Gillian Anderson reveals how the original Tron movie inspired her to accept iconic X-Files role

“I had been a fan of the first one," she explained. "I think I came to it a bit late, but it probably had an impact or influenced – amongst other sci-fi films – my interest in even going into some of the sci-fi stuff I did early in my career."

"[It was] an accumulation of various things, and this is definitely one of the films that probably had that positive impact," she added.

In the new film, Anderson plays Elizabeth Dillinger – the daughter of original character Ed Dillinger – who is at odds with her son Julian for the somewhat reckless way he has been running their family business Dillinger Systems, including his attempts to bring advanced new AI systems into the real world.

And speaking about the relationship Elizabeth shares with Julian, Anderson explained that she thought her character was "terrified" of her son.

"Of who he's become and what his potential is," she said. "And also I think at some point, concerned about the degree to which I might have impacted who he has become."

She added: "I'm worried that my son is going to destroy planet Earth!"

The film speaks to some very current concerns about the dangers of AI technology, especially when in the wrong hands, and this was also something Anderson was keen to dig into.

"I mean, there's obviously a lot of good that's coming from [AI] in so many different areas, and particularly in science and medicine," she said. "But the big conversation, obviously, is the degree to which it could also – like in this film – equate to the end of the earth."

Alongside Anderson and Peters, the cast for the film is led by Jared Leto and Greta Lee, with the synopsis teasing: "Mankind encounters AI beings for the first time when a highly sophisticated programme, Ares, leaves the digital world for a dangerous mission in the real world."

Tron: Ares is in UK cinemas from Friday 10th October.

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