Attractive red-haired Gillian Anderson went from anonymity to cult favorite practically overnight. After picking up a Theatre World Award for her Off-Broadway debut in "Absent Friends" (1991), she made her way to Los Angeles where a role in the little-seen feature "The Turning" (1992) and a guest spot on the Fox drama series "Class of '96" (1993) preceded her landing the star-making role of FBI agent and forensics expert Dr. Dana Scully on Fox's successful paranormal crime drama, "The X-Files" (1993-2002).

Teamed with David Duchovny as investigators of unexplained phenomena, the actress brought intelligence, restraint and a strong note of skepticism to her character and proved an excellent foil to her more credulous partner. While the show was slow in achieving cult status and critical cachet, by mid-second season, it had become a solid success. Anderson went on to amass several accolades for her work including a 1997 Emmy and reprised the role in the big screen outing "The X-Files: Fight the Future" (1998).

      Rather than cash in on sure-money parts trading on her small screen persona, Anderson aggressively pursued eccentric feature roles, proving to be a chameleonic actress. Called "the thinking man's crumpet" by the English press for her work as Scully, she took a cameo as a big-haired working-class girl wrangling with her boyfriend in "Chicago Cab" (1997) and made an even stronger impression as an alcoholic biker chick in "The Mighty" (1998). Anderson then took her biggest change-of-pace leap in Willard Carroll's character-driven comedy-drama "Playing By Heart" (also 1998) as a romance-leery theater director whose barbs somehow do not deter Jon Stewart, her architect-suitor. In an ensemble that included such heavyweights as Sean Connery, Ellen Burstyn and Gena Rowlands, among others, she more than acquitted herself. Undoubtedly, this actress will continue exercising a determined purposefulness in her choice of future roles that will prepare her for a well-rounded, post-Scully career.

      In fact, Anderson found the vehicle that proved she could carry a film when she undertook the role of Lily Bart in "The House of Mirth" (2000). Although funded by Showtime, the feature received rapturous reviews when it played at various film festivals and was slated for a theatrical release in 2000. As the frivolous Wharton heroine under the direction of Terence Davies, Anderson delivered a beautifully nuanced performance that sparked talk of end-of-year award consideration, but somehow her brilliant performance went overlooked.