Karen Gillan
| Karen Gillan | |
|---|---|
 Karen Gillan at the San Diego Comic-Con International in July 2011 |
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| Born | Karen Sheila Gillan 28 November 1987 Inverness, Scotland |
| Occupation | Actress, former model |
| Years active | 2006–present |
Karen Sheila Gillan (born 28 November 1987) is a Scottish actress and former model who is known for her portrayal of Amy Pond in the British science fiction series Doctor Who.
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[edit] Early life
Gillan was born and brought up in Inverness, Scotland.[1] Her father, Raymond John Gillan, a Day Centre Manager, and mother, Marie Gillan née Paterson, live in Kinmylies. She learned to play the piano when she was seven.[2] She has no brothers or sisters.[3] At a young age, she developed a love for acting, joining several local youth theatre groups and taking part in a wide range of productions at her school, Charleston Academy.[2] When she was sixteen, Gillan decided to use her interest in acting, studying at Edinburgh's Telford College. Later, she got a place at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts drama school in London on the BA (Hons) Acting degree course.[4] Gillan moved to London when she was 18 to study at drama school.[5]
[edit] Career
[edit] Modelling
Before Gillan became an actress, she was working in a London pub at 18 after she dropped out of Italia Conti for a TV show - and was scouted by a modelling agency.[6]
Gillan worked as a model in 2007's London Fashion Week for designer Allegra Hicks' autumn/winter catwalk show[6] and the launch party of Nicola Roberts' Dainty Doll Make-Up Range. This was shown in Roberts' episode of the documentary, The Passions of Girls Aloud[citation needed] which premiered on 4 April 2008. Gillan has said she wouldn't give up her acting career to return back to modelling. She stated that she enjoyed modelling but acting was always her main interest and goal.[7]
[edit] Acting
Gillan's early television acting career included guest appearances on several drama series, with her first ongoing role being 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, as well as celebrities such as Katy Perry and Angelina Jolie. She appeared in Channel 4's 'Stacked'; she had the part of Ginny.[2] Gillan also 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 then later also as a web series on BBC.co.uk. Part of the BBC's multimedia "switch" programming, the short episodes interconnect with online games that further explore the environments presented in the series.[8]
She was cast for the role of the Eleventh Doctor's first companion, Amy Pond, on the British sci-fi series Doctor Who in May 2009. She made her first on-screen appearance as Amy Pond in "The Eleventh Hour" with her cousin Caitlin Blackwood portraying a young Amy Pond.[9][10][11] She was confirmed in Issue 420 of the Doctor Who Magazine to be appearing in the 2011 series. Gillan had appeared in Doctor Who once before in the 2008 episode "The Fires of Pompeii" in the role of a Soothsayer.[6]
Gillan made her first theatre appearance playing the role of Shirley in John Osborne's play Inadmissible Evidence along with Douglas Hodge.[12] The play debuted at the Donmar Warehouse on 16 October 2011.[12]
During August 2011, it was announced Gillan will star in an indie comedy called Not Another Happy Ending along with Emun Elliott.[13] Filming will take place at the end of 2011 into early 2012.[13]
During an interview at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con, Gillan revealed she will be returning to Doctor Who for its seventh series.[14]On 15 December 2011, it was announced Gillan and Arthur Darvill (Rory Williams) would be leaving Doctor Who during the seventh series in 2012.[15] On 26 January 2012 Karen Gillan played the part of supermodel Jean Shrimpton in the BBC Four film, We'll Take Manhattan which told the story of Shrimpton's relationship with the photographer David Bailey.[16][17]
She has also been cast as Brittney in a re-working of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet called Romeo & Brittney by David Baddiel.[18][19]
[edit] Charity work
In 2011 Gillan helped to promote Fashion Targets Breast Cancer (FTBC)[20] and also helped celebrate the opening of Squirrel Ward in Great Ormond Street Hospital.[21]
[edit] Filmography
- Television
| Year | Title | Format | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Rebus[6] | Detective drama series | Terry Cotter[22] | |
| 2007–2009 | The Kevin Bishop Show | Sketch show series | Various | |
| 2008 | Coming Up | Drama | Anna | |
| 2008 | Doctor Who | Science fiction series | Soothsayer | 1 episode - series 4, episode 2 ("The Fires of Pompeii") |
| 2008 | Harley Street[6] | Medical drama series | Holly | |
| 2010 | The Well (TV Series) | Horror series | Coll | Aired on BBC 2, then later a web series on the BBC website |
| 2010-2012 | Doctor Who | Science fiction series | Amy Pond | Series 5 (2010), Series 6 (2011) & Series 7 (2012) |
| 2012 | We'll Take Manhattan | Drama | Jean Shrimpton |
- Feature films
| Year | Title | Format | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Stacked (TV film) [23] | Drama film-for TV | Ginny Turner |
| 2008 | New Town Killers | Drama | Girl at Bus Station |
| 2010 | Outcast | Horror film | Ally |
| 2012 | Not Another Happy Ending | Indie comedy | Novelist |
- Theatre
| Year | Title | Format | Role | Theatre | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Inadmissible Evidence | Play | Shirley | Donmar Warehouse, London | Gillan's first theatre appearance |
- Self
| Year | Title | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-2012 | Doctor Who Confidential | Documentary series | Behind the scenes and making of Doctor Who |
| 2012 | In Love With | Documentary series | series of programmes celebrating the works of Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde and Noel Coward to air on Sky Arts channel |
- Video games
| Year | Title | Format | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Doctor Who: The Adventure Games: City of the Daleks | Episodic video game | Amy Pond (voice and likeness) |
