Home > Drama > The Fall: Gillian Anderson turned down Lady Cora role in Downton Abbey! May 18th, 2013 by Anna Howell. Gillian Anderson first hit our screens playing Dana Skully in the extra-terrestrial X Fies series, and subsequent movies, 20 years ago. In that time she has been voted Worlds Sexiest Woman by a lads mag, whilst securing her place in the TV hall of fame for two generations, and gathered more cult followers than you can shake a stick at! However, when discussing her new role, DCS Stella Gibson in the hit BBC2 5-part thriller, The fall, which premiered on UK TV on Monday night, the star has explained why the character suits her better than any other. Speaking to the Daily mail newspaper, the mother of three actress explained: 'I've played a succession of tightly-wound, dark, confused, suicidal women. 'If Stella finds a man attractive, she doesn't hesitate to make the first move. I quite like that in a woman, I've discovered, 'I like ...