Gillian Anderson in Squadron 42: Captain Rachel McLaren

Gillian Anderson plays Captain Rachel McLaren in Squadron 42, a confirmed cast role announced by Cloud Imperium Games. Anderson — known worldwide for The X-Files, Sex Education and The Crown — joins a cast that already includes Gary Oldman, Mark Hamill, Henry Cavill and Mark Strong, and her character carries one of the most interesting personal dynamics in the story. This page explains what is confirmed about McLaren and why the casting matters.

Who Is Captain Rachel McLaren?

McLaren is a captain in the UEE Navy — commander of the Aegis Javelin destroyer UEES Gauntlet during the Battle of Vega II, the disaster that opens the campaign. The defining confirmed detail about the character is her family connection: she is the daughter of Admiral Ernst Bishop, played by Gary Oldman. In the battle, MacLaren coordinates damage control and an evacuation aboard the burning Gauntlet, and the player character assists her through breached bulkheads before escaping the dying vessel — she also submits the recommendation letter that sends the player to flight academy. Her fate in the battle becomes part of Bishop's drive to take the war to the Vanduul, giving the campaign's command drama a personal core.

Why the Casting Matters

Anderson's involvement continues the pattern across the Squadron 42 cast: every role, no matter how large, is performed by a working screen actor using full performance capture. Her scenes will be captured with the same facial rigging and body-suit pipeline as the rest of the cast, meaning the McLaren players meet in game is Anderson's actual performance — expressions, mannerisms and voice together. For a story that runs an estimated 40 to 45 hours across 28 chapters, having actors of this caliber carry the emotional weight is central to CIG's cinematic pitch.

How McLaren Fits the Story

The campaign opens with the Battle of Vega II in 2945, and McLaren is at its center: commanding the Gauntlet as a Vanduul Kingship-led armada attacks the civilian population, and guiding the player — then a turret gunner — through the ship's destruction. Beyond the prologue, CIG has not published her full story arc, so details are "to be confirmed" until the game ships or new official material arrives.

Where to See More

Official trailers and development videos on the Squadron 42 YouTube channel feature the campaign's cast, and Anderson's role was highlighted in CIG's cast announcements. The game itself — where McLaren's full story plays out — is planned for Q2 2027 on Windows PC, with a confirmed Steam page alongside the RSI store.

Anderson Among the Cast

Anderson joins a cast that also includes Gary Oldman as her character's father, Mark Hamill as Steve "Old Man" Colton, Mark Strong as Captain Thomas Wade, Liam Cunningham as Captain Noah White, John Rhys-Davies as Randall Graves and Andy Serkis as the Vanduul clan leader Thul'Oquray. Her role is one of several female leads in the campaign, alongside Rhona Mitra's XO Sophia Kelly and Eleanor Tomlinson's Advocacy Agent Trejo — a spread of senior roles that reflects the ensemble structure CIG has built. Every scene across the cast was performed with the same capture pipeline, so McLaren's moments carry the same production weight as the game's combat set pieces.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who does Gillian Anderson play in Squadron 42?

She plays Captain Rachel McLaren, a UEE Navy captain and the daughter of Admiral Ernst Bishop, played by Gary Oldman.

Is Rachel McLaren the main character?

No. The player is a rookie pilot in the 42nd Squadron. McLaren is a senior officer and a key figure in the command story.

Is the character confirmed?

Yes. Cloud Imperium Games has officially confirmed Anderson in the role as part of the main cast.