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Gillian Anderson is one of the most respected actresses in British television. Although the world best knows her for her performance in shows like X-Files, The Fall, Sex Education, and The Crown, she has done several other works that deserve just as much, if not more, recognition. There is no better example of an award-winning performance from her side than Mads Mikkelsen’s Hannibal.
A still of Gillian Anderson and Mads Mikkelsen in Hannibal | Credit: NBCThe series is critically acclaimed for several reasons, ranging from its unique stylistic approach to its breath-taking performances, and impressive writing. The series manages to flush out every single character to their fullest degree, and a side character like Bedelia Du Maurier was no different.
During an interview, Anderson revealed the reason why she joined the cast of the series, even though she was playing a side character.
Gillian Anderson Felt Compelled to Be a Part of Hannibal
Gillian Anderson’s character in Hannibal was iconic in many ways. Even though she stayed on the sidelines of the story, she played a very important role in understanding the confusing psyche of Mads Mikkelsen’s character and guided the audience through his states of mind. She also helps fans understand the status and insights of Lecter’s relationship with Will Graham.
A still of Gillian Anderson as Bedelia Du Maurier in Hannibal | Credit: NBCConsidering how well she plays the role of mediator and almost narrator, many might wonder how she ended up getting this role. During an interview with Esquire, she talked about exactly this, revealing how she ended up joining the cast of Hannibal.
When NBC came to me and offered a deal to develop something together, I thought maybe it’s time. Then they sent me Hannibal as a small arc on a series. I think I’ve come to know [Hannibal creator] Bryan Fuller as a bit of a genius.
The actress confessed that she had heard of how great Bryan Fuller, the creator of the series, was and wanted to desperately work with him. After being contacted by the network, NBC, she jumped on the opportunity to play a character in the series.
Bedelia Du Maurier—Hannibal Lecter’s Psychiatrist
It wasn’t only the fact that Bryan Fuller was a part of the series that made Gillian Anderson want to join the cast. It was also the role that her character would be playing in the series. Hannibal Lecter, a ruthless cannibal, and part-time psychiatrist, goes to his own psychiatrist, Bedelia Du Maurier, when he feels overwhelmed.
The opportunity to play Hannibal’s psychiatrist is something I couldn’t really pass up.
A still from Hannibal | Credit: NBCWith this in mind, it is quite interesting to see the difference between her character in the NBC series and in Sex Education. Her character in Hannibal completely juxtaposed the one she played in the Netflix series. Although both of them were therapists of a certain kind, where Jean Milburn was full of life and positive and her only problem was a lack of boundaries, Bedelia Du Maurier was a completely different breed of person.
Forgiveness is too great and difficult for one person. It requires two: the betrayer and the betrayed. Which one are you?
Some fans have even gone as far as to refer to her as a Freudian representation of Lecter’s Ego, acting as his moral compass in most situations. In the later seasons, she also plays a similar role for Will Graham, unconsciously pushing the two together. At the same time, audiences do not understand anything about her character, being given small breadcrumbs until her very last scene in the series completely blindsided them.
A still of Gillian Anderson as Bedelia Du Maurier in Hannibal | Credit: NBCConsidering just how many complexities she possesses in her limited time on-screen, it is not surprising that Anderson wanted to play the character.
Hannibal is available for streaming on Prime Video.
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