The science fiction series “Doctor Who” is where Scottish actress, director, and screenwriter Karen Gillan is best known for playing Amy Pond. She was raised in Inverness, Scotland, and made the decision to pursue acting at a young age. She attended the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts. She made numerous minor appearances in television series in the early years of her career. She eventually became a well-known television actress and ventured into the film industry. At the age of 23, she made her acting debut in the British supernatural thriller movie Outcast. She rose to fame on a global scale thanks to her portrayal of Nebula in the superhero film “Guardians of the Galaxy.” The ambitious woman expanded her resume to include directing and screenwriting after appearing as an actor in a number of big- and small-screen hits. She wrote and directed the comedy-drama movie “The Party’s Just Beginning,” in which she also starred as a lead. Besides acting, she is very passionate about social issues and helped promote Fashion Targets Breast Cancer (FTBC).
Childhood & Early Life
Karen Gillan was born on 28th November 1987 in Inverness in the Scottish highlands to Marie and Raymond Gillan. Her father is a singer and recording artist.
At the age of 16, she moved to Edinburgh to study acting at Telford College. Two years later, she moved to London to study at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts. While studying there, she was scouted by a modeling agency. However, she was firm in her stance that she wanted to become an actress and not a model.
Karen Gillan’s Career
Karen Gillan’s early television appearances included guest roles in several TV series such as the detective series ‘Rebus’. She later joined the ensemble cast of the comedy series ‘The Kevin Bishop Show’. She was also the lead of a horror project named ‘The Well’, which was a series of episodic short films.
She made her film debut in the year 2010 with a role in the supernatural thriller film ‘Outcast’. Directed by Colm McCarthy, the film was about a killer who was pursuing his former lover, who hailed from an ancient magical race. From 2010 to 2013, she gained huge popularity for her role as Amy Pond in the famed British TV series ‘Doctor Who.
She made her second appearance on the big screen with the lead role in the 2013 romantic comedy film ‘Not Another Happy Ending’. The same year, she also played the lead role in the supernatural horror film ‘Oculus’. The film was a big success financially, earning $44 million on a $5 million budget. It also received mostly positive reviews from critics.
She played one of the important roles in the superhero film ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ in 2014. The film was based on a Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. It was a huge commercial success and also won many awards and nominations. She then played the lead role in the TV series ‘Selfie’.
In 2015, she appeared in two feature films, ‘The List’ and ‘The Big Short’. She also played a supporting role in the mockumentary TV film ‘7 Days in Hell’. She directed, wrote, and served as an executive producer for the short film ‘Coward’ the same year.
The following year, she played a supporting role in the film ‘In a Valley of Violence’. Though the film was met with positive reviews from critics, it didn’t do well commercially.
Her next important role was in the 2017 superhero film ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’. It was the sequel to the 2014 film ‘Guardians of the Galaxy. Like the previous film, it was a huge commercial success and received several awards and nominations. It was highly lauded by the critics. She made appearances in “The Circle” and “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” during the same year.
In the 2018 movie “The Party’s Just Beginning,” which she also wrote, directed, and starred in, she also played the lead role.
Her Bigger Works
In the television series “Doctor Who,” where she played Amy Pond from 2010 to 2013, Karen Gillan first gained notoriety. Since it began broadcasting in the 1960s, the program has played a significant role in British popular culture. It centers on an extraterrestrial character by the name of “Doctor Who,” who travels through time to explore the cosmos.
With her part in the movie “Guardians of the Galaxy,” she became well-known around the world. She played Nebula, a vicious space pirate who is an alien supervillain. The film, which was directed by James Gunn, was based on the same-named superhero team from Marvel Comics. Despite having a $230 million budget, the movie made over $770 million in box office receipts. Additionally, it received two Oscar nods.
In the follow-up, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” she played the same part again. It enjoyed similar commercial success to the prequel. The movie also received numerous Teen Choice Awards.
Recognition & Achievements
The awards won by Karen Gillan include the ‘Cosmopolitan “Woman of the Year” Award’ for Best Actress for her role in the TV series ‘Doctor Who in 2010. She also won the 5th Young Scot Award in the same category for the same role. She was nominated for two National Television Awards in the category of ‘Best Female Drama Performance’ as well, out of which she won one.
She received multiple awards for her role in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’, including the ‘Empire Award’ for Best Newcomer in 2015.
In 2016, she won the London IFF Film Festival Award for Best Lead Actress in a Short Film for her role in ‘Bound for Greatness.’
Her Personal Life
Karen Gillan is currently known to be single. She previously dated Patrick Green and Andrew Brooke.
She has collaborated with ‘Fashion Targets Breast Cancer,’ a major global charity, in addition to her job in the film industry.
Estimated Net Worth
Scottish actress, author, director, and producer Karen Gillan has a $4 million fortune. Gillan is most known for her roles as Nebula in “Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014), “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” (2017), “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018), and “Avengers: Endgame” and Amy Pond on the science fiction series “Doctor Who” (2010–2013). (2019).