Born Karen Sheila Gillan on the 28th November 1987, in Inverness, Scotland, she is a stage, television and film actress, best known to the world as Amy Pond in the long-running sci-fi TV series “Doctor Who” (2008-2013), and as Nebula in the adventure sci-fi film “Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014), and its sequel “Guardians of the Galaxy” (2017).
Have you ever wondered how rich Karen Gillan is, as of early 2017? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that Gillan’s net worth is as high as $2 million, an amount earned through her successful career as an actress which started in the mid-2000s..
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Karen Gillan Net Worth $2 Million
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Known for her red hair and perky personality, Karen is a typical Scot, having grown-up in her hometown of Inverness. However, in her teens, she moved to Telford College, Edinburgh and studied acting . Two years later, she took a step further, moving to London and enrolling at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts , from which she obtained a BA degree in acting.
Her career started in 2006, with a minor role in the TV series “Rebus”, only to join the ensemble of the sketch comedy series “The Kevin Bishop Show” two years later. While working on the show, Karen imitated several celebrities, including Katy Perry and Angelina Jolie, among others. The same year she was cast in the role of Soothsayer in “Doctor Who”, but then two years later was brought back to the show, this time in the more notable role as Amy Pond, companion of Doctor Who, who at the time was portrayed by Matt Smith. She stayed on the show until 2013, during which time her net worth increased to a large degree, while her popularity also soared.
Meantime, in 2010 she had the role in Colm McCarthy’s horror “Outcast”, and then in 2013 starred in John McKay’s romantic drama “Not Another Happy Ending”, and in the horror “Oculus”, with Brenton Thwaites and Katee Sackhoff. She continued her rise to stardom with the role of Nebula in James Gunn’s sci-fi adventure “Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014), and then in 2015 appeared in the Academy Award-winning biographical drama “The Big Short”, with Christian Bale, Steve Carel and Ryan Gosling. In recent years, Karen featured in the drama “In a Valley of Violence” (2016), with such stars as Ethan Hawke and John Travolta, and then in 2017 appeared with Emma Watson, Tom Hanks and John Boyega in the sci-fi thriller “The Circle”, which also added to her wealth.
Karen also has several projects that are yet to be released, including the role of Nebula, but this time in the different franchise of “Avengers: The Infinity War”, which is scheduled for 2018, and she will also star in the sequel of “Jumanji” (1995), which starred the late Robin Williams, entitled “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” (2017).
Regarding her personal life, Karen has worked with several campaigns, including Fashion Targets Breast Cancer and also helped promote the opening at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London of Squirrel Ward. She now resides in Los Angeles, California and according to reports she is still single.
Empire Award for Best Female Newcomer, National Television Award for Outstanding Drama Performance (Female)
Movies
Doctor Who, Guardians of the Galaxy, Oculus, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Not Another Happy Ending, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, The Big Short, Selfie, We'll Take Manhattan, The Circle, +In a Valley of Violence, 7 Days In Hell, The Kevin Bishop Show, NTSF:SD:SUV::, New Town Killers, Warning La...
TV Shows
Selfie, NTSF:SD:SUV::, The Kevin Bishop Show, Harley Street, Doctor Who, The Well
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Trademark
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Towering height
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Scottish accent
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Energetic personality
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Red Hair
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Quote
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[on Michael Haneke's movies] I like his films because I like big films as well but they're far more manipulative, like we're going to make you feel sad at this point, then the music kicks in and you know what you're supposed to feel, and they're telling you what to feel, but Haneke's stuff is just this really unbiased view of events, and you choose how to feel about it, which is fun for me.
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[asked about some directors she'd like to work with] I want to work with Michael Haneke, the Austrian director, more than anything in the world. Can you make that happen for me? I love his films so much. He's my favourite director in the world.
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[on Oculus (2013)] I love horror films so much. I like being scared. I want to be in good films, obviously, rather than cheesy ones. And some horror films can be quite cheesy. I love watching them but I don't necessarily want to be in them.
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I wasn't horrifically bullied. There was some name-calling but nothing awful. All kids get teased about something. And this was quite an obvious feature. When you're really tall and ginger and white at school, you're going to get it.
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He's just really unlikely as a hero - which makes him so brilliant, I think, because he's like this mad professor. (On The Doctor)
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To be honest, I wasn't really a huge follower of Doctor Who (1963) before I got this part. I mean I knew it was huge, but ... I was nothing like my mum, who's a proper diehard Whovian. She's got a Tardis money-bag, and Dalek bubble-bath. But having read the first episode I was utterly smitten, and with the character. Amy's a sassy lady, funny and passionate, and her relationship with the doctor has a really interesting dynamic.
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I am legitimately Scottish. I can officially say - yes. Yeah, I am from Inverness in the Highlands of Scotland.
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I got a recall to come in and read with Matt [the eleventh Doctor] and that was quite funny, actually, because, I wasn't allowed to tell anyone that I was auditioning, what I was auditioning for, not even the people in the reception of the place that I was going to. So I had to give them a code name of 'Panic Moon'. It was fun but it was actually an anagram for 'companion' which is quite clever.
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[on winning the role as Amy Pond in Doctor Who (2005)] I am absolutely over the moon at being chosen to play the Doctor's new companion. The show is such a massive phenomenon that I can't quite believe I am going to be a part of it.
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Matt Smith is an incredible actor and it is going to be so much fun to act alongside him. I just can't wait to get started.
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[discussing Amy's relationship with the Doctor] She (Amy Pond) doesn't take his (the Doctor's) word as gospel and she's always happy to challenge him. If he tells her to do something then she won't necessarily do it, she might go off and do her own thing which can sometimes create a rift between the two of them! They are best pals though and it's a very up and down relationship because they are both very passionate people.
Became a big fan of the series Community (2009), after her flatmate told her about their "Doctor Who" parody, "Inspector Spacetime".
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2 years before she was cast as "Amy Pond" in Doctor Who (2005), Karen had a guest role in the 2008 episode, _"Doctor Who" (2005) {The Fires of Pompeii (#4.2)}_ (qv". She was cast as a soothsayer.
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Lives in Los Angeles.
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"The Daleks" on the series had to be redesigned to match her height, as she is half a foot taller than Billie Piper, who was the first companion on the revival.
Karen admitted the first person she told when she got the role of Amy Pond was her mother, who the actress said was a big fan of Doctor Who (1963).
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Karen is part of the youngest pairing of "The Doctor" 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.
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Voted Best Actress by readers of "Doctor Who" magazine for her stint on the 2010 season of Doctor Who (2005).
$2 Million
