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FREE! News Film Style Cars Sport Tech Business
W W W. S H O RT L I S T. C O M E V E RY T H U RS DAYE
Fresh from destroying Daleks in Doctor Who, Karen
Gillan takes on ShortList
I S S U E 1 5 6 / 1 6 D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0
M I S S U N I V E R S E
...th
en
we
’ll
tell
yo
u t
he
sto
ry
of
ho
w K
are
n G
illa
n h
as
go
ne
fro
m o
bs
cu
rit
y t
o h
ou
se
ho
ld n
am
e i
n t
he
bli
nk
o
f a
fla
sh
ing
bo
x l
igh
t. D
oc
tor W
ho
’s a
ss
ista
nt
talk
s w
as
ps
an
d t
he
Co
en
bro
the
rs
wit
h A
nd
re
w D
ick
en
s
AR
E Y
OU
SI
TT
IN
G
CO
MF
OR
TA
BL
Y...
here
’s c
erta
in e
tique
tte
invo
lved
in m
eetin
g so
meo
ne
for
the
first
tim
e; y
ou s
houl
d fin
d ou
t som
ethi
ng a
bout
them
, ke
ep c
onve
rsat
ion
light
and
lo
ok th
em in
the
eye
whe
n sh
akin
g ha
nds.
H
owev
er, w
hen
that
som
eone
is s
ci-f
i’s
prim
a se
x sy
mbo
l, Ka
ren
Gill
an, a
nd s
he’s
dr
esse
d in
not
hing
but
five
-inc
h he
els,
ve
st a
nd h
ot-p
ants
, all
thes
e cu
stom
s re
quir
e a
cert
ain
degr
ee o
f con
cent
ratio
n.Lu
ckily
, Gill
an b
reak
s m
y tr
ance
by
bein
g a
youn
g w
oman
see
min
gly
unaw
are
of h
er s
tella
r st
atus
. “O
h, h
ello
!” s
he s
ays,
al
mos
t fal
ling
back
war
ds o
ff h
er s
hoes
an
d ex
hibi
ting
a lo
ok th
at b
etra
ys a
sen
se
of I-
can’
t-be
lieve
-thi
s-is
-hap
peni
ng-t
o-m
e, w
ith ‘t
his’
bei
ng th
ree
thin
gs: o
ne,
she’
s go
t a jo
urna
list h
oldi
ng h
er h
and
for
slig
htly
long
er th
an is
str
ictly
nec
essa
ry;
two,
she
’s in
the
mid
dle
of h
er fi
rst m
ajor
m
agaz
ine
phot
o-sh
oot;
thre
e, s
he’s
bei
ng
blas
ted
by th
e W
ind
Tunn
el O
f Fam
e —
an
d it’
s se
t to
‘torn
ado’
.A
sk s
omeo
ne a
yea
r ag
o w
ho K
aren
G
illan
was
and
the
best
ans
wer
you
cou
ld
have
exp
ecte
d w
ould
be
ston
y si
lenc
e.
Ask
them
now
and
you
’ll g
et a
n im
med
iate
re
ply:
Am
y P
ond.
Sin
ce h
ittin
g ou
r sc
reen
s as
the
sass
y, fi
ery
yet l
ovab
ly
oddb
all s
trip
-o-g
ram
in th
at W
PC
’s
unifo
rm, G
illan
, 23,
has
pro
ven
to h
ave
the
inde
finab
le a
ppea
l of B
illie
Pip
er (D
avid
Te
nnan
t’s s
idek
ick)
, in
that
the
assi
stan
t is
as b
ig a
pul
l as
the
Doc
tor.
She
’s g
one
from
jobb
ing
actr
ess-
cum
-mod
el to
on
e of
the
mos
t wel
com
ed fa
ces
in
T
PH
OT
OG
RA
PH
ED
B
Y L
EE
J
EN
KI
NS
4 2 / W W W. S H O R T L I S T. C O M
the nation’s living rooms. With the
photo-shoot finished, Gillan changes
into a more appropriate dress and joins me
on the roof of the studio…
So, how’s life been in the wind tunnel?
In many ways my life is exactly the same,
because we’ve gone on this whirlwind
journey and suddenly everyone’s aware of
us, but now we’re back in Cardiff in the
same studio doing exactly the same thing
we were doing last series. So it’s like
nothing has changed really. But obviously
outside of work things have changed.
Do you worry about your private
life getting out? Do you check your
dustbin for paps?
No, I don’t do that. I just try to keep my
personal life private. I think that’s the
healthiest thing to do, because it’s sort of
nice to have your own thing going on that
not everybody knows about. I think that
there are pros and cons, but I’m new to
this, so I’m not bitter and angry yet.
Could you cope with more fame? Or
would you do a Lohan?
