Happy Sad Confused - Karen Gillan

Episode Date: May 3, 2017

Karen Gillan has nerd cred to spare and we love her for it. This week, as “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” hits theaters, she visits Josh to talk about her love of "Star Trek," how “Doctor Who�� changed her life, and why imitating Marilyn Monroe was the secret to playing Nebula.   Josh also talks to Gillan about her Scottish roots, why the actress really wants to be known as K-Gill, her endorsement of Dwayne Johnson for president, and directing her first film!   Plus, she talks about starring opposite Emma Watson in the new film “The Circle." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Karen Gillen on guarding the galaxy and hanging out with Emma Watson in the circle. I'm Josh Horowitz. Welcome to the show, guys. As always, I'm Josh. That's Sammy sitting in front of me. Hey, Sammy. Hi, I'm sitting next to you more than in front of you.

Well, no, I'm kind of positioned. Yeah, it depends on where your chair is. They don't know at home. Guys, welcome to the show. I thought we were going to have a good time. time today. No, we are. This is a very exciting one. This is super fun. We have Karen Gillen, if you love Doctor Who, if you love Gardens of the Galaxy, if you love wonderful Scottish actresses, you know Karen Gillen, who is delightful. She also started a cool horror film a few

years back. Oculus, she's been directing a little bit lately. We cover a lot in this conversation and you met her briefly. I met her. She was so lovely. She's lovely. I've always enjoyed talking to her and we've been talking about bringing her in for a while and finally the timing just worked she was in town as i said in the intro she um she has two big movies coming out of course you can't get away and why would you want to get away from guardians of the galaxy don't get away from it we've both seen it's so good lots of fun i loved it if you if you love the marvel films and specifically you love guardians of this is not going to disappoint it's got everything you could want in it and more it was worth her shaving her head for i think she didn't shave it the second time

around well the first time yes when she got it yes exactly It's a really, yeah, she, of course, plays Nebula, and the Nebula-Gamora relationship has a lot to it in this one. I think to Marvel and James Gunn, the director's credit, and I mentioned this to Karen, like, it's a very impressive film in that, like, everybody in the ensemble, I think, gets stuff to do, which is hard in an ensemble that big. They make you care about all of them, whereas usually in those big movies, it's like, I could have done without three of these guys. I care about two of them, but the rest of them, who the hell cares? But no. If any of the supporting characters, I mean, we love Pratt here. But we also fell for Dave Batista's Drax is so great.

And then adding folks like Kurt Russell, who's amazing. Your love, your great love. My love, Kurt Russell. Yes, go back into the archives, listen to that conversation. That's one of my favorites. But yes, Karen and I talked a lot about Guardians, her audition for that, her different kind of take on Gamora, or rather Nebula at first. Also about her new film, The Circle, which stars her alongside Time. Tom Hanks and Emma Watson and is adapted from the Dave Eggers book.

So while we're checking that out, much different kind of a film, kind of a thriller, very cool in that too. And yeah, we cover a lot. Like she's direct, as I said, she's directing, she's done a couple shorts. Look up some of her shorts, if you guys get a second on YouTube. There's one called Conventional that's crazy and dark and weird and super fun. And she just directed her first feature that we talk about. And she's just fun. Got a good accent.

Also, I think she's in this little movie called Jim Mungi coming out at some point. And we do talk about Jumagy. Thank you for reminding me. It's actually his birthday today, Dwayne the Rock Johnson. Happy birthday. Oh, he's probably listening. Happy birthday, DJ. Happy birthday, Daddy.

I'm not going to say that. But, yeah, Jumongi, which. She's, like, kind of about to be the biggest movie star on the planet, probably. She's doing quite well for herself. We're very happy for her. And Jumongi is, I saw a bunch of footage when we were in Vegas. for cinema con and it looked great so i have high hopes for that one that's coming out this holiday season bring the whole family um so i think i think that's that's the whole preamble

we're gonna be we're jetting off to uh la for the mtv movie that's los angeles yep yeah that's the parlon sorry we're we're industry yeah industry talk whatever no biggie uh jetting also means by the way getting on a plane oh cool yeah that's just another i don't know that's that i they're making me walk there so i don't know you better get started yeah uh we're heading off for the mtv movie and tv Awards that are being broadcast live this Sunday night. Check them out. We'll be on the red carpet. We're doing a post show on dot com. Look out for that. You will not be able to escape my grinning face. No, if you follow me on Instagram at Sammy Heller. I like to post a lot of behind the scenes videos of Josh. Looking at my worst usually. Yeah, usually just looking like he's

really devastated talking to the most beautiful people in the world. So if that's your thing. And why shouldn't it be? Yeah. So, yes, check out Sammy's Instagram for embarrassing moments for me and check out MTV proper for actual embarrassing moments for me too. For the real stuff. For the real embarrassing stuff. Oh, and we should also mention keep an eye out for a cool Chris Pratt thing we just taped yesterday. We taped a little kind of a kind of a sketch, a weird thing with Chris that will be up by the end of the week right in time for Guardians of the Galaxy.

And it was epic and bizarre and weird. He's great. He's full Pratt. Full Pratt. He's like the Prattiest Pratt ever. Yeah. I've ever seen him. We had a lot of fun with him yesterday.

So all this Guardians talk, guys, go check it out this Friday. I know you will and enjoy this conversation. Meanwhile, to wet your whistle, as the kids say. They still say that, right? Yeah, all the time. Okay, good. Wetting your whistle for two or three years at least on Happy Sank and Fused. Enjoy this conversation with Karen Gillen.

You're joining us midstream as Karen debates whether or not to wear headphones on HappySag Infused. She's opted not to. I have, and I'm feeling a little worried that I've made the wrong decision. Look, it's a long podcast. Midway through, you can put it on, you can take it off. This is a fluid endeavor. Thank you for being so open. I'm just going to leave them off.

