I wanted to spotlight Gillian's relationship with both Aaron and Zoe: the former because his openness about living with neurofibromatosis remains honorable (and touching), and the latter because her appearance (and enthusiasm) has left its own mark on The X-Files.
THE ANDERSONS' CHILDHOOD
-GILLIAN, THE ONLY CHILD-
October 1996:
"Looking back, I realize it [rebellious teen years] happened because I wasn't getting the attention I wanted from my parents. I had been the only child and the center of attraction for 13 years. Then my mother had two more children and I didn't mean the whole world to my parents any more."
"I became very jealous and having reached the age of puberty I needed the attention."
May 9, 1998:
Gillian: [Discussing her performance in "Emily"] You know, I think [becoming a mother] did [help]. I think before I got pregnant, before I had my daughter, I... My parents had kids when I was ummm...I was an only child until I was 13 and so, I kind of became the live-in babysitter for a while. And so, after I moved away from home, I...I was not a kid person whatsoever. It wasn't until I got pregnant and started to feel ummm...to really feel another life growing inside me and to start getting all those maternal feelings that I really kind of stepped up to the plate of being a mother and I think that, because of the state of mind that I was in, before having that experience without having a child, I wouldn't have had the sensitivity to a young girl as I was able to do with this girl that I worked with. I think a lot of it has to do with the experience of being a mother.
August 16, 1998:
When the family moved back to America, they had enough money for more children, so there was a 13-year age gap. She now has a younger brother who is 17 and a sister who is 14, and she has just turned 30. At the time, she certainly was not keen on their arrival.
-GROWTH AND GRATITUDE-
1997 (Gillian Anderson Emmy Acceptance Speech):
"I feel so honored that you are presenting me with this award because I have been such a huge fan of yours for so many years and, um... I'm more nervous about this right now than I am about getting up here. Um... um... I need to thank my, um, my family. My mom and my dad and I have a younger brother and sister, Aaron and Zoe, who are so wonderfully normal about this whole celebrity thing. They don't brag, they just, they, they, I'm still their big sis. And you know what, sometimes I want to shake them and say "don't you know who I am?" <Crowd laughed> That was a joke. <Crowd laughed even more> Um, um, but all of my family.... And... um... everybody else... um.... Thank you for allowing me my mistakes, for allowing me, um, to falter in my growth, for allowing me to slip into the void of production for long periods of time, knowing that eventually i will surface and be present again. Thank you immeasurably for that, for that understanding, the support and the unconditional love. I love you all, and I thank you for this."
AARON ANDERSON
A bit of a longer section, since Gillian spoke more publicly about her brother and his condition (to raise awareness.)
-TRANSPARENCY AND ADVOCACY-
(**Note**: I am going to include this interview in full because of the effect it had on me while reading.)
March 9, 1998:
New Weekly
March, 9 1998
By Larry Kaplan
Like the FBI agent she plays on The X-Files, Gillian Anderson is on a quest for answers, but they have nothing to do with alien abductions or government coverups. Her 17-year-old brother, Aaron, suffers from an extremely common but grossly misunderstood genetic disorder called Neurofibromatosis, or Nf for short. And the frightening lack of support and information the Anderson family have had to endure has prompted Gillian and her mother, Rosemary Anderson, to embark on a mission to provide information and assistance for other sufferers.
"One of the hardest things about Nf is that it's progressive," says Gillian. "In Aaron's case, we are as supportive as we possibly can be with where he is at this time, but the reality is that it can progress and affect him more seriously on a physical level at any time in his life."
The disorder was completely misunderstood for years, often being mistaken for the Elephant Man's disease - which is actually an entirely different illness. The extensive tumour growth that occurs in more severe sufferers usually distorts the appearance of their faces and bodies.
Because of the cosmetic problems that are common with Nf so many sufferers have to deal with the judgments and ridicule of people around them on a daily basis," says Gillian. "They have to deal with so much anyway, and to have something hyped in such an insensitive way just kind of adds fuel to the flames." Aaron himself is very philosophical. "They can say whatever they want," he says. "But it doesn't affect me. I know the truth, I'm living the truth."
While not a form of cancer, Neurofibromatosis has been lethal in some cases. It can produce complications in all parts of the body, including the brain. It causes growths or tumours to form on nerves throughout the body and can lead to serious medical and developmental problems which are occasionally disfiguring.
When Gillian was just 16, three-year-old Aaron was diagnosed with the condition. Rosemary, a semi-retired computer programmer, remembers her shock and her immediate denial: "That's not possible there's nothing wrong with him! You know, he's perfect!" she said at the time.
