Although arguably best known for the time she’s spent playing Agent Dana Scully on “The X-Files,” Gillian Anderson has also found a home in numerous period pieces and literary adaptations over the years, from Charles Dickens’ “Bleak House” to Edith Wharton’s “The House of Mirth.” Now, she’s taking on Herman Melville, thanks to a small but pivotal part of Starz’s “Moby Dick,” where she plays Captain Ahab’s wife, Elizabeth. Bullz-Eye talked to Anderson during the summer 2011 TCA Press Tour and got a bit of insight into her character (who – we have been led to understand – has never before appeared in a film or TV adaptation of the novel), but we also checked in on the status of the next “X-Files” film as well as what we can expect from her in the upcoming “Johnny English Reborn.”
Bullz-Eye: How familiar were you with the original Moby Dick novel before you took this gig? Gillian Anderson: I wasn’t. I started reading it once I agreed to do the job…and got about ¾ of the way through. And at some point in my life, I’d like to finish it, but it, uh, hasn’t been at the top of my books-to-read-list. (Laughs) BE: During the panel, you said you’ve got about five minutes of screen time in the production. Seriously? GA: (Laughs) No, I’m in it a bit more than that. BE: Out of curiosity, were you aware that Melville’s wife& ... [Continua a leggere]