And then if I feel like I want to put them on, then I'm just going to put them on. No judgments here. Yeah, but why are you wearing them then? Because this is like one of, I always say it's one of the few things that make me feel professional. Because, you know, we've talked enough that you know that my style doesn't necessarily equate with professionalism. It's more just absurdity. So I feel like, you know, an adult. Like, oh, I've got a

job. I've got a big microphone. Yeah. It's like the equivalent of wearing like a high-powered suit. Exactly. Exactly. So I was just saying to you, I apologize. I don't know if this is going to make for a great podcast or a horrible podcast. Because I'm just come off the red eye and two hours of traffic from JFK. It's a miracle

I'm here. But I'm so thrilled that I'm here and you're here. I'm thrilled to be here too. And I'm feeling a little bit jet lagged. So I think it's just going to be like a weird, even, even at each other out? I think it's going to be great. So what's your, what's your, do you have like, are you an easy sleeper on flights? That depends on whether I can be horizontal on the flight or not. Right. So if I'm in a seat that's upright, there is no sleeping happening. That's my problem. And I didn't, I didn't get the

horizontal last night and that was a bad call. Oh, that was a huge mistake. I know. I should have splurged. I didn't do it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So you need, okay, so you need to be horizontal and you can sleep. And then if I am horizontal, I'm out for the entire flight. Damn you. And I'll watch a cheeky movie. Cheeky movie. Sometimes I'll have a glass of wine. What's the definition of a cheeky movie?

Well, I watched Arrival, which... That's a cheeky movie? I don't think it's very cheeky, actually. No, that's not the definition of cheeky. Maybe it's the opposite of cheeky. Yeah. I mean, those aliens were maybe a little bit cheeky. I don't...

Again, what's your definition of cheeky then? I'm mischievous. Okay. They were kind of... No. I don't think they were mischievous. No, no, they're not cheeky at all. Do you...

What's your, do you have a, because you've traveled the world many times over, what's your, what's your greatest plane experience, worst plane experience? Have you had any close calls? Any, any scary incidents? I, I'm obsessed with planes. Are you? Like, I always watch documentaries on plane crashes and it's awful. I don't know why I do it to myself because I also get really freaked out in turbulence situations. Really? Yeah, and I've been in some real bad ones. One time I couldn't land in Scotland where I'm from in Inverness because it was so bad and the plane was literally on its side. And I was like, and it kept on, like, trying to land. And then it'd go back up again. And then it was like, we're going to have to land in Aberdeen. And that's like a whole other city. And it was really, really scary. And then finally we landed and it was okay.

Did that traumatize you for some time? I feel like that could like stick in your brain. Yeah, it did. But I'm a sort of get back on the horse kind of girl. Right. Is that a saying? Get back on the horse? Yeah.

Okay. I thought I made that up for a second. It's a cheeky expression here. Oh, nice use of the word cheek. Thank you. Call back. I'm trying to wake up. We're going to sleep.

Other one, I don't know. So we have a lot to talk about because I've seen both of your new films, Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2, which is amazing and is about to make a gazillion dollars. Congratulations on it. And I saw The Circle too, which... I have not seen The Circle, so no spoilers, please. Well, you were in it. Did they let you read the script?

But we shot it so long ago, I think I've forgotten most of it. The Circle is wonderful, just so you know. Oh, that's good. You're in it. Am I? Yeah, Tom Hanks is in it. Oh, that's really cool. I know, Emma Watson?

What? James Ponsel directed it. Oh, he's great. Yeah. So that worked out. As we taped this, I believe it's premiering at Tribeca tonight. Tonight, yes. So that's the way I'm going to watch it.

I feel like that's a great way to watch it for the first time. Cool. Okay, so we'll circle back around. So let's talk since we have some time. Let's talk about Little Karen. Little Karen. Yeah, Little Karen. We Karen.

We Karen. Running around the hills of Scotland. So how legit Scottish are you on a scale of like one being me, 10 being Sean Connery? Like, are you like super Scottish? I'm more Scottish than you. Sean Connery. Whoa. I mean, I am.

I feel like I'm a walking stereotype. I'm from the Highlands, which is a really rural area in the top of Scotland. I've got ginger hair. It's natural. I'm really pale. Yeah, I grew up there.

I'm pretty Scottish. What are the idiosyncrasies, like, in terms of personality that you would identify as Scottish? I think, like, rowdy after a couple of drinks. That's what you sound like? That's what we all sound like.

After two drinks, you made it sound like that? That's upsetting. Yeah. Maybe it is for other people outside of the country. But I guess if there are a bunch of Scotsmen and women together. Imagine like 20 people making that noise. It becomes like a cacophony, a beautiful kind of a thing in a way. Almost like a choir.

Yeah. Have you ever met Sean Connery? No, never. Oh, I'd be really starstruck. Can you imagine? He's a living icon. He's James Bond. He was James Bond.

That's a fun fact for the listeners out there. My mom one time was an extra in a movie when I was a kid. Is that true? Yeah, so she was the first one to be in a movie in the family. And they came to Inverness to shoot something, and she was getting off a plane, and she was just doing her thing. And then she realized that Sean Connery was in front of her. And he turned around and said, hello.

And she, like, melted. As one should. That's the proper reaction when you see Sean Connery. Just like she couldn't even speak. How much haggis do you eat on a daily basis? When I'm in Scotland, I eat a lot of it. Seriously? For real.

Yeah, I love it. It's really, really nice. And what is it again remind me? Do you really want to know? Well, I came this far. Let's finish it. Okay, so it's like all the worst awful parts of like a sheep and it's cooked in a sheep's stomach. Oh, it's like lining, the intestine, right?

The intestines and everything just like mashed together with some spice to mask over the fact that it's awful. Interesting. But I really love it. Do you think that's just because you were raised on it? or does the left side of your brain know it's horrible on the right side, like just, you know, as a child, you still identify with it? Yeah, I think, like, logic versus nostalgia a little bit.

