We bring you the facts about the former companion to DOCTOR WHO…
This week, Karen Gillan takes on her first leading role in a horror film; OCULUS. Having had plenty of experience in fighting monsters in DOCTOR WHO, this seems like a good career step for Gillan, and we decided to gather together some trivia about the actress.
1. More than a pretty face
Although Gillan started her career as a model, she has said she would never give up her career as an actress to return to modelling, since acting was always her mail career goal.
2. Live Long and Prosper
With her stint as Amy Pond lasting two and a half seasons, Gillan has had the longest run of any companion on DOCTOR WHO.
3. Redesign
At 5′ 10″ tall, Gillan is half a foot taller than Billie Piper – the first companion on the revived DOCTOR WHO – and the Daleks on the show had to be redesigned to match Karen’s height.
4. Inspector! Blorgons!
After her flatmate told her about the DOCTOR WHO parody INSPECTOR SPACETIME – an inside joke on the TV show COMMUNITY – Gillan became a huge fan of the NBC comedy.
5. Sketch This!
Before she was cast in DOCTOR WHO, Karen Gillan was a member of the ensemble cast on THE KEVIN BISHOP SHOW, where she played multiple characters and impersonated celebrities, including Katy Perry and Angelina Jolie.
6. Family Connection
The actress who plays the young version of Amy Pond in DOCTOR WHO – Amelia Blackwood – is Gillan’s cousin.
7. A Fair Cop
Karen will star in the upcoming series three of Charlie Brooker’s spoof cop show, A TOUCH OF CLOTH. There are no official details about her character yet, but from the sneak peek at the end of series two, we can guess Gillan will play a police officer.
8. Shave or Dye
To prepare for the role of Nebula in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, Karen Gillan shaved off her trademark red hair. She debuted her new bald look at the San Diego Comic Con in 2013, to rapturous applause.
9. My Fair Lady
As well as GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, OCULUS and A TOUCH OF CLOTH, Karen also has a TV show in the works. SELFIE is based on MY FAIR LADY, and stars Gillan as a selfie and social media obsessed narcissist who enlists the help of a marketing expert to revamp her image.
10. Ginger Winner
In a recent Reddit AMA, Karen Gillan revealed she considers Gillian Anderson “the greatest redhead there ever was.”
OCULUS is released in Irish cinemas on June 13th
Words: Brogen Hayes