While her older daughters, Gillian and Zoe grew up free from the condition, it took a long time for Rosemary to accept the fact her handsome son had something for which there was no cure. "I went through a period where I knew he was healthy, that nothing was probably going to happen to him for a real long time, and I kept saying, 'Why do I need to know this now? I can't do anything about it.' I thought somehow it would be better not to find out until there really was something happening. "But eventually I realised I did need to know. And I needed to make sure that he got regular medical attention, because, although Nf is not yet curable, it has manifestations that can be treated."
"We are among the most fortunate of Nf families," says Gillian, who recently agreed to become an official patron of the British Nf Association. "My brother is mildly affected - so far, so good. But it is not just Aaron. Nf is worldwide and can happen in any family. And I must say that if the horror of this disease isn't enough to promote financial support, something you might want to consider is that the study of Nf and Neurofibromatosis research is already providing breakthroughs in understanding more about cancer."
In the '80s, finding a physician skilled in treating Nf wasn't easy for the Andersons. Incredibly, they might not have known about Aaron's condition if their neighbour, Bette Contreras's daughter, Melissa, hadn't been previously diagnosed with Nf.
"Bette was doing daycare for Aaron," says Rosemary. "Her daughter was diagnosed at the age of two. When she said Melissa had these birthmarks, it didn't register at all with me. "Then at some point, I went over to her house and said, 'What are these cafe-au-lait spots you keep talking about? Show them to me.' So she showed me Melissa's spots and I said 'Well, Aaron has those.' And Aaron did have at least a dozen. All it takes is five or six. It seemed like such a coincidence."
Fortunately, like Aaron, Melissa's complications from Nf have been minimal. "I wondered if it was going to be any big thing, if it was going to affect me so much," says Melissa, now 15. "I have these little bumps really tiny ones on my arms, and I have this little lump on my foot, but that's about all."
As a result, Bette and Rosemary have over 12 years, maintained and expanded the Neurofibromatosis Support Group in their home town in West Michigan. They were also instrumental in establishing a Nf treatment clinic nearby. In addition, Rosemary writes and publishes a regular newsletter filled with the latest facts and research about the disorder. "To be honest, I could make myself a 35 or 40 hour week out of Nf work," says Rosemary. "There's plenty to do. But there's no income - at all."
Gillian donated a variety of autographed items and X-Files merchandise to a worldwide Nf auction over the Internet last spring. What's more, she has designed an original celebrity T-shirt and designated a portion of the gross profits to go to the US organization Neurofibromatosis Inc.
"Gillian's life is so hectic, but she does those little things here and there," Rosemary says. "Simply having her name attached helps. "What we need is for Neurofibromatosis to become a household word in the same way that cystic fibrosis or Alzheimer's or some other conditions are," she adds. "That will help to take some of the stigma off it, when people can say, 'Sure I know what Neurofibromatosis is ... I know somebody who has Nf.' "
The most common early sign of Nf is a half dozen or more spots - circular or oval fat brown patches anywhere on the skin, usually appearing during the first year of life, often accompanied by freckles under the arm or in the groin area. Other signs include benign soft tumours or lumps on or under, the skin, tan spots on the iris, optic glioma (a tumor on the nerve leading to the eye) and bone abnormalities such as curvature of long bones in the leg. Nf can also be genetic.
"We're very fortunate with Aaron," Rosemary acknowledges. "He's a cute, normal-looking kid. It's not inevitable that your child is going to be visibly affected. People need to meet other people who are mildly affected so they can see that there's plenty of hope for their child."
Aaron has personally been helped by the support group his mother leads. "Seeing other people who have the same condition as myself is always comforting," he says. "It's helpful to appreciate people who have it more severely. And being able to accept them as they accept me, as normal people."
Aaron also has a message for other kids with Nf[.] "Don't let anyone tell you you're different, 'cause you're not. It's not a big deal, we're all the same kind of people. Just trust in your family and in yourself. Don't let what anyone else says affect you."
You can call the Australian Neurofibromatosis Foundation on (02) 9628 5044 or reach NF, Inc. at (301) 577-8984.
-AARON'S PASSING-
December 26, 2011:
Anderson is a curious mix of cautious and carefree, clamming up about some skin ink yet talking openly about her brother, Aaron, who died three months ago of a brain tumour. He was just 30. I remark, rather obviously, that it must have been a tough year. "Well, there's certainly been a lot happening this year. But I feel like I've learnt. I feel like I've changed in a positive way."
Aaron was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis when he was just three years old. It is a rare condition with no known cure and causes tumours to grow on nerve tissue, leading to skin and bone abnormalities, but Anderson says that "It's questionable as to whether this was related to that. His condition involves tumours but not very often brain tumours, so the fact that he had an inoperable one was shocking and not commonplace. He was getting his PhD at Stanford. He was in the middle of a young life."