| 2010 | Doctor Who: The Adventure Games: Blood of the Cybermen | Episodic video game | Amy Pond (voice and likeness) |
| 2010 | Doctor Who: The Adventure Games: TARDIS | Episodic video game | Amy Pond (voice and likeness) |
| 2010 | Doctor Who: The Adventure Games: Shadows of the Vashta Nerada | Episodic video game | Amy Pond (voice and likeness) |
| 2011 | Doctor Who: The Adventure Games: The Gunpowder Plot | Episodic video game | Amy Pond (voice and likeness) |
| 2010 | Doctor Who: Evacuation Earth | Video game for Nintendo DS | Amy Pond (voice and likeness) |
| 2010 | Doctor Who: Return to Earth | Video game for Nintendo Wii | Amy Pond (voice and likeness) |
| 2010 | Doctor Who: The Mazes of Time | Video game for iPhone/iPod Touch and iPad | Amy Pond (Likeness) |
[edit] Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | TV Quick Award[2] | Best Actress | Doctor Who | Nominated |
| 2010 | Cosmopolitan 'Woman of the year' Awards | Best Actress | Doctor Who | Won |
| 2011 | SFX Awards[2] | Best Actress | Doctor Who | Won |
| 2011 | TV Choice Awards[24] | Best Actress | Doctor Who | Won |
| 2011 | Scream Awards | Best Sci-Fi Actress | Doctor Who | Nominated |
| 2012 | National Television Awards[2] | Best Drama Performance: Female | Doctor Who | Won |
[edit] References
- ^ "Who's that girl? The Doctor's new sidekick Karen Gillan stars in a glamorous photoshoot ahead of the forthcoming series". London: Daily Mail. 5 March 2010. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1255525/Doctor-Whos-new-sidekick-Karen-Gillan-stars-glamorous-photoshoot-ahead-forthcoming-series.html. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f IMDB (30 July 2011). "Karen Gillan biography". http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2394794/bio. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
- ^ Gilbert, Gerard (7 May 2011). "Obsessive fans, short skits and life with Doctor Who". The Independent (London: Independent Print Limited). http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/karen-gillan-obsessive-fans-short-skirts-and-life-with-doctor-who-2278843.html. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
- ^ Macleod, Calum (26 March 2010). "Who's that girl?". Inverness Courier (Scottish Provincial Press). http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/11997/Who_s_that_girl_.html. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
- ^ Smith, Mark (22 March 2010). "Karen Gillan on being the new doctor who companion". The Herald (Newsquest). http://www.heraldscotland.com/mobile/arts-ents/film-tv-features/karen-gillan-on-being-the-new-doctor-who-companion-1.1015197. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
- ^ a b c d e Karen Gillan on her role as doctor who's new sexy sidekick, 20 June 2010, http://www.people.co.uk/celebs-tv/tv/2010/06/20/karen-gillan-on-her-role-as-doctor-who-s-sexy-sidekick-102039-22344977/
- ^ Obsessive fans & Short Skirts, 7 May 2011, http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/karen-gillan-obsessive-fans-short-skirts-and-life-with-doctor-who-2278843.html
- ^ "BBC Switch presents "The Well"". http://www.bbc.co.uk/switch/thewell/.
- ^ Karen Gillan bags relative role. 31 March 2010. STV.com
- ^ Gillan never watched Dr Who until landing leading role.The Scotsman. 22 July 2010, Stuart MacDonald
- ^ Morgan, Susan (24 April 2011). "sport - Reader Holidays Cities Direct Interview: Karen Gillan, Doctor Who actor". The Scotsman. http://www.scotsman.com/features/Interview-Karen-Gillan-Doctor-Who.6756400.jp.
- ^ a b "Doctor Who star Karen Gillan to make theatre debut". BBC News (BBC). 22 July 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-14247581. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
- ^ a b Cooper, Sarah (1 August 2011). "Not another happy ending". Screen Daily. http://www.screendaily.com/news/production/karen-gillan-emun-elliott-to-star-in-not-another-happy-ending/5030411.article. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
- ^ "'Doctor Who' star Karen Gillan set for Season 7: 'I am going to come back!'". Zap2it. http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2011/07/doctor-who-star-karen-gillan-set-for-season-7-i-am-going-to-be-coming-back.html. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
- ^ Sperling, Daniel (15 December 2011). "'Doctor Who': Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill to leave next series". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s7/doctor-who/news/a356259/doctor-who-karen-gillan-arthur-darvill-to-leave-next-series.html. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
- ^ "We'll Take Manhattan". BBC News. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00ndbn6. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
- ^ Carpenter, Julie (2 August 2011). "Return of the Shrimp". Daily Express. http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/262566/Karen-Gillan-in-return-of-The-Shrimp.
- ^ Deans, Jason (30 March 2011). "Doctor Who's Karen Gillan to play Jean Shrimpton in BBC4 drama". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/mar/30/doctor-who-karen-gillan-jean-shrimpton-bbc4.
- ^ "Karen Gillan to star in Romeo & Brittney". http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/s7/doctor-who/news/a288086/karen-gillan-to-star-in-romeo-and-brittney.html.
- ^ "Fashion Targets Breast Cancer Launches New Campaign for 2011". 13 April 2011. http://www.thetrendboutique.co.uk/fashion-targets-breast-cancer-launches-new-campaign-for-2011/a.
- ^ "Squirrel Ward opens with a visit from Karen Gillan". Great Ormond Street Hospital. http://blog.gosh.org/our-hospital/squirrel-wards-opens-with-a-visit-from-karen-gillen/.
- ^ ""Rebus" Question of Blood (2006)". The Internet Movie Database. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0865936/. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
- ^ Stacked information page, from Internet Movie Database
- ^ http://www.digitalspy.com/british-tv/news/a340240/tv-choice-awards-2011-the-winners.html
[edit] External links
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