Do you watch Outlander? I have watched the first episode, and I really enjoyed it. I do need to catch up on the rest, though. Right. I confess, I've not watched it, and I've had both of the two lovely stars of it in here. Oh, really?

Charming, Sam and Katrina. They are great together on screen, I must see. Yeah, I know the fans are quite dying. But you know you're way around diehard fans. Yes. So, okay, let's talk a little bit about your, because many of your roles, you have to drop your lovely accent. Yeah, keep on playing Americans. What's up with that?

I don't know. Do they hate your, I mean, it's a really nice accent. People just don't want to listen to my accent. And thank you. It's harsh. Aye. Maybe it's because I make that noise. Maybe that's it.

No, I like playing Americans, though, because I really like the American accent. What, so were you raised on American television? Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, you know, in the UK we're sort of inundated with American entertainment, like pop music and films and films and television. And it's really funny which sitcoms really hit over in the UK. Friends did. And Will & Grace was huge. Really? Yeah, but we don't watch Seinfeld, something that's like a staple in this country. That's insane. So you've never watched Seinfeld? I've watched a couple of episodes and I was like, eh, it's all right? And everyone's like, what are you? Are you insane? This is the greatest thing that's ever been on television. You're like, no, no. Will and Grace is where it's at.

Yeah, I love Will & Grace. I mean, I'm not going to quibble with Will & Grace. It's a quality show, but Seinfeld's kind of the benchmark. Well, that's what everybody keeps saying to me, but like I don't have any nostalgia towards it. I'm just watching it as a television show, and I'm thinking, yep, it's pretty good. So have your friends and family back home heard the big news? This must be like a national holiday that Will and Grace is coming back. What?

No. Are you serious? Yeah. This is a joke. This is not a joke. Oh, my God. This is cause for celebration, everyone. They've been shooting new episodes.

No. I swear to God. I love the character. Karen in it. Megan Malloway. She was in here recently. What's going on there, honey? She's amazing. Did I hear also, okay, I can't relate as much on the willing grace and friends front, though I watched my fair share. You were into Star Trek as a kid.

So my mother is the biggest Trekkie ever. So I watched it growing up. Just so you know. Those are fighting words. Fighting words. Fighting words. Like bold, bold statements. Yeah, I mean, there are a lot out there, including myself, that might want to go to and Are you a Trekkie? Oh, my, look at me. I think you say it. Of course.

Wait, so which was your favorite one then? Like Next Generation or Voyager? Okay, so here's my, and then I want to get to your understanding and love of Star Trek. So I certainly original series, like I revere and love and the original series movies. I love. Oh, yes. And then I went Next Generation totally into Deep Space Nine. I love Deep Space Nine.

Love Deep Space Nine. That was a good one. And Voyager, I kind of started to check out. No. Yeah, about midway through Voyager in the seven seasons, probably the third or fourth season. I was kind of like, I'm good. And then by the time Enterprise, I watched like three episodes and it just didn't work for me. Really?

Yeah. It sounds like you had a different journey to start with. I liked Captain Picard. Yeah, come on. He was my favorite. But then I also liked Catherine Janeway. I like the way she spoke. Oh, yeah.

Kate Mulgrew. Yes. Great. And I was just happy to see a woman captain. Totally. Because, like, you know, we need to see more women in those positions. So they say, whatever. I mean, of course.

Yeah, yeah. Going on about the woman again. That was a great. It was a great show. And I love the concept of that show. The way that show started was a very provocative kind of opening and a different kind of a Star Trek thing. But are you excited for the new series coming? They're going to do a new TV series.

Yeah, I'm going to take a look at that and see how I feel about it. I'm sure my mother is going to be really excited. So, wait, how did it manifest for your mom? Did your mom, like, were there conventions that would come to Scotland? No, we don't get a whole lot of stuff coming to Scotland, to be honest. Really? Especially where I'm from. So there was no conventions at all.

There wasn't even any sort of concerts from pop stars or anything. So, no, we never got to go to anything like that. But she has since gone to conventions since I've started doing them as a guest. And she loves them. She's more proud of me doing those than she is of any movies or television. So, wait, were you living in like a black hole of pop culture? Like, it sounds like that you had no concerts, no... No concerts, no...

I mean, we had televisions. So... You had electricity. Yeah, we did, yeah, we had that. So that was good. You're haggis and Star Trek. Yeah, so we... Yeah, exactly.

And that's all you really need. Right. It turns out. So you mentioned your mom appeared in a film. Did your mom have aspirations to be an actor? Was that just a fun, like one-off kind of thing? No, she was just in the job center. Is that what you call them here when you're unemployed and you just want to go and look for

It's not called that, but it makes sense that it would be called a job center. Yeah. So she was like, I'm just going to go down to the job center and there's little cards all over the wall. And she saw this one saying that some company needed some extras to be in a film. And she was like, I'm going to do that. And then she went and then she met Sean Connery and it's still the greatest story that she lives to tell.

And wait, your dad was, is a singer? Is that true? So he's not a professional singer, but he loves to sing and he has made an album a few years ago. awesome. It was like a little jazz music and standards and sort of crooner stuff. So do you take after him in terms of the performing arts more? Yeah, I definitely think that was probably my introduction to it. When I was really young, I thought I was going to be a pop star like Jennifer Lopez. Because I'm pretty similar to Jennifer Lopez. I think I almost mistook you when you walked in here. Did you have like a special, what would you call you? You're not J-Lo. You're not K-Gill.

I am K-Gill. Are you really? Yeah. People call you. K-Gill? Yeah, well, I call me K-Gil. You're trying to get that going. No one seems to be taking it on, though. For the rest of the podcast, you're K-Gil. Thank you. Finally. We'll see if we can manifest this and make it happen. And then you are J-Hore? Oh, that doesn't sound great, does it?

