Who does Gillian Anderson play in Netflix's The Abandons?

It has recently been announced that award-winning actress Gillian Anderson will be joining the cast of the highly anticipated Netflix western drama series The Abandons. The news, which was first broken by Variety, has managed to cause huge waves in the industry and excited fans all around the world.

The Western drama series is set in 1850s Oregon. It follows diverse families in the countryside as they unite to battle corrupt wealthy families seeking to seize their land and undermine their social status.

The series had up till now only cast actress Lena Headey to play the titular character in the show. And while fans had come up with their own theories as to who would be the best choice for the show to cast, the addition of Gillian Anderson has been much appreciated by fans.

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Gillian Anderson plays the domineering matriarch Constance in The Abandons

Gillian Anderson in Sex Education (Image via IMDb)

The premise for The Abandons already hints at the portrayal of the trope of the battle of different social classes in society. To highlight the unfairness faced by the middle classes in the 1800s and their marginalization in society's class structure, it's crucial for the show to feature a compelling antagonist character for added authenticity. Who better than Gillian Anderson, the critically acclaimed actress, to do it?

Known for playing strong and bold characters, Anderson has been absolutely ruling the television industry as of late, and with The Abandons she plans to continue the legacy.

The actress will portray Constance, the wealthy family's matriarch who aims to expand her empire and rise higher in society by taking over the city.

Variety recently released the official description for Anderson's character which reads:

"The matriarch of the wealthy Van Ness family who inherited her husband’s mining fortune and then doubled it. Despite the town’s inherent bias against women, her money, charm, and ruthlessness created a network of political allies. For her, power, wealth, and lineage trumps all."

Gillian Anderson in The Crown (Image via IMDb)

This isn't the first time that Gillian Anderson has taken on the role of a gutsy and courageous female lead, having previously made headlines for her portrayal of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the wildly popular Netflix show The Crown.

The actress won numerous accolades for her stunning performance in the show and ever since fans have been wanting to see the actress take on similar roles.

The Abandons sets up the perfect opportunity for Anderson to do what she does best and it's safe to say that fans can expect yet another spectacular performance from the actress.

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More details about the series

While the details about The Abandons are still very much under wraps since the show is still in the process of casting, IMDb did release a brief synopsis for the series. The synopsis is as follows:

"When a corrupt force of wealth and power covets the lands of a group of diverse and atypical families and tries to drive them out, they must pursue their Manifest Destiny."

Lena Headey in White House Plumbers (Image via IMDb)

Apart from Gillian Anderson, the show will feature British actress Lena Headey who will be playing the role of Fiona. Similar to Anderson's character, Headey will also be portraying a strong matriarch. However, her character will be shown through a different lens altogether as she'll be representing the middle class.

Based on the premise, fans can expect Anderson and Headey's characters to go head to head. Their dynamic will surely be one to look out for in the show since they won't only bring out the conditions of either class but also provide insight into the social stature of women in the 1800s.

The show is written and directed by Kurt Sutter and will have a total of 10 episodes.

While the official premiere date for the show has not been disclosed yet, fans can expect it to arrive on the streaming platform in late 2024.