Gillian Anderson has publicly identified as pansexual, saying she is “attracted to all genders” in what appears to be the clearest statement yet about her sexuality.
The X-Files, Sex Education and The Crown star made the comments during an interview with The Australian while promoting her new book, More. During the interview, Anderson said she is “pan, as in pansexual, as in attracted to all genders”.
The announcement follows years of public discussion about her sexuality. In a 2024 interview with The New Yorker, Anderson reflected on how she identified, asking: “Am I pansexual? Am I bisexual?” as she considered which label best described her experiences.
Anderson, 58, has previously spoken about having relationships with women when she was younger. She first discussed those experiences publicly in an interview with Out magazine in 2012 and reiterated them during her latest interview. “In my younger years I was in relationships with women,” she said.
The Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actor has become an LGBTQ+ icon through a career spanning more than three decades. From her breakthrough role as FBI agent Dana Scully in The X-Files to her acclaimed performances in The Fall, Sex Education and The Crown, Anderson has built a devoted queer following while frequently speaking out on issues of sexuality, identity and women’s rights.
Her latest comments come as she promotes More, a follow-up to her bestselling 2024 book Want. Both books explore women’s experiences of desire, intimacy and sexuality through anonymous submissions from contributors around the world. Anderson has previously credited her role as sex therapist Jean Milburn in Netflix's Sex Education with encouraging more open conversations about sex and inspiring the projects.
Speaking about this stage of her life, Anderson said she feels increasingly comfortable discussing sexuality and identity. However, she suggested that her recent work exploring sexual themes may represent the end of a particular chapter in her career, saying: “Once this book is done and once this film is done, I feel like… it might be the end of this chapter of my life.”
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