Trivia

Shaved her head completely bald to play Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014). Marvel Studios subsequently turned her shaved hair into a wig and presented it to her as a gift which she still keeps to this day.

Gillan shaved off her hair during the shooting of Guardians of the Galaxy (2014). She revealed this during Comic-Con 2013. During the conference, she wore a wig then took it off to surprise fans.

Cousin of Caitlin Blackwood, who plays the younger Amy Pond on Doctor Who.

The Daleks on the series had to be re-designed to match her height, as she's half a foot taller than Billie Piper, who was the first companion on the revival.

Went on record that she would like to play a female Bond antagonist in a future James Bond movie and that she wants to play the female incarnation of The Joker in a future Batman movie.

Karen is part of the youngest pairing of Doctor Who and companion on Doctor Who (2005). In 2009, the new Doctor, Matt Smith, is 26, and she is just 21. Their combined age will be younger than that of Jon Pertwee, when he was playing the Time Lord in the 1970s.

Used the code word 'Panic Moon' (an anagram of 'Companion'), when auditioning for the role of Doctor Who's assistant/companion.

Became a huge fan of the situation comedy Community (2009), after her flatmate told her about their Doctor Who parody, "Inspector Spacetime".

Karen admitted the first person she told when she got the role of Amy Pond was her mother, who the actress said was a huge fan of Doctor Who (1963).

Two years before she was cast as Amy Pond on Doctor Who (2005), Karen had a guest role in the episode, The Fires of Pompeii (2008). She was cast as a soothsayer.

Voted Best Actress by readers of "Doctor Who" magazine for her stint on the 2010 season of Doctor Who (2005).

Auditioned for Game of Thrones (2011) just before being hired for Doctor Who (2005).

She is a skilled pianist.

Good friends with Katee Sackhoff.

When she's not acting, she likes to play the piano and loves rummaging through vintage clothes shops.

Attended the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London, England.

One of her golden rules of life is a minimum eight hours of sleep per night.

Grew up in Inverness, Inverness-shire, Scotland, Great-Britain and Northern-Ireland.

Her father John is English and her mother Marie is Scottish and one of eight siblings.

On January 25, 2025, she announced the birth of her daughter, and that they had named her Clementine.

Is the only child and daughter of John Gillan of Clan Macnab and wife Marie Paterson of Clan Paterson, considered part of Clan MacLaren or of Clan Farquharson.

Funko released Pop! vinyls of Karen Gillan's characters Amy Pond from Doctor Who and Nebula from the Cinematic Marvel Universe.