Born on August 9, 1968 in Chicago, Illinois, Gillian Leigh Anderson began her acting career in 1992 on Home Fires Burning, she then had a guest appearance on Class of '96. Anderson was then cast in her best known role as Special Agent Dana Scully in the TV series The X Files, the series would run for nine seasons and one film. Whilst working on The X Files Anderson also took work on The House of Mirth, Princess Mononoke and The Vagina Monologues. In 2005 Anderson played Lady Dedlock on Bleak House, she went on to The Mighty Celt , A Cock and Bull Story, The Last King of Scotland and Straightheads .