GILLIAN Anderson has opened up about a ‘secret’ early relationship with ‘an older girl in high school.’

The and X-Files actress, 58, about her relationships with women.

Actress Gillian Anderson in a red dress with a microphone pinned to her collar.Gillian Anderson discussed her early relationship with ‘an older girl from high school’ Credit: Getty US actress Gillian Anderson posing at the 79th Cannes Film Festival.Gillian – who rose to fame as Dana Scully on The X-Files – has previously talked about her past relationships with women Credit: Getty

In a new interview, Gillian discussed her youthful romance and the sensitivity around it.

She told The Sunday Times: “One of my first relationships was with an older girl in high school.

“It felt secretive and illicit and wrong and we had to hide.

“Later on I had a boyfriend who found out and broke up with me.”

Asa Butterfield as Otis Milburn and Gillian Anderson as Jean Milburn in Sex Education.Among Gillian’s most recent high profile roles was as Jean Milburn in Netflix hit Sex Education Credit: Alamy Gillian Anderson and Peter Morgan on the red carpet for "The Crown" TV show Season 3 gala screening.Gillian has reportedly had an on and off relationship with screenwriter Peter Morgan since 2016 Credit: Getty

Continuing, Gillian said she’d had “a couple of boyfriends”, so didn’t think of herself as gay.

She added: “But I definitely felt I didn’t have the language for it.

“Even later on when I had other relationships with women I’m not sure I ever thought of them as being potentially for ever.”

She concluded: “The person I consider my life partner happens to be male.”

Gillian has screenwriter Peter Morgan, 63, on and off since 2016.

Peter is perhaps best known as the creator and showrunner of smash-hit The Crown.