How Karen’s dad backed her acting dream
SHE has become one of the most well known actresses in Hollywood following a string of blockbuster movies.
But Karen Gillan’s acting dream was dismissed at school by teachers who said she had her ‘head in the clouds’.
She has told how her father was called to a meeting because staff were concerned her thoughts of being a film star were affecting her studies.
But John, now 68, defended her right to pursue her ambitions.
Ms Gillan, 36, was brought up in Inverness and attended the city’s Charleston Academy. She got her big break as Doctor Who’s assistant Amy Pond in 2010 after dropping out of drama school.
She has since starred in Hollywood movies such as Avengers: Infinity War, Guardians of the Galaxy and Jumanji.
Speaking on YouTube channel Mythical Kitchen, she said: ‘I grew up with this real inner confidence that I was going to be able to do this.
‘I think when you’re borderline delusional it’s helpful. But there’s a balance, you can’t go too far but a little bit of delusion is extremely helpful in life.
‘It got to the point where even teachers in my school were concerned about it. They called my dad into the high school that I went to to have a meeting with him, saying I had ‘my head in the clouds’.
‘My dad was so angry at them for this. I have never seen anything like it.
‘He went in and said ‘‘You don’t know what you’re talking about’’ to my teachers, which I was cringing at at the time but also really grateful for.
‘It was because they had this attitude that ‘‘she’s got her head in the clouds saying she’s going to do this, that and the next thing’’.’
Ms Gillan married US comedy writer Nick Kocher at Castle Toward, near Dunoon, Argyll, in 2022 and the couple live in Los Angeles.