Karen Sheila Gillan is a Scottish actress and filmmaker.
44 Facts About Karen Gillan
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Karen Gillan gained recognition for her work in British film and television, particularly for playing Amy Pond, a primary companion to the Eleventh Doctor in the science fiction series Doctor Who, for which she received several awards and nominations.
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Karen Gillan worked on the stage while in Britain, appearing in John Osborne's play Inadmissible Evidence.
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Karen Gillan achieved international stardom for portraying Nebula in the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero films Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.
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Karen Gillan additionally was praised for her portrayals of Ruby Roundhouse in the action films Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Jumanji: The Next Level, Sam in the comedy film Gunpowder Milkshake and her double role in the sci-fi thriller film Dual.
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Karen Gillan's accolades include an Empire Award, a National Television Award, a Teen Choice Award and nominations for a British Academy Scotland Film Award, a Critics' Choice Award and a Saturn Award.
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Karen Gillan has been noted for her public image and activism, particularly towards suicide prevention.
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Karen Sheila Gillan was born in Inverness on 28 November 1987, the daughter of Marie and Raymond John Gillan.
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Karen Gillan's father is from Sunderland in North East England.
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Karen Gillan moved to London at age 18 to study at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts.
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Karen Gillan has said she would not give up her acting career to return to modelling, stating that while she enjoyed modelling, acting had always been her main interest and goal.
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Karen Gillan undertook a two-year stint as a member of the ensemble cast of the sketch comedy series The Kevin Bishop Show, in which she played multiple characters including celebrities such as Katy Perry and Angelina Jolie.
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Karen Gillan appeared on TV in a leading role in a horror project entitled The Well, which was broadcast as a series of episodic short films on BBC Two and later as a web series on BBC.
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Karen Gillan went on to portray Amy Pond, companion to the Eleventh Doctor, on the British sci-fi series Doctor Who.
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Karen Gillan made her first on-screen appearance as Amy in "The Eleventh Hour" with her cousin Caitlin Blackwood portraying a younger version of the same character.
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Karen Gillan appeared in the sixth series in 2011 and the first five episodes of the seventh series in 2012, after which her character and Rory Williams left the series.
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Karen Gillan reprised her role in the 2013 Christmas special "The Time of the Doctor", to coincide with Smith's departure as the Doctor.
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In 2011, Karen Gillan made her first theatre appearance playing the role of Shirley in John Osborne's play Inadmissible Evidence along with Douglas Hodge.
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Karen Gillan was selected by director John McKay because he came to know her during the production of We'll Take Manhattan, which he directed, as "a very bubbly, vibrant, energetic, funny, slightly clumsy person" who was a perfect fit for the character.
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Karen Gillan told journalists that she was happy to be involved in a Scottish production that "isn't about drug use or fighting the English".
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In 2012, Karen Gillan appeared in the television film We'll Take Manhattan playing the part of supermodel Jean Shrimpton, which told the story of Shrimpton's relationship with the photographer David Bailey.
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In November 2013, Karen Gillan appeared on Broadway in a play called Time to Act, one of the plays included in "The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway" to benefit the non-profit Urban Arts Partnership.
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Karen Gillan was cast in the third season of A Touch of Cloth, which was co-created by Charlie Brooker.
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Karen Gillan starred in the lead role in the supernatural horror movie Oculus, which was filmed in Alabama and premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.
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Karen Gillan's performance received praise, and she earned a Fright Meter Award nomination for Best Actress.
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In February 2014, Karen Gillan was cast as the lead in Selfie, an American single-camera sitcom for ABC produced by Warner Bros.
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Karen Gillan played a socialite named Eliza Dooley, a modern-day take on Eliza Doolittle, who is obsessed with social media.
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In May 2013, Karen Gillan was cast as Nebula in the Marvel superhero science fiction film Guardians of the Galaxy, which was released in August 2014.
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Karen Gillan had her head shaved bald for the role, which Marvel turned into the wig that Karen Gillan wore during the production of Selfie.
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In May 2014, Karen Gillan was cast in the Western film In a Valley of Violence directed by Ti West, opposite John Travolta, Ethan Hawke and Taissa Farmiga.
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In 2015, Karen Gillan had a bit part in the drama film The Big Short directed by Adam McKay, alongside Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell and Melissa Leo.
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Karen Gillan wrote and directed her first short film, Coward, which screened at the 2015 Edinburgh Film Festival, and was nominated for several awards.
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Karen Gillan won in the Best Female Newcomer category at the 20th Empire Awards for Guardians of the Galaxy and Oculus.
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On 2 November 2016, it was announced that Karen Gillan would write, direct and star in her directorial feature film debut with Burbank-based development and production company Mt.
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In 2017, Karen Gillan reprised her role as Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.
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Also in that year, Karen Gillan played the lead female role, Ruby Roundhouse, in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, the third instalment of the Jumanji franchise, starring alongside Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Nick Jonas.
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Karen Gillan reprised her role as Nebula in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, which were filmed back-to-back.
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In 2020, Karen Gillan appeared in the adventure drama The Call of the Wild, based on the Jack London novel.
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Karen Gillan played a double role, and earned acclaim for her performance.
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In 2011, Karen Gillan helped promote Fashion Targets Breast Cancer and the opening of Squirrel Ward at the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.
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Karen Gillan has voiced advertisements for eHarmony and The Royal Bank of Scotland.
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Karen Gillan appeared in TV on the Radio's "Happy Idiot" music video, released on 3 October 2014.
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The film is about the high suicide rate in the Scottish Highlands, and Karen Gillan made a public pledge to support the mental health charity.
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In May 2022, Karen Gillan married Nick Kocher, an American comedian of the sketch duo BriTANicK, in a ceremony at Castle Toward, in Dunoon, Scotland.