Happy Birthday! Gillian Anderson Turns 48 Years Old Today

It's hard to believe, isn't it? Actress Gillian Anderson is celebrating her 48th birthday today!

Born in August 1968, the American-British actress stands with an impressively accomplished resume to her credit. Born in Chicago, Anderson grew up with her two younger siblings and parents, Rosemary & Homer. The family eventually moved to Britain shortly after Gillian's birth, leading the actress to call London her hoe until she turned 11. Returning to America, the actress eventually went on to pursue her acting career in New York once she turned 22 years old.

While Gillian's list of credits are lengthy, she is best-known for her work on Fox's The X-Files. The actress auditioned for the role at 24, and producer Chris Carter championed Gillian's talent even with Fox wanted to pursue other casting options. The mystery drama went on to air for nine seasons, amassing millions of fans for both Gillian and her co-star, David Duchovny. The television series even went on to inspire two eponymous films which Gillian gladly starred in.

In fact, Gillian strong portrayal of FBI Special Agent Dana Scully has led to what's known as 'The Scully Effect.' The effect, which claims Scully helped created a noticeable rise of women in STEM fields, is something Gillian herself has noticed and is quite proud of.

Most recently, Gillian has continued on with her career as she's started in projects like Hannibal, Great Expectations, The Fall, and more. The actress also returned to The X-Files for a limited 6-episode miniseries revival to critical success.

Clearly, Gillian has been busy lately, so let's hope the actress gets a well-deserved break on her birthday this year!