I'm so sorry. Some people have called me Jay-Ho over the years, and I don't know. Oh, that's even worse. I know, I don't enjoy it. Let's just go with Josh. Just go sing with Josh for me? You sound like a lady of the night. I've had my moments. That means. Okay, so, okay, dad was a non-professional, but, like, interested in the arts.

Yeah. Little Karen watching Star Trek eating at Haggis. Yes. Pining for concerts that would never come. Yes. And when did you start performing? So, God, when did I really start? I thought I was going to be an opera singer at first.

So I used to go around the house, like, making sounds that I thought were operatic. Does it just sound a lot like now after you got a two drinks in you? Yeah. out it's the exact same sound, which is weird. And then I started playing the piano when I was seven, so then I would do like, I do like little shows on the piano. So that was maybe my first sort of experience of performing. Right. And then I think, and then I got a video camera. That's when it all began for me, because it was my prize possession and I would make little horror movies in my house. And my dad would always be in them and I would always kill him. And I don't know what that says about our relationship. But he would always end up dead. And it was amazing. I was the director and I loved doing it so much. That's amazing. It's funny because you say that I think of like the sketches that I do for MTV over the years, which you have to do at some point.

Invariably like 70% of them, I end up dying at the end of them. Like I'm Kenny of South Park and I write them. And it's, yeah, it's telling. Hey, you need some self-worth. Apparently, but hey, you're killing your parents. So come on. Yeah, that's worse. You're listening to Happy, Sad, Confused.

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Discover your perfect pair at allbirds.com today. That's A-L-L-B-I-R-D-S dot com. You locked picture on your first feature directing effort. I did a few days ago. It's a film called The Party's Just Beginning. Very cool. And it's about a girl dealing with the suicide of her best friend. And it's set in Scotland and it's pretty dark.

Is it totally dark? Is it black comedy? It's a drama. It has like a little absurdity to it as well. Like there's some weird characters in there. And hopefully some funny moments. And what's the... I mean, we've got time to talk about this one, but I'm curious.

So, first, just like what the process was like. You've directed a couple shorts. Yeah. I watched one that was super fucked up in a great way. Thank you. It's available. You can watch it online, conventional. I think it's called, right?

Yeah, if you just type in conventional Karen Gillen on YouTube, you will find it. So first on that one, it's amazing. I watched that yesterday. And it's... Because it's definitely, I would think, there's part of your own experience informed in this short, which is basically about a genre actor at a convention, just like the darkest possible scenario for, like, the thing you like, literally a horror scenario for what happens to like genre actors and directing the fans. I mean, just like, you know, forgotten.

There's like a core group of fans that remember you and they only see you as that character. in the film or TV show that you were in. And I guess it's my sort of version of what the worst, I guess the worst version of being in a convention would be. So is that what's going now? Because you do a bunch of conventions. So when you're in a convention in the back of your brain, is that what you're thinking about?

What happens in conventional? Because that's sad. Yes, no, it's not really like, I mean, it's not really, like I don't really have that fear, to be honest. Like I'm not like harboring this deep-rooted fear that I'm going to end up like that. but what happened was I knew that I was going to make a short film and I knew that it had to be horror genre because it was part of this program of horror shorts

and I was writing this thing and I was like I just don't feel this. I feel like this is forced and I was sitting at a convention while I was writing it and then I just looked around and I was like wait a minute I mean this is all right here for me yeah so what and was the eye on directing a feature back like how long have you been thinking about directing a feature? For years now actually the feature that I just directed

I had written about four years ago so it was always the plan when I was shooting the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie that's when I was really getting into the writing of it and so I would be nebula during the day and then I'd come back and there would be all these post-it notes all over my flat and I would just like dive right in

and those were some of the best times really because I was just enjoying what I was doing so much and yeah it took a little while to get the film on its feet and then we finally got to shoot it how was the process what was the best part you just probably been in a hole in an editing room for a while which can be amazing because it can also probably drive you crazy.

Yeah, I mean, I think we all went a little bit crazy for a little while there because there's no windows and we're just staring at this one movie and you're not sure what's real and what's not anymore. But yeah, it's been amazing. I've loved the whole process from start to finish. I really have, you know, because being an actress is such a creative,

cool experience, but you're sort of at the mercy of what the director wants and what the editor chooses for you. So to be in control of everything actually has been amazing. And you've got Lee Pace in there, I know. Lee Pace, who played Ronan the Accuser. That's right. He's been on the podcast. I love Lee.

Has he? He's great. He's awesome. He's amazing in the film as well. Oh, nice. He's like nine feet tall, too. So he fits in well with you. Exactly. We have a very tall cast.

That's your barometer. Yeah, I only cast tall people. Yeah. It's not true. Okay, so bouncing back and forth in your life. So, of course, I mean, the big break is Doctor Who, right? Yes, completely. Yeah.

So how out of nowhere did that come? at the time like were you like working as an actor steadily like did you have a career if you were telling friends like yeah this is working out well before you got that gig no i wasn't saying that at all so what happened was i went to drama school in london and then i dropped out to do one episode of the scottish detective drama um and i was like oh my god i'm going to do eight days of filming on this thing this is it i'm an actress now and then eight days passed and I was working in a bar in London, just like, oh my goodness, what am I going to do now? And then I managed to get an agent in London by some miracle.

I don't even know how that happened. And then I did a few little jobs, like I did a sketch show for a while. And then a couple of episodes of things, but that was it. So it definitely didn't feel like I was working steadily. And what was the goal at the time? Like, if you had to, if I talked to back then, like, what were you looking for? What was, did you want to be on a series? Did you want, were you just open to taking any?

thing? Did you... I think I would have really... Like, I wanted to probably be in a good television show and do some good movies. Yeah. That would be the dream. Ambition accomplished. Yes, I mean, yeah, I feel like I'm still on a path. Like, there's so much to be achieved, for sure. I mean, I feel like I'm just at the beginning. But yeah, then I got Doctor Who and it was just... It did come out of nowhere. It really did. I mean, I was completely unknown. Like, I didn't think I had a chance. I really didn't. And did, how rigorous was that audition process? It wasn't as bad as I imagined it would be.

