Two-time Emmy Award winner Gillian Anderson is back with a new project, scoring one of the leading roles, unsurprisingly! Deadline reports that the Sex Education star has been cast in the Channel 4 drama adaptation of Louise Kennedy’s debut novel Trespasses. She will portray Gina, the mother of protagonist Cushla, who never ceases to exchange blows with her daughter. The “glorious wreck” Cushla, on the other hand, is being played by Lola Petticrew (Bloodlands) with her love interest Michael, played by Tom Cullen.

Trespasses, which was shortlisted for the 2023 Women’s Prize for Fiction, is set in 1975 near Belfast and follows Cushla, a Catholic schoolteacher who meets an older Protestant married man who frequently sticks up for IRA suspects. The adaptation is being produced by BAFTA winner Wildgaze Films (Brooklyn), with the script being handled by Ailbhe Keogan (Bad Sisters) as her first lead writing credit. Filming of the production will begin this Fall in Belfast, while All3Media International is distributing.

Anderson, who has read both the award-winning novel and the intriguing script of the adaptation, could not have been more thrilled to be a part of this project as she gushed:

“I fell in love with Louise’s stunning book when I read it in proof. I was immediately drawn to the tragi-comic creation that is Gina and couldn’t resist when Louise asked me to play her. Reading Ailbhe’s brilliant scripts confirmed how vividly this story could translate to screen, and with Dawn at the helm and Lola and Tom alongside, I’m delighted to be part of the Trespasses family.”

Gillian Anderson’s Acting Portfolio Is Exceptional

It’s safe to agree that Anderson will deliver nothing but the best performance, given her exemplary acting talents, which she has honed since her entry into the entertainment scene in the 1980s. The Scoop star is best known for her role as FBI Special Agent Dana Scully in the sci-fi series The X-Files, beginning in 1993. Fans also got to see her in a humorous light in the Netflix teenage dramedy Sex Education, where she starred as Jean Milburn from 2019 to 2023. And in 2020, she was seen in a political position in the fourth season of The Crown, where she played Margaret Thatcher. Another adaptation that Anderson is a part of besides Trespasses is that of Raynor Winn’s bestselling memoir The Salt Path. As announced in May 2023, she will star alongside Jason Isaacs, and Marianne Elliott will direct the movie.

No release date has been set yet for Trespasses but do stay tuned to Collider for more information about the adaptation. In the meantime, check out Anderson‘s most popular work, The X Files, on Hulu.

via Collider