I don’t know. I don’t think I wouldn’t be able
to cope with it, I don’t think I’d break down.
No, I don’t think I’d do a Lohan [laughs]. But
she’s been doing that from a very young
age, you know. I think it’s happened to me
at a nice time, where I’ve had some life
experience not doing this sort of thing, so
it just makes you appreciate what you’re
doing and to not get kind of swept up in it.
How does it feel being a role model?
That’s a tricky one. You’ve got to get the
right balance I think. You can’t live your
life thinking about how it’s going to affect
everybody else. You’ve got to have your
own life and do what you want to do, but
it is something I take into consideration
and I wouldn’t want to fall around drunk
or anything.
The level of recognition, whether it’s as
Karen or Amy (“At work people call me Amy
and I respond to it”), is alien to Gillan, pun
shamelessly intended. She was born and
raised in the elegant-but-nippy Highland
city of Inverness before taking acting
classes in Edinburgh at 16. She then
completed a degree at the renowned
Italia Conti drama school, though she’s at
pains to point out that there was “no
singing and dancing”.
Pre-Pond, Gillan’s credits were
mostly limited to bit-parts in TV dramas
such as Rebus and, in an episode called
The Fires Of Pompeii, a role as a
soothsayer in Doctor Who. This was
padded out by the occasional modelling job
and, if her comments of the ShortList
shoot are anything to go by — “I really
enjoyed that, that was so much fun” — it’s
something that comes quite naturally to
her. Gillan’s only regular gig in that period
was as the lead female member of the
ensemble on The Kevin Bishop Show,
something that required her to a) be
funny, b) do some rather convincing
impressions and c) wear very little
clothing. Now she’s usurped Bishop in
the household name stakes, there must
be scope for retribution…
Kevin Bishop often put you in
underwear or swimsuits. Would you
like to return the favour and have him
appear in Doctor Who in Speedos?
I think that he should definitely come and
do Doctor Who in a pair of Speedos
[laughs]. Definitely. Can you make that
happen? Make the call.
You did a few decent accents, too…
I do tend to slip into a lot of different
accents in conversation. But they’re
never very accurate. My best ones?
I can do English.
OK, you do it, I’ll rate it.
Isn’t the weather delightful.
Not bad. A bit Eliza Doolittle...
Oh dear. OK, Welsh. “Whose coat is that…”
Oh no wait that’s Geordie. [Laughs] OK,
wait, wait, wait… “Whose coat is that
jacket?” [Laughs] Oh no. Oh my God, look
at the size of that one.
Gillan lets out an almighty scream and
begins to run around with her hands
flapping about. My first thought is Daleks.
It turns out, however, that while her
alter-ego can deal with Earth-squishing
species called Zgwig, or something, for
Gillan, wasps are a very different
matter. Eventually the wasp leaves and
she sits down again.
So, any phobias?
Ha. Could be wasps and moths. Sorry
about that…
Do people look at you funny in
Inverness now when you order a
mocha frappalatte?
Do you know what, everyone is really nice
up there and I’m not just saying that. I think
they’re quite proud. I haven’t had any
abuse yet. It’s beautiful. Wherever you’re
standing in Inverness you can see just hills.
And we’ve got the Loch Ness Monster,
guaranteed. It’s there, I’ve seen it.
How Scottish are you? Have you eaten
a deep-fried Mars bar?
Yeah, I’ve had a deep-fried Mars bar. It’s
really good. You should try one, all
wrapped in batter. I went up to Scotland
the other day and my friend ordered a
pizza and it was battered [laughs].
What do you think you would have
done if acting hadn’t worked out?
I used to think I would be a psychologist
because that’s really interesting and I think
I’m quite good at listening to people’s
problems. Or maybe a hypnotist because
I’ve always wondered how they do that.
Luckily for Gillan, and perhaps the
nation’s mental health, the acting has
worked out rather spectacularly. Being
cast as the 11th Doctor’s assistant is no
recurring role in Holby City; Doctor Who is
not only a national Saturday teatime
institution, but an international cult
phenomenon, too. Its emotional subtexts,
blend of horror and comedy, plus its
intelligent approach to time-travel, mean
for sci-fi fans it is the epoch-hopping
show (sorry Quantum Leap).
Who buffs feel a genuine sense of
ownership and, in some cases, well,
Gillan very kindly describes them as
“passionate” and “protective”. If you want
to know how big it is, this year’s Christmas
special — according to Gillan “the most
Christmassy Doctor Who Christmas
special that has ever been” and so funny
and sad that “people will probably cry,
unless they’re dead inside” — stars Sir
Michael Gambon and features the acting
debut of Katherine Jenkins.
