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Karen Gillan

Karen Gillan

Actor, also director, writer and producer · Born November 28, 1987 (38) · Inverness, Scotland, UK

Karen Sheila Gillan (/ˈɡɪlən/; born 28 November 1987) is a Scottish actress and filmmaker. She gained recognition for her work in British film and television, particularly for portraying Amy Pond, a primary companion to the Eleventh Doctor in the science fiction series Doctor Who (2010–2013). Her early film roles include the thriller Outcast (2010) and the romantic comedy Not Another Happy Ending (2013). She worked on the British stage, appearing in John Osborne's play Inadmissible Evidence (2011).  Gillan made her Hollywood debut in 2013, starring in the horror film Oculus, then played the lead in the ABC rom-com sitcom Selfie (2014). She achieved stardom for portraying Nebula in several films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (2014–2023), which are among the highest-grossing films of all time, and Ruby Roundhouse in the fantasy films Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017), Jumanji: The Next Level (2019), and Jumanji: Open World (2026). She also wrote and directed the drama film The Party's Just Beginning (2018), which she also starred in.  In the 2020s, Gillan has starred in the action thriller film Gunpowder Milkshake (2021), the thriller film Dual (2022), the coming-of-age film Late Bloomers (2023), the fantasy drama film The Life of Chuck (2024), and returned to British television with the series Douglas Is Cancelled (2024). Description above from the Wikipedia article Karen Gillan, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 28, 1987 (38)
From
Inverness, Scotland, UK
Works as
Actor, also director, writer and producer
Titles
47 on MovieCove · 79 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 15% in 30 days

What are Karen Gillan's films like?

Across their 34 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Action10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 72nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Comedy7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 66th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 96th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 39th percentile
: browse their Horror movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
28%
Bonds
27%
Survival
18%
Morality
17%
Society
8%
Power
2%
Ideas
1%
Family bonds9 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose7 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity7 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption4 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 31 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 14 · Serious 7 · Dark 10

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 11 · Stylized 11 · Heightened 9

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 7 · Charged 15 · Intense 9

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 11 · Shifting 15 · Whiplash 5

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 10 · Some laughs 10 · Funny 11

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 15 · Relentless 7

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 14 · Engaged 14 · Full focus 3

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 13 · Affecting 9 · Heavy 9

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 22 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 5

Roles they play

21 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 9 of 21 analyzed roles.

Ally
9 of 21
Hero
8 of 21
Shapeshifter
2 of 21
Herald
1 of 21
Shadow
1 of 21
Show the 21 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
15
Joyful
12
Dread
9
Warm
10
Melancholic
10
Other
40

How their films linger

Feel-good12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy11
  • Bittersweet13
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous8

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Karen Gillan's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 37 of their 47 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Disney+ (13).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Karen Gillan's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

79 credits, 47 with a MovieCove page; 18 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Blasphemous (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2027)

    Producer · Actor

  • Jumanji: Open World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Ruby Roundhouse

  • Let's Have Kids! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Emma

  • Over Your Dead Body(2026)

    Co-Producer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Life of Chuck(2024)

    as Felicia Gordon

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Dr Who at the Proms 2024(2024)

    as Amy Pond (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Douglas Is Cancelled(2024)

    Show 4 episodes · as Madeline

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Late Bloomers(2023)

    as Louise

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Sleeping Dogs(2024)

    as Laura Baines / Elizabeth Westlake

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3(2023)

    as Nebula

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special(2022)

    as Nebula

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Next Exit(2022)

    as Dr. Stevensen

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Thor: Love and Thunder(2022)

    as Nebula

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Bubble(2022)

    as Carol Cobb

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Dual(2022)

    as Sarah

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • X(2022)

    as Radio Steak Seller (voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • What If...?(2021)

    Show 4 episodes · as Nebula (voice)

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • Gunpowder Milkshake(2021)

    as Sam

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Calls(2021)

    Show 2 episodes · as Sara (voice)

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Marvel Studios: Legends(2021)

    Show 6 episodes · as Nebula (archive footage) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all shows

  • The Hoarding (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Director · Writer · as Hope

  • The Call of the Wild(2020)

    as Mercedes

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Jumanji: The Next Level(2019)

    as Ruby Roundhouse

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Spies in Disguise(2019)

    as Eyes (voice)

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Stuber(2019)

    as Sara Morris

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • All Creatures Here Below(2018)

    as Ruby

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Eureka! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Chloe

  • Avengers: Endgame(2019)

    as Nebula

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Party's Just Beginning(2018)