I mean, it was nerve-wracking for sure because I was 21 at the time, which is fairly young, I guess, and sort of old enough to understand the weight of the situation as well. So I was like, bleh. There's that sound again. Oh, yeah. This is your catchphrase. Yeah, what, the noise? And I haven't even drank anything, so I guess I just do it at any time.

God. yeah no I just did one audition with the casting director and that was fine and then I got a recall and I was like oh no oh this is going to be horrendous just because it's going to be so nerve wracking and then I had to go into the BBC and I had to give this code name which was Panic Moon which is an anagram of companion and then I did an audition with Matt Smith who played the doctor and yeah it was amazing suddenly like everything came to life and my nerves dissipated and I was like oh this is great I could do this now I confess despite being the cliché of a Star Trek fan, I'm not a Doctor Who expert. Oh, okay. This is awkward now. No, no, no, don't be like that. It's intimidating for an American to see like 4,000 hours and where do you begin.

I can imagine. And I guess you begin with, you could very easily begin with your own mats, the Moppa area, right? That's the place to begin if I had to do it, right? I would say so, yeah. I mean, I may be a little biased, but it's a really good jumping on point. you should probably only watch that guys but having started in that kind of new iteration

which kind of revitalized that franchise was that helpful in a way you and Matt Matt was very young at the time he was 26 when he got the role which was unheard of right so did that kind of help like that it was you and Matt and Stephen kind of in it together did it feel like you had a little bit of a safety net

because you all were kind of diving off a cliff together yeah it definitely had that feeling actually it was cool we all got to establish these characters together our versions of the characters. We had a new writer. It just felt like a completely fresh start for the TV show and it's been going since 1963.

So it was good to sort of be involved in an era where everybody started at the same time. Correct me if I'm wrong. Stephen Moffat is now handing off the reins. He is to Chris Chibnall who's written previous episodes. Gotcha. So what's the, if you had to characterize what he brought to this iteration of Doctor Who,

what would you say? Stephen Moffat? Oh my goodness. He's just the greatest writer in the history. of writers in the UK and he's Scottish yeah I mean I just I genuinely think he's the best writer

I'm not just saying that like he has he's come from the sitcom world so his one-liners are amazing and he writes some real zingers and he's also the biggest Doctor Who fan in the world so he knows the sort of world inside out and he

it's just incredibly intelligent he's like a really smart frustrated stand-up comedian which makes for the perfect Doctor Who writer Do you take pride in the fact that Doctor Who also has been pretty progressive in terms of, you know, the latest companion is an out character? Yes. And that's great. I think that's great.

Yeah, we really need to see more of that on television, I think. Have you reconciled the fact that for the next, like, 60 years of your life you're going to be asked about Doctor Who, like, until you're dying day? Oh, it's going to be on my obituary. I know that. So have you, has there been a turning point where you're like, today I need no Doctor Who questions? I need no. Not really, to be honest. something I want to disassociate myself with because you know as we talked about it was like

you know my break as an actress and I'm just so grateful for it I mean it was amazing so what was the goal out of Doctor Who then was there a specific again like were you said and kind of telling team Gillen this is what I'm looking for this is what I need I've turned into a seven year old director go into my trailer let's talk about my future That's amazing. No, I don't think we ever had, like, any team chats like that. This is how I like to imagine big-time Hollywood actors talking. Me too, actually.

Smoking a cigar. Exactly. Drinking a scotch. I need a three-picture deal with United artists. United Artis doesn't exist anymore. I don't care. But was there, I mean, coming off of that high, I mean, this huge break, and it's hard to replicate that.

that kind of experience was there, because you know, you had selfie, you had the HBO pilot, you had a couple different things, probably before Guardians right, if I'm getting the timeline right? I think actually I did the first Guardians movie and then I did a couple of television things.

Got it, okay. Yeah. So Guardians came relatively soon after. Yeah, now that I look back on it, I mean, it didn't feel like that at the time. I felt like I had sort of quite a bit of time in between, but no, I think it came like a year later maybe. And when the audition process for Guardians,

was that always for Nebula? Was it also like, do you read for Gamora 2? No, it was always for nebula. I just got a call for my agents and they were like, are you willing to shave your head? And I said, what for? And they said, Marvel. And I said, yes.

Absolutely. And then I went to London for this other TV show called NTSF SDSUV, which was on adults. We love Mr. Paul Shear here. Yes, he's amazing. So good. And I really enjoyed working on that. And because they brought me to London

for an episode randomly, I was able to audition for Guardians in London because that's where everybody was and that's where it was shooting. So I auditioned for Nebula in a full Scottish accent and then I got a recall and I had to go and meet with James Gunn in London and we just had a really long chat about it and read through the scene and then I had to come back for a screen test and then they painted me blue and put a bald cap on me

and then I had to do the scene and it was amazing. It was one of my favourite screen test experiences Were you screen testing with other actors or just James on camera? They hired an actress to come in and read for Gamora. Yeah, yeah, because that's obviously the key relationship that makes the work. Exactly, yeah, and it was such a great scene, and we definitely, it was like a very emotional screen test. I was, like, really Scottish and crying about Gamora. And I think everybody was like, oh, she's a little emotional for a villain, even though me and James Gunn were obsessed with it.

