20 Mind-Blowing Facts You Didn't Know About Hannibal
9. Gillian Anderson Replaced Angela Lansbury
Whilst she's finally returning to the TV role that made her name, Gillian Anderson hasn't exactly been resting on her laurels. In the decade or so since she last played Scully in The X-Files she's been earning critical notices for her lead part as a bolshy police detective in British drama The Fall and as supporting character Dr Bedelia Du Maurier.
The psychoanalyst of Dr Hannibal Lecter isn't the easiest of roles to inhabit, especially when Dr Maurier has previously been attacked by one of Lecter's former patients. Mysterious, hm. Obviously, Anderson is dynamite in the role, but it was originally written for another well-known TV star. One who has a few years on her, too.
Hopefully Anderson didn't take it personally when she found out she was second choice for a character who was specifically written with former Murder She Wrote star Angela Lansbury in mind. Unfortunately she wasn't available (as opposed to being squeamish about all the...y'know), and the network suggested going younger and casting Anderson.