"Aaron was a Buddhist and because of that he was prepared. He was diagnosed [with the brain tumour] at 27 and it got really rough at the end, but he was completely ready. So it was kind of remarkable for everybody who got to witness it and witness his journey." Was it almost tougher on those watching than on Aaron himself? "Yes and no. I mean, my parents are kind of extraordinary," she trails off. "I think it comes down to his perception of everything, his acceptance of his path. None of us were hanging on and trying to pull him back into the world. We didn't want it to be any different than the way it was happening because it was really clear that he was OK."
February 7, 2015:
13. I had a brother named Aaron who died of a brain tumor three years ago at age 30.
14. My brother's tumor was likely connected to a disease he has from birth called neurofibromatosis.
15. I am a patron of the Neurofibromatosis Network charity.
16. I was 24 when I was cast as Scully in The X-Files, but I told the producers I was 27.
17. I have a sister named Zoe who is gay and married to her partner. Thanks, Illinois!
February 8, 2015:
Shortly before her former girlfriend died, her younger brother also died from a brain tumour. It was an incredibly tough time for the family, she says, but in its own way enriching. He was 27 when he was diagnosed, and just about to receive his PhD in developmental psychology from Stanford University. He died at 31.
“Because he was who he was and he had very strong Buddhist practice, he made it an extraordinary experience for all of us because he embraced it, so to speak. It was what it was, and he lived the last few years of his life with incredible grace and it brought us all closer together. He never ever complained. There was no self-pity whatsoever. Even though I have Buddhist leanings, I think I would feel sorry for myself all the time. I just would.”
February 2018:
As a child growing up between London and the States (her parents are American but she lived in London between the ages of two and eleven), she says she felt different. “I’ve always felt like an outsider. I’m sure part of that was being an only child for so long [she has a much younger sister and a brother, who died, aged 30, of a brain tumour].
ZOE ANDERSON
The Official Guide to The X-Files Vol. 4, Meisler
According to Vancouver casting director Corinne Mayrs, her biggest problem-- solved with an impressive burst of inspiration-- was finding an actress to play Dana Scully circa 1976. "We'd managed to find matches for everybody else," says Mayrs, "but we couldn't agree on a match for the young teenage Dana. Then, during a casting session, Bob Goodwin leaned over to me and said, 'Doesn't Gillian have a sister? A younger sister?'"
Indeed she does.
"It was incredible!" says fourteen-year-old Zoe Anderson, speaking from the home she shares with her parents in Michigan. "It happened out of the blue. My mom told me when I came home from school. She said, 'Guess what? Gillian just called, and they said they need you for a part.' I started screaming! I really like drama and plays and stuff. I've always wanted to do this."
A veteran of several amateur theatrical productions ("In sixth grade I was in A Christmas Carol, can you believe it?") and a local opera workshop, the eighth-grader memorized her lines on day after dance class and spent a week in Vancouver with her sister and mother. "The plays back home were fun, but doing this was really fun," she says.
The hardest part, she reports, was learning exactly how to stand in each shot. "Every shot was different. Either I was leaning too far into the Christmas tree, or looking the wrong way. But the director, Peter Markle, really helped me. He was great."
And the next hardest part? Perhaps telling a nosy interviewer, months later, that the braces she wore on her teeth onscreen were not issued to her by wardrobe or special effects department.
"I wish!" says the young actress, with feeling.
March 11, 2015:
GA: Art has always been, uh, and the arts, have always been a big part of my life. Not entirely sure where that comes from. And my parent will say the same thing. Um, two of their three children are in the arts. My sister is a ceramicist; and an overall exceptional artist. And obviously myself, being in the arts. My sister says that, um, one of the things that always inspired her as an artist was the amount of art-related coffee table books that I had always had around my house.
February 25, 2017:
Aged 13, she ceased to be an only child when her brother Aaron was born (he had neurofibromatosis, a congenital condition that causes tumours to grow on the nervous system), followed by a sister, Zoe.
"You want me to be the bad guy? Fine, I'll be the bad guy"
---
This scene cemented that Call will never be Constantine. His reaction to Aaron's death isn't what you would expect from The Enemy of Death.
This sketch is a what if scenario where Call reacts just like Constantine. Where he loses control because of grief, and anguish.
Instead of helping him, they condemn him for something out of his control, for something he didn't do. Well, If that's what they want to believe, then Call will be The Enemy.
i answered the wrong questions for history class and i got an F but the grader is letting me try again by the end of tomorrow, which would be great if i had already READ THE READING .. INSTEAD OF SKIMMING.. RLLY HARD
