The Big Issue: Gillian Anderson interview

In this interview called: "I don't have a chance to play soft", Gillian describes her X Files fame as "a story of her life", mentioning people who want to share their supernatural experiences with her. “Just the other day someone who had read a science fiction book I have co-written wanted to talk tome about howwhat happened in the book had actually happened to him. So yes, people want to bend my ear every once in a while.”  

At  the Oscars, Patricia Arquette used her acceptance speech to demand wage equality in the industry. During The X-Files’ original nine-year run, Anderson was paid significantly less than Duchovny. For the first three years she reportedly earned just over half of his salary and only received equal pay for the second spin-off film I Want to Believe. Although she does not refer to the new X-Files explicitly, you don’t need to be a conspiracy theorist to imagine she is referring to current contract negotiations when talking about Arquette’s speech.

“Yes, it is still a problem. In a very, very big way, including something recent and unconscionable, which I really can’t talk about but yes, it is still alive and well. There was a period of time in the 1990s when it was appropriate to talk about it, and there was a period of time in the 2000s when people still wanted to talk about it. Most of my reaction was, ‘Yes that happened but that was then, this is now’. But the fact is it’s not just then – it is also happening now.”

Anderson’s latest film sees her step back towards sci-fiin Robot Overlords, a British feature about a group of kids who turn out to be our only salvation from global robot domination. “As with most good science fiction tales, there’s generally a sense of impending doom,” says Anderson, who plays the mother of the lead character. “I don’t get the chance very often to play a soft character,” she continues. “I’m often cast as quite hard, intelligent bosses, whether it’s MI5 or MI7 or the Met. Or the FBI.

Anderson was one of the last stars to drive the Reasonably Priced Car on Top Gear, before the show’s broadcasts were suspended. She believes that Clarkson “makes the show”.

He can’t not be part of the show,” Anderson told The Big Issue. “He makes the show. It’s an unfortunate situation but the show is as popular because of his inappropriate behaviour both on and off camera.”

Anderson also told us the experience of driving the Reasonably Priced Car has left her with a long lasting memory for a different reason.

“My shoulder has not recovered yet from spending three hours in that car,” she said. “My arm will not bend a certain way so I am constantly reminded about my three hours on the tarmac at Top Gear. But it was totally worth it. It was so much fun.”