From Canadian TV Guide (The 51 Hottest Stars on TV Special Issue)
Transcribed by Megan

She's stuck with The X-Files through thick and thin while still managing to gain art-house acclaim

Titian red hair, luminous skin and a wild-child background gives Gillian Anderson an otherworldly glow. After all, what other star could have maintained the immense popularity of The X-Files when high-profile co-star David Duchovny left? When she was cast in 1993 as pragmatic FBI special agent and forensics expert Dana Scully, few figured that Anderson, a virtual unknown, would become an overnight celebrity. Though it wasn't until The X-Files' third season that the show gained mainstream popularity, Anderson had already started to invade the Internet among a growing group of X-Files followers.

The fortuitous casting of Anderson as hard-nosed Scully opposite eccentric, alien-obsessed Fox Mulder (Duchovny) was The X-Files' original recipe for success. Nine years later, her cool performance continues to keep viewers enthralled. With Duchovny now gone, Anderson has once again created believable chemistry between Scully and Doggett (see Top 10 Dynamic Duos).

Off-screen, and in direct contrast to her prim and somewhat proper alter ego, Anderson has become a sex symbol with more than 100 websites dedicated to her. Her millions of fans - yes, millions - rave on about the Tahitian tortoise tattoos on her ankle, the pierced navel and the fact that she had purple hair and a nose ring when she was in high school. She dumped Scully's all-business suits, sensible pumps and trench coat in favor of a revealing backless gown at this year's Oscars. Across the Atlantic in Britian, where Anderson spent much of her childhood, the tabloids have - for better or worse - dubbed her "the thinking man's crumpet."

Then there's the mommy factor. While The X-Files was filming in British Columbia, Anderson married local production designer Clyde Klotz. Though they divorced in 1994, the couple had daughter, Piper.

In the meantime, Anderson refuses to be typecast, choosing quirky art-house roles over sure-fire blockbusters. Her turns as an alcoholic in The Mighty and as a lonely socialite in The House of Mirth both got raves. And then there's the accolades: a Golden Globe, an Emmy and two Screen Actors Guild Awards for her work on The X-Files.

As it enters its ninth season, the show somehow still feels as fresh as ever. Sure, Scully hasn't had it easy (she's been abducted, left infertile, fought cancer and given birth to an alien), but as long as Scully, and Anderson, decide to stay on the FBI's payroll, you can bet we won't stop tuning in.