Dear
Ms. Gillian,
As
a rule, I’m not generous with my praise. I have
never written anyone a “fan letter” before,
nor would I do so now without just cause.
There
are a number of fine actresses in theatre and cinema
today, some finer than others, whose work I’ve
enjoyed and/or admired. However, I must tell you, my
dear Ms. Gillian, that you transcended
“enjoyable” a long time ago. Following your
career over the past 15 or so years, beginning with
your long stint on X-Files,
and extending to roles in House
of Mirth, The
Mighty (what a piece of work!!)
and, most notably, Bleak House, has
been a rich and rewarding experience for this
observer. More than that, it’s been a
revelation. I say this, not as a star-struck fan, but
as a veteran of the stage, who can experience and
appreciate your artistry in ways and for reasons that
may elude the casual viewer. What’s more, my
wife, who also loves theatre and recognizes quality
(she chose me), shares these sentiments.
...............................................................................
The
two of us never tire of savouring and discussing your
work on the X-Files series
(which we’ve taped virtually in it’s
entirety). The depth and emotional range you brought
to the role of Dana Scully, the intelligence, the
passion, the wit, the subtlety, the amazing restraint
and sense of proportion you exercised in working the
character’s stops and making her real: these
were just some of the qualities that made, and
continue to make, this person so compelling to watch
and re-discover.
(And
did I mention the humour? There's that priceless
scene in Vegas, when Scully’s higher brain
functions have been temporarily erased—the one
and only time we ever see the sober, ultra-sensible
agent become goofy and intoxicated—is a comic
masterpiece! My wife and I go into spasms of delight
every time we watch it. Your penchant for comedy may
be one of your best kept secrets.)
Scully
What
impresses us the most is watching Scully’s
growth, and Gillian’s, over a nine-year period.
She is a living textbook in long-term character
development. Nothing about the character is ever
forced, pretentious or overdone. It is/was a
portrayal distinguished as much by what you held back
as by what you unveiled. And that, in my book, is a
mark of greatness. Anyone who might have thought you
were wasted on that show, or who failed to appreciate
the extraordinary artistry you brought to your role,
missed “The Truth” altogether.
And yet, much as I value your work on the series, I
do understand how important it is for you, as a
serious actress, to put Scully behind you and move on
to more challenging and/or diverse assignments..................................................................................
(Thankfully,
you had begun doing that even before the series
concluded.) Any viewer with eyes could see that you
had more to offer than this one television role,
albeit exceptional, could possibly offer you. I
admire you for having the artistic chutzpah to expand
your repertoire, rather than allowing yourself to be
seduced by popularity, or by the security of another
long-term commitment on American prime time.
House
of Mirth
Added
2008...
I've
recently watched House of Mirth again, perhaps for
the fifth or sixth time. It’s a film that
continues to grow on me everytime I see it. The life
you bring to the role of Lily Bart so infects this
viewer from the moment you first appear on screen,
and keeps him riveted until the very last frame(s) of
the movie. Your performance is deep, intoxicating,
exquisitely nuanced, a joy to savor. And it haunts me
long after the film has ended. Of all the excellent
work I’ve seen you do outside The
X-Files, I must tell you that House
of Mirth (2000) and Bleak
House (2005) represent what I
believe to be your two most significant achievements
to date.
...Which
brings me to topic of Lady Dedlock. I’ve neither
the space nor the eloquence to critique your
performance in Bleak House.
Suffice it to say, it exceeded all expectations.
Whether or not critics and audiences, or your
colleagues in the industry, will eventually
acknowledge you as one of THE leading actresses of
your day, only time will tell. You are still young,
and there are so many rewarding places your talent
has yet to take you. “Greatness” is not a
term to be tossed around thoughtlessly. However, on
the strength of what I have seen of you thus far, I
do feel that there is greatness in you. And if any
one experience could have driven that conviction home
for me, it was savoring your performance as Lady
Dedlock.
I
hope you won’t grow weary of strangers like me
praising your talents. The ability to move and
entertain people worlds away, whom you have never
met—to touch, to inspire, to enrich their lives
in such a personal way—is truly a gift, and a
privilege. Whatever you do, please don’t ever
take that gift lightly. Nor cease striving for the
caliber of excellence you brought to House of Mirth
and Bleak House. I realize that standout,
high-quality showpieces like these may be rare and
difficult to land, what with the blizzard of
mediocrity circulating through the entertainment
industry today. However, I want to believe that the
exceptional parts are “out there.” And that
you, being the exceptional actress you’ve shown
yourself to be, will recognize them when you spot
them, and make them your own.
.................................
