About this episodeConan O'Brien interviews Jillian Anderson about her career, including her role as Dana Scully in The X-Files, …AI summary
Conan O'Brien interviews Jillian Anderson about her career, including her role as Dana Scully in The X-Files, her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in The Crown, and her new projects. The conversation highlights the cultural impact of The X-Files on women in STEM, Anderson's creative process for impersonating public figures, and her collaborative book project on female sexuality. The episode concludes with a comedic segment where Anderson and Conan take a 'healthy relationship' quiz that confirms their chaotic dynamic.
Key takeaways 5
The 'Scully Effect': Jillian Anderson notes that many women still approach her to say they entered STEM fields or the FBI because they saw Dana Scully as an empowered, educated, and independent role model on television.
Acting Technique for Portraying Margaret Thatcher: Anderson prepared for her role in The Crown by listening to Thatcher's autobiographies and watching rare, unguarded footage of the Prime Minister before interviews to capture her mannerisms and vulnerability without relying solely on imitation.
The X-Files Dialogue Structure: Creator Chris Carter had an obsessive attention to visual formatting, requiring that dialogue paragraphs be perfect rectangles with no 'widows' (single words left alone on a line), which influenced how Anderson delivered lines.
Book Project 'Want': Anderson co-created a book collecting anonymous letters from women about their sexual fantasies and desires, aiming to explore how modern technology and pornography affect intimacy, self-acceptance, and shame, following the model of Nancy Friday's 1973 book My Secret Garden.
Accent Fluidity: Anderson explains that her British accent is deeply ingrained from childhood and resurfaces involuntarily when she is around British people or when she is tired, despite her efforts to suppress it for American audiences.
Notable quotes 4AI-generated: wording and quote attribution may be wrong. Use the play link to verify.
“I still have people coming up to me and telling me that they are in, you know, a physicist because of Scully or a police officer or a you know, name the fill in the blank. Yeah, it still happens.”
▶ 25:23Jillian Anderson discussing the lasting impact of The X-Files on young women's career choices.
“There was a woman who fantasized about being in a vat of spaghetti and naked and she's sliding around and there are meatballs sliding around and penis sliding around... She still had spaghetti sauce on the side of her face.”
▶ 52:44Anderson sharing a humorous and memorable entry from her book 'Want' during a live event.
“I have a resting intelligent face even if I'm the least smart person in the room. Right. So resting intelligent face. I love that.”
▶ 31:07Anderson joking about the advantages she had when casting as Margaret Thatcher.
“If you're not getting 2% cash back, apply for Apple Card now and use in minutes with Apple Pay.”
▶ 24:20Conan O'Brien reading the sponsor message for Apple Card.
Chapters & Sections (37)▼
0:03Conan's Alternate Batman Origin Storychapter1
2:11Conan's Absurd Batman Origin Story
5:26Alternate Realities and High School Prankchapter2
7:46Sarcastic Santa Claus Concept
8:56Gillian Anderson's High School Arrest Story
10:52Punk phase, arrest, and accent struggleschapter2
12:28Accent origins and identity fuel
14:06Involuntary British Accent and Envy
15:40Childhood Identity and X-Files Famechapter1
17:40X-Files Vancouver Shoot and Paparazzi
20:23The Scully Effect on Women in STEMchapter3
21:49Sleep Number Mattress Sponsorship Discussion
23:10Sleep Number and Apple Card Advertisements
24:28Enduring Impact of Scully on Women
26:42Acting as Margaret Thatcher on The Crownchapter2
28:57Behind the Scenes Footage and Authenticity
31:00Resting Intelligent Face and Performance Anxiety
33:56Memory issues and Camp Myas asthma filmchapter2
36:00Visuals and humor of queer slasher film
37:22Hannah's quest to remake the slasher film
38:43Creating the book 'Want' about female sexual fantasieschapter1
42:06G-Spot drink brand and book pitch
43:31Sexual Taboos and Female Fantasieschapter2
45:18Female Fantasies and Emotional Needs
46:54Fantasy Transference and Self-Complicity
48:28Impact of Technology on Modern Intimacychapter2
50:44Diverse Sexual Fantasies and Body Image
52:09Reader Stories and Book Updates
54:33Wellness Drinks and Relationship Quizchapter4
56:21Hyundai Palisade Features and Family Experience
57:38Platonic Relationship Quiz Assessment
58:30Partner Boundary Violations and Control
59:47Controlling Relationship Dynamics and Criticism
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