Scully’s in the money! X Files star Gillian’s cyber security advert bonanza
AS SPECIAL agent Dana Scully, Gillian Anderson always insisted, ‘The truth is out there’.
Now, almost 30 years after The X-Files made her a global star, the actress has a new slogan, ‘They’re always watching’.
That’s the tagline of a new advertising campaign she will front for Silicon Valley cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks that will net her more than $600,000, the Irish Mail on Sunday can reveal.
The 53-year-old was spotted in London this week filming four adverts that will be screened on TV and online.
Wearing a camel-coloured coat and brown suede stilettos, the star – reportedly worth $40m – looked glamorous during the shoot. She accessorised her coat with a red brooch which is similar to Palo Alto’s logo.
The actress recently starred as Margaret Thatcher in Netflix drama
‘She evokes aliens and cyberspace. It’s perfect’
The Crown, and also played Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson in BBC2 crime drama The Fall as well as therapist Jean Milburn in Netflix comedy Sex Education.
A source close to Palo Alto Networks said, ‘Despite having lots of roles since, Gillian is fondly remembered for playing Scully. She was an iconic character, so when you think of her you do think of aliens, cyberspace and the paranormal. She is perfect for this job’.
Based in California, Palo Alto Networks is a $4bn-a-year company specialising in defending computer systems from malicious attacks. It has previously exposed hacking attacks on the West believed to have originated with Russian and Chinese groups.
Its chairman, the former Google chief business officer Nikesh Arora, has a reported $135m annual pay package.
Ms Anderson is not the first A-list star to be hired by the firm.
Hollywood actor Jake Gyllenhaal took part in an interview in 2020 to promote it and late-night chat show host Seth Meyers has also been paid to endorse its services. On TV, Ms Anderson’s latest role is as Eleanor Roosevelt in a new American series called The First Lady.
She has also recently filmed the forthcoming period horror movie The Pale Blue Eye, alongside Christian Bale.