I mean, I was thinking about this and having seen the second film, also, like, you should take a lot of pride, obviously, and just getting that role in that kind of a stature of a film but also the nature of Nebula is so counter to what you play I mean she's such like a kind of a petulant like angry withdrawn had you played anything remotely like that

I mean that's like Marvel and James really taking a shot on you to kind of like stretch your skills early in your career yeah I mean yeah I was so grateful for the opportunity and I'm so grateful that we sort of sculpted the character into what it is now because she was completely different in the screen test. I heard that and even like when you're when you got to set like was it also not fully formed

yet or by the time you got to first day of shooting did you kind of you and James figure out well we actually hadn't I mean we had this amazing screen test experience where it was very emotional because we dove right into the relationship between nebula and Gomorra and then I didn't actually have a full conversation with him about the character until the first day of shooting so I had formed my version of the character I was told that she should be American and that was it so I saw a movement coach

and a voice coach and everything and formed this whole character and then I got on set and it just completely changed with one sentence when James was like can you play this like Marilyn Monroe and I was like what and I was like okay yeah that's great

and what did he mean by that just in terms of the voice like this really like breathy American and he also said said also Clint Eastwood because they sort of have the same voice and I was like, what do you mean they have the same voice? And he was like, I read this thing where he modelled his

voice on Marilyn Monroe. And I was like, really? And when you listen to it, you can definitely hear it. That's crazy. Okay, so second go-around, did it feel like a much different kind of experience? On Guardians of the Galaxy? Absolutely, yeah, because I mean, in the first movie, I was this evil supervillain, but kind of on the sidelines, watching in a little bit. We hinted a little bit at her relationship with Gomorra, but we never dove into

it. And, you know, that was what attracted me to the character in the first place. I was like, ah, this, like, overlooked sibling. She's jealous. She has this thing where the sister, like, that is what I can grab hold of and run with as an actress. And then we didn't really get into it in the first movie, which is fine. But then I read the script for the second movie, and I was like, you know, we're really getting into it now. And I felt like we were returning to the version of Nebula that we found in that screen test. Right. And you and Zoe, I assume you didn't know her before doing gardens, but that's

can you talk about sort of like what you know what you bring out in each other? Because as we said, that's the key relationship and those scenes. You know, it's it's a testament to what James was able to do as a writer and a director seeing the second film that there are so many. Everybody gets just like the first film, everybody gets kind of their moments

and their through line and a narrative arc which is tough to accomplish for a cast this big. I know. It's a real ensemble piece. I don't know how his brain extends to all of that stuff. I just don't think I could do that. It's amazing. So you just must be so relieved when you read the script.

You're like, you know, it would be enough to be like a small cog in this wheel. Yes. But I also actually get to have a little bit of an arc and have some cool emotional scenes with a great actress and Zoe. Yeah, I was over the moon. And I love working with Zoe because she's so receptive as an actress. Like she works on instincts, I think, more than anything. And she, if you throw something out there, you can literally see her absorb it and be affected by it because she's listening and she's present. And that's the greatest.

So we work together really well in that respect. And now we are both so invested in these characters. I mean, we could just start crying at the drop of a hat because we care so much about them. We're obsessed with them. How did you know already James announced last week that he's going to come back for volume three, which we all hoped.

I mean, right. I can't imagine a Guardian's movie without him. I mean, they are him. Like, they are his identity. I mean, it's his sense of humor, his tasted music. I just can't imagine them working without him. Have you shot your stuff in Infinity? War yet? I have definitely started shooting.

I can say that I've definitely started shooting. Yes, I can say that. I can say that Nebula has a presence in the movie and it's really good. Well, I would hope since you are a close relation to Thanos. Yes. And he figures into the next film.

Yes. Oh, God, here's where we get into the S-Nose. I'm closing up because Marvel. I can confirm that Thanos is in the film. And so am I. Yeah, we're both in the movie. Have you spent some time with Brolin? I love the crazy Josh Brolin. I have spent a bit of time with him, and he is lovely.

He is the nicest man ever. Yeah, yeah. He's really smart and lovely, and I can't believe he's playing, like, the biggest villain in the Marvel universe, because he's so nice. So, and you've been directed then by the Rousseau's as his character. Has that been a little bit different, not having James there? You know, I wondered what it was going to be like playing this character without James Gunn, because I just don't know what that is. And they've been great. I mean, they know the characters inside out.

It's incredible that their minds are, you know, able to expand to so many characters in the story. Luckily, there are two of them. And they've been great, and they're just so open to any ideas that you want to put forward, and they're just so loose and free, and it's such a creative experience.

Does Nebula smile in the next one? Because I feel like you've gone two films without smiling. Well, Nebula doesn't smile, but she smirks. Okay, yeah. Yeah, so, like, she'll smirk, maybe a couple of times. That's an exclusive that there might be, a couple smirks coming in the next film. Thank you.

Yeah. Huge spoiler. Has James thought to you at all about volume three yet? I mean, I know that's years away, but like... No, not at all. Genuinely, I don't know what's going to happen. I don't know if I'm in it. I don't know what I would do if I was in it.

So, no, but I want to know. How much time do you spend with Vin Diesel? None, actually. That's what I was going to say, right? He's not on set at all. No, not at all. He spent a day doing the 97 versions of I'm Groot. Yeah.

You see him at the premiere? I see him at the premiere. That's the only time I've spent with him. And he is lovely. Yeah, he's a unique individual. Yeah. Okay, so, oh, wait, here's what I wanted to ask. If people stay for the credits, they're going to see like 10,000 post-credit sequences.

But also, you're going to see something fun, which I don't think it reveals anything, that all of you guys dancing through the credits? Oh, yes. I mean, you noticed because you did it. But, like, how did that happen? Did you each spend, like, an hour on set on a random day, like, just dance for me? Yeah, pretty much. They were like, we're going to take you for some pictures.

And that happens a lot. They'll pull you off set to just do, like, scans of you for your dolls and pictures of you for promotional stuff. So I thought, okay, this is normal. And then they were like, would you mind just dancing? And I was like, what? And I was like, Nebula doesn't dance. And then I was like, all right, I'll do a Nebula version of it. And that's how it happened.

You're listening to Happy, Sad, Confused. We'll be right back after this. I don't know how analogous it is. One of the pros of going through something like Doctor Who at the early part of your career is it's such a unique, odd experience in terms of like the fandom and that kind of a thing.

