Karen Gillan has definitely evolved her career over the last decade, though if you compare the role she is most well known for (that being the MCU’s Nebula), to the role that kicked it all off for her, there are some similarities. The Scottish actress is proudly celebrating 14 years since she was officially announced as the new companion in Doctor Who, Amy Pond.
Doctor Who is a beloved British sci-fi series with a global reputation, with the Time Lord simply known as The Doctor whisking off earth-born companions around all of space and time, the series is essentially a never-ending escapade. 14 years ago to date, Gillan was announced as the new companion to Matt Smith’s new iteration of The Doctor, and the two of them did wonderful things together.
Much like her MCU character, Amy Pond, traveled through space, though her own mode of transportation was a little more high-tech, with the Doctor’s TARDIS being able to take the pair to almost any point in space and time. She fought off aliens and monsters, saw civilizations old and new, and helped those in need wherever she could. She may not have been as physically strong as Nebula, and certainly more human, but Amy had an inner strength that audiences saw time and time again, making her such an endearing part of the series.
The actress starred in the show from its fifth season to mid-way through the seventh season, where she met a somewhat tragic end in a shocking twist. Fans loved the actress in the series, finding her chemistry with both Smith as The Doctor and also Authur Darvill as her romantic interest turned husband Rory Williams, to be exceedingly fun to watch. This role certainly kicked things off for Gillan, as she then went on to star as Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy a year later.
She has since starred in massive hits such as her continued work in the MCU, her role in the Jumanji reboot, and the COVID comedy The Bubble, among many others. You can see her now in theatres in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.