After initially wanting to be a marine biologist, at about age 17, she was in ''a couple of auditions'' in the Grand Rapids Community Theater, where she was ''cast in a couple of things,'' and from then it was as if she ''had never thought about marine biology.''While studying for her Bachelor of Fine Arts at DePaul University, Gillian spent some time in the National Theater of Great Britain. During this time, she also had a role in a film named ''The Turning'' in 1988. After receiving her degree, she moved to New York and embarked on a serious career in theater - including an off-Broadway production of Alan Ayckbourne's ''Absent Friends,'' for which she won a Theater World award in 1991. Also ''The Philanthropist ''at the Long Wharf Theater in New HavenGillian then moved to Los Angeles and spent a year auditioning for various things, during which time she did ''Home Fires Burning'' for a cable station as well as the audiocassette version of ''Exit to Eden''Although she had once vowed she would ''never do TV'', and seemed set on a career in film or theater, being out of work for a year or so changed her mind and she had a role in an episode of ''Class of '96'' and then was impressed enough by the role of Dana Scully that she auditioned for the role.''The chance to play FBI Special Agent Dana Scully was the series key attraction, I was reading something that for the first time in a long time involved a strong, independent intelligent woman as a lead character''-GAThe auditioning went well and it seems Chris Carter had decided on casting Gillian for the role. The network (FOX) ''freaked'' at the possibility of casting someone with as little TV experience as Gillian and also appeared to be looking for someone more ''bimboish''. So they flew in more actresses from New York, but Chris stood his ground and they cast Gillian as Special Agent Dana Scully. Gillian, who was also somewhat surprised at being cast said ''I was convinced they were looking for someone leggier, and with a biggerchest.'' - GAGillian is enjoying working on the show, even if it was a little stressful at first and sees the recognition she has been getting as a great step which will open many doors for her, as her goal is to do some more theater as well as feature and independent films eventually.But it was first when she got the role as ''Dana Scully'' in the ''X-Files'' she became real famous.Gillian has become somewhat of a '90's icon through her role on the incredibly popular X-Files TV show, game and now movie. She seemingly strode out of nowhere into the national limelight as the scientist/FBI agent, but few know that she was a movie actress first - having starred in The Turning.As for her views about the X-files and her character she has conveniently summed it up. ''The more I get comfortable with the character, the more she's becoming like me in some of her mannerisms. I'm *not* that much of a skeptic. I do believe in UFO's, I do believe in certain paranormal phenomena, like ESP and psycho kinesis and all that. I've always been fascinated with it and I think, on a certain level, I've just known or assumed it to be reality. In that respect we're very different. I think that I have a tendency to get as single-minded and obsessed with my work as Dana does, but in a different way. She's a medical doctor and an FBI agent and I'm an actress.''