And Guardians, in a similar but obviously different way, has a fervent, obsessive fan base. Do you think that served you well like having like gone through the Doctor Who experience and kind of being a little bit more ready for what was to come with Guardians? Absolutely. I felt really familiar with the whole sci-fi world, to be honest.

And, you know, my first day of filming is Nebula, I was intimidated because I was like, whoa, this is like a big movie. I mean, this is crazy and such an opportunity. And then I got on set and I was like, wait, a spaceship, green screen. It's like, this is my territory. I know this inside out and I was like completely relaxed. So, yeah, I definitely feel like I was equipped for it. So it sounds like you're a genre fan. We've talked horror.

We've talked Star Trek. So would you want to be, what part, if I could cast you in any role in a Star Trek movie, what would you play? Do you want to play like a? A cling on. Really? Yeah. You want that makeup? Why are you putting yourself through all this?

I don't know. Actually, as soon as you said that, I regretted it. No more makeup. Come on. Yeah, I'd like to be like a... You could be the captain like Janeway. Okay, yeah, I'll be the captain. No, no, don't let me suggest it.

No, but now that you're saying that, it makes way more sense because no makeup, great lines. Right. I just think that I want to do that acting where you're like standing, you know, when you're, like, fighting or running away and you're, like, commanding everybody. That would be great. are yeah what's your favorite like current like genre franchise is there like a franchise you're into um i really enjoyed captain america civil war pretty great um i really enjoyed the big fight sequence in that i thought that was really good i'm looking forward to spider man um that kid

that kid that kid that kid go into your old man voice tom holland let me tell you after this film talk to your people about what's to come because your life's going to change So what about Harry Potter? So you've just worked with Emma. We were talking about The Circle. Were you a Harry Potter fan? Did you have to stifle that kind of fandom? I actually never watched the...

I mean, I've seen them. I'm not like a Hogwarts obsessive. Okay. But I think that she's a great actress. I thought all of the actors in it were really good. It was the biggest challenge that... You're like two Emma Watson's in height. You're like...

You're much taller than Emma. I'm a giant. You're a giant. But she's not that small. No? Well, I feel like she's maybe normal. Is she? Okay. Okay.

Like, I wasn't struck by how small she was. So there wasn't, like, you didn't have to, like, have, like, a lot of Applebox awkwardness. No, not really. I think there was a couple of times where I was on higher ground when we were walking and we swapped, but that was about it. You did have to do the thing where, because you play friends, well, pre-existing friends in the film, where, like, I always love it when you see

in films, like, the photo montage and you see photos. So do you have to, like, spend a day, like, pretending to be? like old friends in different circumstances. Yes, yeah, we did exactly that. It's amazing. Yeah, like we had to like, we put wigs on and we danced around with beers in our hands. Not real beer, unfortunately. And yeah, it was really fun.

She's great. I really enjoyed working with her. And now you have these wonderful fake friendship photos with Emma Watson that you could just be like, yeah, yeah, we've been friends for years. Yeah, just post them on social media. Totally. Well, apropos of the subject matter of the film. Yes, nice segue.

That's why they pay me the... You've done this before. So, yeah, and for whatever reason between selfie and this, you've done a couple social media. Yeah. I guess it's the sign of the times. I mean, this is unavoidable. Maybe it's just, yeah, part of the zeitgeist and everything,

and I just happen to be in these things. Do you have a healthy relationship with social media? I feel like I do, actually. I'm not obsessed with it. I do check it every time I wake up, though. Is that a little much? I thought you were going to say, like, every waking moment. I think I'm okay.

I just look at it every single second. of every day. When you wake up, no, I think everybody, most everybody knows that. I mean, do you reach for the phone as soon as you wake up? I do. I mean, I think we all do. Is that healthy? No. I mean, because you're instantly like stimulating your brain in that specific way and it's like maybe you just need to relax. I don't know. I've never, like, have you ever like shut off social media for like a week and just not check Twitter or anything like that? I don't think, not consciously. I know. And I feel like I don't have the strength for that and that's sad to me. Yeah, I know. And I've been posting a few pictures of my latest.

outfits. This is a new thing for me because, you know, I see these girls like, and they post, oh, I'm wearing this by this person, this designer, and I was like, you know what, I'm going to do that. And there's been so many compliments that it feels so good. And I'm

just like, oh no, I wish I didn't open this kind of worms. Because like I could get addicted to this. I mean, just so much validation. For the record, your head to toe in this lovely gold outfit, which reminds me of the in the film, the Elizabeth Tabicki's

Oh yes You kind of like that I kind of look like that Yeah This is useless to the audience But trust me guys We'll post a photo Alongside

I look like Aisha So Oh well here's one thing I definitely want to talk about We last saw each other In Vegas That sounds weird At Cinemicon

It sounds way more exciting than it was Amazing Yeah But for Jumanji Which legitimately I was born The footage looked

Really great I know I'm so excited I was hoping and, like, you know, I mean, and I remember I contacted you after you were cast because I was so excited about you being in it, but also just like that cast is like beyond, like, my favorite people. Joanne Johnson is the greatest man. The greatest man on the planet. He truly, truly is.

Did he live up to expectations? I mean, he surpassed them. I mean, he's just, I feel like he should be president. He could run the world. This is what I said, actually, in Vegas. I was talking to people, I was saying, well, this is not a joke. I think he's going to run for president. and I think he's got a real shot at it.

I don't know what that says about us. I mean, I think he'll certainly do a better job than our current president. I mean, yes. He would be amazing. And also, he's just so empowering. So when we were shooting Jamagy, I was, like, telling him that I was about to direct my own film. And I expressed a tinge of insecurity. I was like, oh, gosh, this is going to be kind of intimidating.

