Gillian Anderson Honors Terence Davies, Credits ‘House of Mirth’ Director With ‘My First Proper Film Job’

Gillian Anderson paid tribute to Terence Davies, the British filmmaker who directed one of her most acclaimed performances for “The House of Mirth,” crediting him with giving her “my first ‘proper’ film job.” Davies died on Oct. 7 at the age of 77 following a short illness.

“The House of Mirth,” an adaptation of Edith Wharton’s novel of the same name, saw Anderson portray Lily Bart, a tragic socialite whose quest for love and financial security leads her to ruin. Davies wrote the script, in addition to directing the film.

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The role came to Anderson at a time when she was best known for portraying FBI Special Agent Dana Scully in the paranormal series “The X-Files.” The film provided an opportunity for the actor to showcase her range with a meaty role in a period piece.  It was also good news for Davies, with “The House of Mirth” representing a significant expansion of scope after his previous intimate arthouse films such as “Distant Voices, Still Lives” and “The Long Day Closes.”

“Terence gave me my first ‘proper’ film job,” Anderson wrote in a statement to Variety. “I was 30/31 and between Season 6 and 7 of ‘The X-Files.’ This obscure director, whose work I happened to be obsessed with, offered me a leading role not because he had seen my work, I was told, but because he’d said, my face fit the era. Whatever Mr Davies’ impetus to invite me to ditch aliens for Wharton was a dream come true and I remain forever grateful.”

Anderson would go on to win an Emmy for her performance as Margaret Thatcher in “The Crown,” and would appear in “The Fall” and “Sex Education.” On screen, she co-starred in “The Last King of Scotland” and “Shadow Dancer.” Her stage work includes “A Doll’s House” and “A Streetcar Named Desire.”

Davies’ credits include an adaptation of Terence Rattigan’s “The Deep Blue Sea” with Rachel Weisz; “A Quiet Passion,” a drama about Emily Dickinson that starred Cynthia Nixon; and, his final feature, “Benediction,” a portrait of British war poet and memoirist Siegfried Sassoon.

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