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................................................. .......The
Mighty.....................................................In
Extremis..............................................................................Closure
My
only complaint is there haven't been nearly enough
opportunities to view your work. Your films are
spaced too far apart, and not every film you've done
lately made the best use of your talents. Still, in
nearly every dramatic incaration we’ve witnessed
thus far, including some less prominent roles, we
discover yet another facet of your talent. Not to
mention the fact that some of your best work has
probably been on the British stage, which leaves
people like me out of the loop.
The Sweetest Swing in
Baseball >>. 
..................................
<< What the Night is
For<<<
,,,,,,,,There
are so many great classical and literary heroines
I’d love to see you portray. How would you feel
about tackling the Bard someday? I think you would be
smashing as Lady MacBeth. Or Gertrude in Hamlet.
Or Kate in Taming of the Shrew.
How about one of Chekhov's plays? I’m thinking:
Masha in The Three Sisters—although
you’re the only actress who, depending on the
relative ages of the cast, has the range and
versatility to play any of the sisters, AND be
convincing. What say you to Tennessee Williams? Have
you considered playing Maggie in Cat?
Or Blanche in Streetcar?
....
I
can't tell you how excited I was to learn that you'd
be be playing Nora in A Doll's
House this Spring. I think
she's a perfect vehicle for you. Unfortunately,
there's no way I can afford to see that production.
Not unless I hijack a plane to London and sneak in
through the backstage door of the theater.
.....A
Doll's House
Added 2012...
If my experience in the theater
has taught me anything, it’s that the journey is
fraught with trials and self-doubts. I don’t
think an actor/actress ever outgrows the need for
affirmation, particularly someone of your caliber who
has made the kinds of risky career moves you’ve
made. It takes courage to swim against the popular
current, to remake yourself into something other than
what society, or the entertainment industry, expects
you to be. It took a lot of courage for you to move
beyond your early success on American television when
you did, to pursue more challenging roles in the UK.
With every endeavor, there’s a rage to evolve,
to constantly out-stretch and out-perform yourself,
that never loosens its hold on you. Anyone acquainted
with the singularity of your work over the years has
sensed that. You’ve been tried in a different
fire than performers less gifted, less driven than
yourself, and it shows.
................
..........
.......... 
...............................Duchess
of Windsor .........................................................Mrs.
Castaway...............................................................................Miss
Havisham
That said, I must tell you that
your Miss Havisham was, far and away, THE most
striking, THE most haunting incarnation you’ve
brought forth in the past year, maybe in the past
twenty. And one of the most heart wrenching. Here
again, you made some bold choices, plumbing dark
uncharted depths where a less assured actress would
have feared to venture. The very otherness of your
persona was as mesmerizing as it was unnerving. It
was the way you bore yourself, as though your bones
were made of porcelain, as though you might shatter
at any moment. It was the thin, hollow timbre of your
delivery, which, like the thin, hollow character you
portrayed, eroded by degrees as the drama wore on. It
was the unrelenting anguish you exuded in every scene
you were in. Your performance was so creepy, so
exquisitely deranged, you gave me goose bumps in
places I didn’t know I had. In short, your Miss
Havisham (pardon the expression) exceeded my greatest
expectations. And after experiencing your Wallis
Simpson last year, that’s saying a lot. My gosh,
you were good!
...............................................
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...................... Moby
Dick........................................................................
.....................How
To Lose Friends
Please
know that my purpose in writing you is not to
flatter, but to encourage you in your career. In an
age when so many second rate entertainers are
remembered mainly for the wealth and popularity they
grab for themselves, I say that you, Ms. Gillian,
will be the more highly regarded for the richness
your acting has brought to others. It is most
critical, therefore, what types of acting assignments
you accept or decline from hereon, more so than for
an artist without your capabilities. Yours is a
career “less ordinary.” I prithee, choose
your roles wisely.
..
Tristram Shandy..
...............................................................Last
King of Scotland
One more thing. Whatever you
do, please...please don’t give up on your dream
of playing Blanche DuBois in “Streetcar,”
no matter how many other offers you receive in the
meantime. Trust me, THIS is the role you were born to
play! I cannot think of a character more suited to
your acting chops, and temperament, than Blanche
DuBois. If Tennessee Williams were alive today and
familiar your work, he’d have written the part
for YOU! Not to fret, you still have a good while
before you’re too old for the character.
Besides, age has ever been a problem for you. You
weren’t too young to play Scully or Miss
Havisham, and you won’t be too old to play
Blanche.
UPDATE: 2014...
.....................
As Blanche
in Streetcar
Named Desire
at the Young Vic Theater
The Mighty Celt
It’s been a pleasure, and
an adventure, making your acquaintance. Here’s
wishing you the best in all your endeavors. Thank you
for you time, and for allowing me to connect with you
again. My applause to your ear...
............................................................Bravissima!..........................................................................
