroine; if you want to call that "mature," OK, though I think there's more to it than that (the healing/saving aspect, for example). But one way The Fall and The X-Files are similar, actually, is that both shows just allow their main female characters to be. They aren't defined by gender, and they don't hide from it either.

Edited February 22, 2016 by madam magpie

[ksb]

GA's twitter Q&A

[Bastet]

I love her snark about "apparently, the last time Scully relaxed was reading Breakfast at Tiffany's."  Seriously, show.

 

Also her, "Are you fucking kidding me?" about what word she uses too often.

 

But my favorite is her answer to what Scully and Stella would talk about.

[eleanorofaquitaine]

Heh. I love her diplomatic answer on the FMK question.

[spaulding]

Has anybody watched Gillian Anderson in Great Expectations?  I heard that she was amazing, but I didn't get around to watching it.  I finally going to start tonight.  I bet that it's intense, so I'll have to stop frequently. 

 

It's on Amazon Prime.  While I was searching Amazon, her books popped up. 

 

A Vision of Fire: Book 1 of The EarthEnd Saga

A Dream of Ice: Book 2 of The EarthEnd Saga

 

Whaaaa?  She wrote a couple of books?  Is there anything that she can't do? 

 

I have yet to watch Great Expectations and The Fall.  I have yet to read her books.  I feel like it's going to be GA overload for the next few months.

[madam magpie]

I really enjoyed Great Expectations (though it's also my favorite Dickens novel). She does a fantastic Miss Havisham. She's great in Bleak House too, if you can get your hands on that.

[festivus]

I'm watching Bleak House right now. I had to take a break from my X-Files rewatch so I could process last nights episode. Anyway, she's great in it of course. It's on Hulu, if anyone wants to to watch.

[madam magpie]

For what it's worth, I also enjoyed that first book: A Vision of Fire. I don't like the title; it sounds more pulpy than the story actually is. But the book was good. Haven't read the second one yet. Need to get on that...

[baileythedog]

Gillian interview in Rolling Stone. Note: this interview expresses the idea that doing more episodes would actually be challenging for her:

 

http://www.rollingstone.com/tv/news/exit-interview-gillian-anderson-on-the-future-of-the-x-files-20160223

[spaulding]

I really enjoyed Great Expectations (though it's also my favorite Dickens novel). She does a fantastic Miss Havisham.

 

Thanks.  I only watched 30 min, but it is great. 

 

Haven't watched GA and DD in a long time.  With the new season, I have a renewed interest in their work. 

[sharinlilbit]

Gillian just received nominations in the Best Supporting Actress (Hannibal) and Best Actress categories of the Saturn Awards. 

[DaynaPhile]

So this happened. Not my vid, but I was there. I also got a pic with her. She's shy and adorable and it was pretty much a huge awesome thing.

[baileythedog]

So this happened. Not my vid, but I was there. I also got a pic with her. She's shy and adorable and it was pretty much a huge awesome thing.

I don't have time to watch it all at the moment but a couple thoughts:

 

1. Awesome that she's wearing the "Moist in the Anteroom" t-shirt.  Honestly, that Kimmel interview w/ she and David slayed me and was one of the best bits of video I've seen so far in 2016.

 

2. Weird editing on the video.  Lots of X-Files, then cuts to other roles, then back to X-Files, then other roles and....well, creates a very odd momentum.  

[DaynaPhile]

She auctioned the tee shirt at the end. It was pretty epic. I won't spoil it by telling you how much she raised. Just finish the vid when you can.

[Baby Button Eyes]

That's nice that she has opened herself up to meeting fans and embracing the fandom. It looks like based on some pics I've seen, she is up for goofing around with them too. She has always struck me as being shy around people that approach her and used to be regarded as aloof even to people that worked with her. She even says on that video she wouldn't dye her red for fear people might walk up to her in Starbucks for looking familiar. I would probably go to a comic con if she came to a Vancouver one and I hate crowds plus I'm shy myself..

I found it amusing that when the two girls came to ask her a question, Gillian became more interested in them and I don't think they expected that instead of them asking her a question, it would be her asking them so many about their costume, and their dad and where they live etc, lol.

[madam magpie]

How cool! That's a great video. I always feel like it must be so bizarre to sit on a stage, blinded by lights, and just talk about yourself, but she did a great job. I especially loved the bit about rolling the mother from Home for the panel. She always comes across as so delightful and open to me. Fun to watch. Thanks for posting that.

Edited March 31, 2016 by madam magpie

[GreenScreenFX]

I always rejected Gillian as a blond, but she looks lovely here. iMO this is the prettiest she has ever been.

[Baby Button Eyes]

Strangely, she seems to de-age. (Maybe she is an X-File, or Scully's immortality rubbed off on her, lol)  The photos from the comic con from 2013 she definitely looks younger than her photos as Scully from 1998!  I think its the hairstyle and color honestly. Plus the make up and outfits.  The longer blonde hair sort of softens all her features and she has always been pale, she must not get much sun, its working well for her skin. 

[GreenScreenFX]

I can definitely tell she's gotten older, however, she looks better as she gets older.... Unlike everyone else.