Gillian Anderson, 58, has shared that she identifies as pansexual. The "X-Files" actress made the revelation in a recent interview with The Australian, weeks after discussing a "secretive" relationship she had with an older girl in high school during her teenage years.
Pansexuality is defined as sexual, romantic, or emotional attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity. Anderson stated in the interview, "In my younger years, I was in relationships with women."
She also spoke about how her perspective on sexuality has evolved, influenced by hearing about the experiences of other women. Anderson mentioned that she doesn't consider herself a "big flirter" and doesn't often express romantic interest openly. However, she noted hearing from many women her age who are "rediscovering their sensuality and their desire for sex" and finding enjoyment and new opportunities, sometimes with younger men.
Anderson credited her role as therapist Jean Milburn in the Netflix series "Sex Education" for making her more sex-positive. She stated, "It all came from that character."
Anderson has three children: a 31-year-old daughter, Piper, from her marriage to ex-husband Clyde Klotz, and two sons, Oscar, 19, and Felix, 17, with former partner Mark Griffiths. Her past marriages include one to production designer Clyde Klotz from 1994 to 1997 and to documentary filmmaker Julian Ozanne from 2004 to 2006. Since 2016, she has reportedly been in an on-off relationship with "The Crown" creator Peter Morgan, although this has not been publicly confirmed.
In a previous interview with The Sunday Times, Anderson recounted a teenage relationship that felt "secretive and illicit and wrong" and had to be hidden. She added that she did not consider herself gay at the time because she had also had boyfriends, but acknowledged lacking the language to fully understand her feelings. She further explained that even later relationships with women did not feel like they were necessarily "for ever."
Regarding her current relationship status, Anderson indicated in the recent interview with The Australian that "The person I consider my life partner happens to be male."
Earlier in the week, Anderson also reflected on being named "Sexiest Woman in the World" by FHM readers in 1996. She described feeling at her least sexy during that period, struggling with self-doubt while raising her then two-year-old daughter as a single mother. She recalled being in "well-worn oversized flannel pyjamas" during a phone interview for the article, a stark contrast to the "latex bodysuit and exposed midriff" in the accompanying photoshoot. She felt the public perception of her sex appeal bore no resemblance to her reality, which was focused on work and motherhood. However, she stated that three decades later, she feels sexier than ever, defining the most seductive quality as "the quiet conviction that we belong exactly where we are."