And of course there is another reason,
other than Gillan, to watch Doctor Who;
Gillan isn’t the only mere mortal to have
been thrust, via the time-space continuum,
into superstardom. Matt Smith, at 28 a
controversially young and almost equally
unknown choice to play the Doctor, has
also made a meteoric impact. Following in
the eyebrow-prints of David Tennant was
never going to be easy, but Smith erased
all memories of his predecessor thanks to
a gloriously defiant alien-scaring rooftop
rant in his first episode.
Billie Piper’s relationships with
Christopher Ecclestone and Tennant had
shown the importance of Doctor-Assistant
chemistry and Smith’s snappy, socially
awkward yet disarmingly naïve and noble
Doctor fits perfectly alongside Amy Pond,
with just the right degree of insecurity and
potential frisson.
What’s it like working with Matt?
Matt is so focused he really inspires me.
That sounds really cheesy, but it’s true. I’ve
never met someone so focused and he
never slacks off. He’s really driven. And his
approach to acting is really creative.
Rather than just reeling off the lines, he
changes it every time. It’s an intense day.
He takes it very seriously, but that’s not to
say it’s not fun. In fact, part of our taking it
seriously is messing around between
takes, because I feel like it’s us staying in
character and being silly.
Do you ever bicker?
No, not really. Only in a jokey way.
Does he call you names?
“Plural chin.” There are two apparently
[laughs].
Has he made bow ties cool?
I’ve got two answers to that, one as
Karen and one as Amy. As Karen, yeah,
I think he has [sighs].
What are nights out like with him?
Does he get Timelord groupies?
I think it’s mainly men you know, and
a lot of children [laughs]. It’s 24/7 for him.
I get it a lot of the time when I’m on my
own, but not so much when I’m with him,
strangely. You’d think they’d think “Ooh,
the Doctor and his assistant,” but they just
don’t notice me.
Are you secretly upset that you didn’t
get to kiss David Tennant?
No, I’m not, because, you know, I’ve
got Matt Smith, and he’s not a bad
kisser… [laughs].
You must get a fair bit of interest
from male fans. Do you go for geeks
or studs?
I don’t like studs. What does that
entail? Like arrogance and things? Like a
ladies’ man? I do like a guy who’s
chivalrous and I like a guy who is
passionate about something, so that’s
really important, but geeks tends to be
quite funny and humour is so important.
How do you kick back and relax?
Absolutely love X Factor. Saturday nights,
X Factor, ice cream, I’m crying. Snow
Patrol, as soon as that beat kicks in, I’m
gone. Part of me is like “This is ridiculous,”
while crying.
Can you cry on demand?
I can make myself cry initially, but to
sustain something like that is just
impossible take after take.
Have you ever made yourself cry
to make a boyfriend feel guilty?
Yes. I cry a lot, actually. I just
realised [laughs].
Any other guilty pleasures?
Gossip Girl. Should I be guilty about that?
What else do I like to do? I don’t know.
Oh god, I’m a really boring person. What do
I do? I eat quite a lot.
It’s clear that Gillan is enjoying her life at
the moment. She shares Amy Pond’s
slightly innocent charm, a kooky, almost
awkward appeal, but the similarity ends
there. She’s not, according to her,
the type to be domineering in the
ST
YL
IST
AN
GIE
SM
ITH
: A
NG
IES
MIT
H.C
O.U
K
MA
KE
-UP
: C
AR
OL
INE
BA
RN
ES
AT
FR
AN
K A
GE
NC
Y U
SIN
G M
AX
FA
CT
OR
H
AIR
: A
LE
X P
RIC
E A
T F
RA
NK
AG
EN
CY
R
ET
OU
CH
ING
: L
AU
RE
NC
EP
ITC
HE
R.C
OM
S
TA
ND
ING
: B
OD
ICE
BY
LE
E K
LA
BIN
, U
ND
ER
WE
AR
BY
WO
LF
OR
D,
HE
EL
S B
Y K
UR
T G
EIG
ER
AN
D
CU
FF
BY
DO
WE
R &
HA
LL
S
ITT
ING
: B
LA
CK
SL
EE
VE
LE
SS
BL
OU
SE
BY
LE
E K
LA
BIN
, U
ND
ER
WE
AR
BY
LA
SC
IVIO
US
, B
EL
T B
Y A
SP
INA
L A
ND
HE
EL
S B
Y K
UR
T G
EIG
ER
L
YIN
G:
BO
DY
SU
IT B
Y J
AS
PE
R C
ON
RA
N,
WA
IST
CO
AT
BY
GIV
EN
CH
Y A
ND
HE
EL
S B
Y K
UR
T G
EIG
ER
K A R E N G I L L A N
“I DON’T LIKE STUDS BUT I DO LIKE A GUY WHO
IS CHIVALROUS... GEEKS TEND TO BE QUITE
FUNNY AND HUMOUR IS SO IMPORTANT”
W W W. S H O R T L I S T . C O M / 4 34 3
What shenanigans
had Dr Crane got
himself into this time?
