Actress Gillian Anderson revealed she could not believe being voted Sexiest Woman in the World in 1996 because she felt at her least sexy. At the height of her early fame on television sci-fi drama The X Files, the star was battling severe self-doubt while raising her two-year-old daughter as a single mother following her split from husband Clyde Klotz.
Writing in an essay for British Vogue about the secret to sex appeal, the 57-year-old actress reflected on how disconnected she felt from the public image projected onto her when readers of FHM magazine awarded her the title three decades ago.
"In 1996 I was voted 'Sexiest Woman in the World' by FHM readers - a title that arrived with all the certainty of a cultural verdict," Anderson wrote. "How 'sexy' I felt inside - or indeed looked - when the accolade was announced is another story... The ludicrous irony, of course, is that when the 'world' declared me its sexiest woman, I felt anything but."
Anderson became an international television icon in the 1990s playing Special Agent Dana Scully on The X Files, before going on to earn acclaim in series including Netflix comedy-drama Sex Education and historical drama The Crown. FHM, a leading British men's lifestyle magazine during the decade, published an annual reader poll ranking prominent women in entertainment.
FHM Title and British Vogue Essay
Anderson admitted that while she went through phases of wearing deliberately provocative clothing, she was neither confident nor comfortable in her own body at the exact moment she was deemed to be at her peak attractiveness.
Recalling the phone interview for the magazine cover story, Anderson revealed the stark contrast between her personal life and her glamorous public image. "I was raising a toddler while working impossibly long days and at the time of the phone interview that accompanied the FHM article, I was in well-worn oversized flannel pyjamas while my daughter darted in and out of the room," she told British Vogue.
"I had been single for a while, having split from her father, and I wasn't dating. I was shut down, self-protective and detached from my body, a state that was mirrored in my everyday attire," she added. The actress married assistant art director Clyde Klotz in 1994 before their separation, with the former couple raising their daughter together.
Photoshoot Fantasy Versus Reality
The contrast between her inner feelings and her public image was highlighted by the magazine photoshoot itself. "The fantasy projected onto me bore no resemblance to my reality, despite the latex bodysuit and exposed midriff in the accompanying photoshoot," Anderson wrote. "My life revolved around call sheets, line memorisation and motherhood."
Three decades later, the Sex Education star noted that she now feels far more confident in her own skin. "The most seductive thing any of us can wear is the quiet conviction that we belong exactly where we are," she wrote.
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma
Anderson is currently on a promotional tour for her latest feature film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, a critically acclaimed queer slasher movie directed by Jane Schoenbrun. Released in the United States, the film follows an independent director, played by Hannah Einbinder, attempting to reboot a classic horror franchise.
In the movie, Einbinder's character becomes drawn to a reclusive former star, played by Anderson, and grows obsessed with casting her as the original picture's "final girl." The quest sparks a frenzy of psychosexual mania between the two lead characters.
Co-star Einbinder is best known for her Emmy-nominated role in the comedy series Hacks. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in France, where Anderson appeared on the red carpet alongside actress Eva Longoria. The screening received a rousing six-minute standing ovation from attendees.
Cannes Reception and Indie Financing
Director Jane Schoenbrun, who came out as transgender in 2020, identifies as transfeminine and non-binary, and uses they/them pronouns, described Anderson's portrayal of the reclusive former star as deliberately unsettling.
"It almost feels like she's like Jim Carrey in certain moments," Schoenbrun said of Anderson's performance. "It's so funny and strange and a little bit grotesque and a little bit sad - so far from our traditional notions of high-fem sexuality, while also still being incredibly sexy and weird."
Schoenbrun also spoke candidly about the hurdles involved in securing financial backing for the project before independent production companies Plan B and Mubi stepped in to finance the feature film.
"When I look around in our 'post-woke, post-Biden' era, I don't see any other trans artists getting budgets, and that's a f*****g shame," Schoenbrun told The Hollywood Reporter, adding: "I shouldn't be the only one who's making movies at this level of budget."
Despite the initial funding challenges, Schoenbrun expressed confidence in the project's commercial success, stating: "I think this movie will be a hit." Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma is set to be released in cinemas on August 21.
