Gillian Anderson prefers working in the UK

Gillian Anderson may well be best remembered for her role in the extraordinarily successful sci-fi series the X-Files, and you may have wondered what happened to the red headed beauty, and it turns out she's been concentrating her efforts over on our side of the pond.

The still glamorous star has spoken in an interview for the UK's Radio Times about the difficulties she's faced in the US, and how the Brits understand her acting a lot better and don't pigeon hole her like the studios of LA do. The 42 year old posed for some stunning pictures, in Victorian costume, looking as seductive as she did in the 90's. The shoot  is to celebrate her role in upcoming BBC 2 Drama The Crimson Petal And The White, an adaption of Michael Faber’s 2002 novel that explores Victorian sexuality, and will see Anderson play Mrs Castaway, a brothel owner.

Anderson said in the interview that she has been offered far better roles in the UK and said;

“All the interesting stuff I’m offered comes from Britain. There’s a broader understanding of my capability. They don’t know what to do with me in the States because they don’t realise I’m a character actress. They wouldn’t for a second imagine I could play Wallis Simpson [as she did in Channel 4’s Any Human Heart last year].”

She also starred in the BBC’s adaptation of Bleak House in 2005, and said that she was cast in The X Files despite the fact the network wanted a big breasted blonde to play the part.

“That’s the only way they knew how to market television, but I’m not a bimbo, so I said take it or leave it. No one expected The X-Files to be popular,” said Anderson. “I’d probably be more ambitious if I lived in Los Angeles, but that’s not really my place. I’ve thought of doing another TV series, something with dark humour. I can be good at comedy. I did Boogie Woogie, which didn’t see much of the light of day, and I’ve made Johnny English Reborn [to be released later this year] because I wanted to work with Rowan Atkinson.”

So in case you were wondering where Miss Anderson has been, she's been over here all along!

Gillian Anderson Image Library