And he just, like, touched me on the arm and said, you can do it. And from that moment on, I knew that I could do it. Amazing. Were you caught off guard by costume gate, by your costume causing controversy? I did air quotes. He did. He did those. I was surprised by that. I did not expect that reaction. How do we characterize that reaction? They were just like, there is a justification in the film of why you're dressed as this kind of warra croftian figure. And I understand the reaction to a certain degree because like, you know, it's very much like in the public consciousness. gender equality and everything which is great and I'm so glad about that

and then this picture comes along and it's maybe quite a strong visual example of where we might be going wrong with that so I completely understood it. You're part of the problem, Karen. I know, I'm sorry. No, but the reason that I'm okay with it is because in the movie my character

is having the exact same reaction as everybody else so she's like, why am I wearing this and you're all dressed, I'm in the jungle this isn't functional at all so that's really good. She acknowledges it and you know she tries to cover herself up and everything so that's good but yeah I mean I wasn't expecting such a severe reaction you had to get yourself into pretty great shape I would have imagined to keep up

with the likes of Jwayne and Kevin Hart those guys I got past so late in the process that I had like two weeks to get into shape and I was just before that shooting a movie in Kansas City where I was eating everything because I wanted my character to be a bit like flabby to be honest so I went for it I really committed and then I I was like, oh, no. And you allude to it. I just want to mention for the audience

because, like, I think it's a really smart way into the world that they've done for this. Because it has continuity, as far as I understand, with the original Jumanji. But it's these four, I think it's four teens, right? That all kind of inhabit, like, avatars in a way. Yeah, a video game avatars. Right.

And what, and like Jack Black is what? He is playing the hot popular girl in school. He looks like he was having some fun. I mean, it's just something that everybody needs to see. It's incredible. So, okay, so where are you at right now? So you're literally, are you still, like, touring around for Guardians? Like, is that world tour still happening?

So that's actually just wrapped up for me. London was the last place that we did. So I've just come from there. Is that a fun group to kind of just do the press door with? Oh, it's just so much fun. Do you do most of your press with Zoe or by yourself? A lot of it by myself and some with Palm Clemente F, who is playing mantis in the film so she's the new girl and yeah we I'm really good friends with her in real

life so that was really fun I always like talking just because like I'm on the other side of it about the absurdity of the junket world um yeah did you do you enjoy that does it render you brain dead or do you have coping mechanisms when you're doing 120 interviews in a day I guess the hardest part of it is just the repetition yeah um and then I you know if you say a word over and over again and you're like, what is that word? I'm saying it, right? It doesn't sound like an actual word. Yeah, I have that with full sentences now. So just sort of staying sane in that respect is the challenge.

But I enjoy it because I feel like, I just feel like if I was in a movie that people didn't like and I had to do that, it would be horrible. But because people are really enjoying the movie, I'm just like, this is great. It's the Instagram photos all over again. Yeah, just more validation. That's why you got into this business. We know that. It's okay.

That's the deep dark secret of acting. Yes. So, okay, so you're done with Guardians. You're going to do a little bit for the circle now. Yeah. And then, so are you literally done with, I keep calling at Tupperware Party? I know it's not called that anymore. It's not.

The party's just beginning. Parties just beginning. I had to change the name because Tupperware is a brand name and they said no. They're very litigious people. And also, I mean, it's about suicide, I guess. I understand. They probably don't want to be associated with that. Right.

That makes sense. Fair. It's prudes over at Tupperware. I know. And hopefully we'll see that Maybe festival circuit or something like that You'll try to get that scene That's the idea

So hopefully we get into one of those It would be great Very cool And do you know what the next acting gig is What you're doing? Well I definitely want to take three months off That's a very precise amount of time Three months yes because after that

I will have to go and shoot more Avengers Got it So and so that is my future That's as far as I've planned And is it three months of just sitting around Eating Food in Kansas City or is it like I'm going to jump out of an airplane I'm going to go on a safari

Oh gosh I don't even know I haven't thought about it I'm so excited This is what the podcast is used for to plan out To plan out the rest of my life? Yeah yeah yeah I mean what do you think I should do? I think you should go home and eat some haggis I think you're right maybe I'll do that

I'll have some wine I will spend time in my house Yeah I think that's going to be nice Is house L.A. now or is it back home? Yeah it's in Los Angeles But I just don't spend any time there I haven't spent time there

in over a year really Do you have a pet that's fending for itself? No, I don't have any pets because I thought that wouldn't be fair. No. But I would love to get a dog. Would you? What kind of dog? I don't understand the types of dogs. What?

Or cars. Oh my gosh. So I need to get better at both of those things. Do you, I don't drive. I don't have a driver's license. Me neither. Yes. Yes.

See? Why do we need that? Well, do you live here? Yeah, I live in New York. Oh, so you don't need one there. No, I've never had a driver's license. I'm not a functional adult. Where are you from?

New York City. Oh, you're a native. the mean streets of New York City. Also, you never needed one then. Yeah. Yeah. So, but you kind of did. In Los Angeles, yeah, you probably do, but I just haven't.

Yeah. Uber is your friend. Yep. Uber's been amazing for me. Yeah, it really is. I think we did all right, considering we're both a little jet lagged. Do you feel good about this? I'm feeling great about this.

Did we have a semi-coherent conversation? I mean, it seemed coherent to me. Right. To us at least. Yeah. Okay. We made weird noises. It's kind of a Chewbacca-ish kind of a thing.

That's Karen Gillen doing her best Chewbacca. I'm Josh Horowitz. Thanks for listening to this lovely conversation. Go check out The Circle and Gardens of the Galaxy, Volume 2. You're just dominating the multiplex. You're greedy. You're just, come on. Sorry.

It's okay. I'm so excited, though. All is forgiven. It's good to see you as always. Nice to see you, too. Thanks. Thanks, Karen. And so ends another edition of,

Happy, Sad, Confused. Remember to review, rate, and subscribe to this show on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm a big podcast person. I'm Daisy Ridley, and I definitely wasn't pressured to do this by Josh. This episode of Happy, Sad, Confused, was produced by Michael Catano, Mukda Mohan, and Kasha Mihailovich for the MTV Podcast Network, with additional engineering by Little Everywhere.

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