She might be best remembered as Dana Scully, the level-headed love of science fiction fanatics everywhere, but Gillian Anderson is more than just a beautiful, charismatic actor — she's an unstoppable force of nature.
So today (August 9), we celebrate Gillian's birthday the only way we know how: by admitting that she is better than every single one of us:
That time she lied about her age and it totally worked.
Anderson was only 24 years old when she auditioned for "The X-Files," and only got her foot in the door by telling the producers she was 27. Once she read for the part, though, she completely swept showrunner Chris Carter away. Meanwhile, I am 26 years old and it's a miracle if I can find two socks that match in the morning.
That time she took Buzzfeed's "Which Dana Scully outfit are you?" and got the best one.
I'm a badass leather jacket! Damn straight. ???????????????? @thexfiles https://t.co/122JIIRYv3
— Gillian Anderson (@GillianA) January 7, 2016
I got the "looooong tan coat," so personally I am very jealous.
That time she lobbied to play the female version of James Bond.
It's Bond. Jane Bond.
— Gillian Anderson (@GillianA) May 21, 2016
Thanks for all the votes! (And sorry, don't know who made poster but I love it!) #NextBond pic.twitter.com/f8GC4ZuFgL
I don't care if you think casting women in traditionally male roles ruins your childhood — you'd still line up on midnight to watch this movie.
That time she rocked a T-shirt saying "The Future Is Female."
THE FUTURE IS (Gillian Anderson) FEMALE pic.twitter.com/22PLNGAxAZ
— im keith (@gayillian) May 23, 2016
That time she DEMANDED equal pay on "The X-Files."
In the first season of "The X-Files," the studio wanted Anderson to always be a few steps behind David Duchovny on camera, so it's no surprise that they only wanted to pay her half as much as her male co-star. Anderson wasn't about to take that lying down, though, and eventually closed the wage gap with him after a few years — only for Fox to turn around and offer her half of his pay again when the show was revived this year. Don't worry, she got what she was owed the second time around, but not without making a few headlines along the way.
That time she had to start a Tumblr account and gave it an amazing title.

Maz Kanata' gonna be so pissed.
That time she gave co-star David Duchovny the best nickname ever.
Happy Birthday Schmoopie! @davidduchovny pic.twitter.com/Bw0GOWQPtr
— Gillian Anderson (@GillianA) August 7, 2016
No, you're shmoopie! (and happy belated birthday to you too, Dave!)
That time she casually outed herself in a magazine interview.
Technically Anderson doesn't identify as gay, but she was once in a relationship with another girl during high school, she told Out Magazine in 2012. “If I had thought I was 100% gay, would it have been a different experience for me?” she said. "Would it have been a bigger deal if shame had been attached to it and all those things that become huge life-altering issues for youngsters in that situation? It’s possible that my attitude around it came, on some level, from knowing that I still liked boys.”
“I wouldn’t discount it,” she told The Telegraph a few years later on the subject of future same-sex relationships. “I did it before and I’m not closed to that idea. To me a relationship is about loving another human being; their gender is irrelevant.”
That time she bonded with Kate McKinnon over their shared love of red bobs and giant jackets.
Kate McKinnon, we have something in common & it's not slimy green things. #Ghostbusters #thefutureisfemale pic.twitter.com/5m00Xk5CET
— Gillian Anderson (@GillianA) July 18, 2016
McKinnon once dressed up as Dana Scully for Halloween as a child. Imagine if the person you idolized so much that you dressed up as them found childhood pictures of you in that costume and approved of them. It's a wonder we didn't lose Kate McKinnon that day in a spontaneous combustion of joy.
That time she made friends with a Barbie doll version of herself on Instagram.
I don't see it either @scullystyle. ???? https://t.co/O2CHpCvRro pic.twitter.com/eP3vN5Np0s
— Gillian Anderson (@GillianA) May 10, 2016
It's called @danascullystyle and it's the best Instagram account ever.
That time she dressed up as Marilyn Monroe and left us all swooning,
For her role as Media in the upcoming "American Gods" series. Yeah, I'd worship this.
That time she quoted Beyoncé.
RIDE THAT SURFBOARD, GILLIAN.
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