4 4 / W W W. S H O R T L I S T. C O M
way Amy is to poor downtrodden
spouse Rory. I want to sum her up in
one clever and insightful word, but the
best, the most fitting, is simply ‘fun’. Sorry.
Not that her approach to work is
frivolous. In fact, she takes it very
seriously, claiming she’s never looked back
at a day and thought she’s not worked
hard enough. When Rory died in the last
series, Gillan had to react, as Amy, to
losing the love of her life.
She decided that she needed to isolate
herself from the jolly japes on set and find
a “sad zone”. She ended up spending the
best part of a day sitting alone on top of
the Tardis.
For Gillan, Doctor Who is clearly
a priority, but also the beginning of
a successful acting career. Proper
acting, that is. And, if you think about it,
there are few better places to get an
all-round education.
She does comedy, romance,
drama, horror, action, science fiction,
period settings; throw in some
cowboys and you’ve got the full gamut.
It all bodes well for the future.
Have you got any Hollywood
ambitions?
I just want to do good projects in all
honesty. I went up to the Fringe in
Edinburgh and realised how much I want
to get back in to doing theatre.
Doing some sort of one-woman show
would be cool. I really want to do a big
range of good stuff. But there are
some great Hollywood films out there that
I wouldn’t say no to doing.
Who would you like to work with?
I’d like to do something with the Coen
brothers. I love No Country For Old Men.
And I love Whatever Happened to Baby
Jane?. I love films with a bit of a darker
side to them.
Would you shave your head for a part?
Yeah, I’d totally do that. I love my hair, and
it’d be the worst thing in the world but for
the right role — and I mean it would have to
be an amazing role.
Going back to the show, who would be
your dream villain in the next series?
Anthony Hopkins maybe. That’s quite
an obvious one, though. Hannibal Lecter
was pretty disturbing.
What kind of villain do you see him as?
Maybe like half spider... oh no that’s like
Spider-Man, he’s not a villain. Not as a nice
Spider-Man, a horrible spider.
What would you use time travel for?
Good or evil?
Evil.
Really? You’d conquer the world?
Yes. No, that’s silly. I don’t know. I don’t
think you should mess with fixed points in
history to put things right.
And finally, what’s the shelf-life for
Amy Pond? Or Pond life?
Pond life? [Laughs] First of all, thanks.
I think that she could last for as long as
we wanted to really. We actually barely
know anything about her past, so there’s
a lot more to uncover about her. So I think
there’s huge scope for more stuff. We’ll
have to wait and see.
Finally, did you keep the sexy
policewoman’s outfit?
No, I didn’t, and there’s a reason.
I assume you’re not going to tell us…
No.
The Doctor Who Christmas special
A Christmas Carol will air on BBC One on
25 December at 6pm
“I’D LIKE TO DO
SOMETHING WITH THE
COEN BROS. I LOVE NO
COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN”
D O C T O R W H O Q U I ZUnleash your inner geek by tackling our fiendish
Time Lord posers
1. Name the Series 2 plot
thread that was originally the
codename for Doctor Who used by staff when it was
rebooted by Russell T Davies.
2. Georgia Moffett played
the Doctor’s daughter in
a 2008 episode, but who
is her real-life father?
3. Eleven actors have played
the Doctor, but which one
served for the longest time?
4. Which of these
celebrities has never
appeared on screen in
Doctor Who? Richard
Dawkins, Ann Widdecombe,
Stephen Fry, Mike Skinner.
5. Which pivotal element of
the show involved the use of
piano strings and keys?
6. Which 20th century event
was partly responsible for
the first Doctor Who episode
being repeated the following
week in November 1963?
7. When did Freema Agyeman
— who played Martha Jones
— first appear in the show?
8. What was the name of the
council estate Billie Piper’s
assistant Rose Tyler lived on?
9. What role did crispy
coconut bites play in Matt
Smith’s debut series?
10. How was the girl who
played the young Amy Pond
in Series 5 found?
11. What were David
Tennant’s last spoken words
as the Doctor?
12. TARDIS stands for?
13. Name the fictional Prime
Minister The Master (John
Simm) disguised himself as?
14. What was unique about
the design of the alien
Abzorbaloff monster played
by Peter Kay?
The answers are at ShortList.com
K A R E N G I L L A N
F O R M O R E E XC LU S I V E KA R E N G I L L A N S H O TS
H E A D T O S H O R T L I S T. C O M
“No, the next line is, ‘You
bring your knees in tight...’”