    Director · Screenplay · as Luisaidh

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Alex & The List(2017)

    as Lily

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Avengers: Infinity War(2018)

    as Nebula

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle(2017)

    as Martha

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Circle(2017)

    as Annie Allerton

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2(2017)

    as Nebula

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • In a Valley of Violence(2016)

    as Ellen

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Big Short(2015)

    as Evie

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Conventional (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director · Writer · as Rachel Milligan

  • Fun Size Horror: Volume Two(2015)

    Director · Writer · as Rachel Milligan (segment 'Conventional')

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • 7 Days in Hell(2015)

    as Lily Allsworth

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Coward (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director · Executive Producer · Writer

  • Warning Labels (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Mindy

  • Selfie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 13 episodes · as Eliza Dooley

  • Bound for Greatness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Maeve MacDonough

  • Guardians of the Galaxy(2014)

    as Nebula

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Oculus(2013)

    as Kaylie Russell

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • The Ultimate Time Lord(2014)

    as Amy Pond

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Doctor Who: Farewell to Matt Smith(2013)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Amy Pond

  • Not Another Happy Ending(2013)

    as Jane Lockhart

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Doctor Who: Clara and the TARDIS (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Amy Pond (archive footage)

  • Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor(2013)

    as Amy Pond (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Emo Dad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 5 episodes · as Jessica

  • Doctor Who - Night and the Doctor: Bad Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Amy Pond

  • Doctor Who - Night and the Doctor: Good Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Amy Pond

  • Doctor Who: Pond Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Amy Pond

  • Pond Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 5 episodes · as Amy Pond

  • A Touch of Cloth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 2 episodes · as Kerry Newblood

  • Doctor Who: Good as Gold (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Amy Pond

  • We'll Take Manhattan(2012)

    as Jean Shrimpton

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Women of Doctor Who(2012)

    as Amy Pond

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Doctor Who: The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Amy Pond

  • Doctor Who: Let’s Kill Hitler Prequel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Amy Pond

  • NTSF:SD:SUV(2011)

    Show 12 episodes · as Daisy

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Amy Pond

  • Outcast(2010)

    as Ally

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Meanwhile, in the TARDIS: Part 2(2010)

    as Amy Pond

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Doctor Who: Meanwhile in the TARDIS: Part 1 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Amy Pond

  • The Well (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 4 episodes · as Coll

  • New Town Killers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Young Girl at Bus Station

  • The Kevin Bishop Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 12 episodes · Actor

  • Harley Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 6 episodes · as Holly

  • Doctor Who(2005)

    Show 39 episodes · as Amy Pond · as Soothsayer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Rebus(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Terry Cotter

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • The Simpsons(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Maisie (voice) · as Maisie MacWeldon (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Cinnamon & Gunpowder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Mad Hannah Mabbot

  • Fools (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Mary Tudor

  • Gunpowder Milkshake 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Sam

  • Highlander (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Heather MacLeod

  • Rhona Who Lives by the River (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 1 episode · Executive Producer · as Rhona #3

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 77 titles, 70 of them dated from 1989 to 2026; peak year 2018.

Biggest box office

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)

$963M worldwide

Highest rated

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Doctor Who (2005)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19892026

Peak 2018 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 15 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting75 of 77: 69 only acting, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score67thDirecting5 of 77: 0 only directing, 5 with another roleWriting5 of 77: 0 only writing, 5 with another roleProducing4 of 77: 1 only producing, 3 with another role

77 titles, 7 with more than one role — acting and directing overlap on 4 of them.

By decade

1980s1 · acting2000s6 · acting2010s43 · 42 acting · 4 crew2020s20 · 19 acting · 2 crew

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 23% of 35 roles
081318

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Karen Gillan's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 68th percentile, the median of all 39; across their 31 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 59th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Approval · how many liked their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Reach · how many have seen their films

84thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Midcredits score across 47 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up19
  • 50th to 74th17
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

19 of their 47 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved10
  • Crowd Pleaser19
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · actor

The Ultimate Time Lord (2014)

74th percentile spread · 12% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Midcredits 99th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 70/100 in their films, across 27 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 44. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Karen Gillan's work okay for kids?

Across up to 25 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and profanity run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore19 titles32–88 · median 58 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity25 titles11–54 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity21 titles27–81 · median 56 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs19 titles11–45 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense19 titles33–81 · median 47 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Karen Gillan work with?

People who share at least 2 of Karen Gillan's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Dave Bautista shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles