Karen Gillan reveals more about playing the Doctor’s latest companion Amy Pond.

Is it weird being in a series like Dr Who with all this scrutiny?
It is really weird. I have never done anything on this scale before. It is incredibly strange to have people speculating so much even when the show hasn’t aired, but it is great that people are this interested and they really care. So I think it is fantastic. ?

What’s it been like starting with Matt Smith?
It has been really great — I feel really lucky to be going through this with Matt at the same time. So we are kind of experiencing this new crazy adventure together. We have that to share, which is really nice. It has given us quite a strong bond, which will hopefully shine through into the characters.

How did you react when you landed the part of Amy Pond?
I did two auditions, one with the casting director, the second I read with Matt Smith and all the producers and Steven Moffat — and it was very, very scary. But it was really good fun — we seemed to work very well together in the audition. And then I got the call that day to say I had got the part. It was the most insane feeling, I was physically stunned. I was in my bedroom, and I started jumping up and down on my bed like an idiot. ?

Were you less nervous because you have been in Dr Who before?
Not really. I had worked on the show before, but it is a completely new team, and this time I am playing the companion so there is a whole lot more pressure on me than playing the Soothsayer. So I was still incredibly nervous. ?

Why is Amy wearing a police outfit in the opening episode?
Amy has to do lots of things in order to ensure that her and the Doctor are successful in their missions, so perhaps that was one of the things she had to do. I can’t say!

Why does Amy decide to join the Doctor?
Well, that is something that is part of the plotline of episode one, I can’t say too much on the matter, but I think, ultimately, she is an adventurer, just like the Doctor is, and they are kind of two lost souls that find each other. They are two of a kind, which is why they take off on this adventure together.?

How do you compare to Amy character wise?
She is a really sassy girl, she has this inner confidence and she is very witty, very good at conversing with people. In relation to me she is a lot sassier than I am and she always comes out with the one-liners. She really challenges the Doctor, so they have a really interesting dynamic going on.?I am playing her as Scottish – she wasn’t specifically Scottish when I auditioned. We weren’t sure if we would do it English or Scottish, because I auditioned in both accents, and then obviously Steven is Scottish, so we made her Scottish.

What is Amy’s style like?
She is quite a sassy girl, so she is not necessarily going to cover herself up all the time, she has got this confidence, and she will wear odd things — she has quite an out-there style. ?

Isn’t your mum a big Dr Who fan?
Oh my god, she was just elated when I told her — it was a really great day. I went up to Inverness and I told her just before it was announced publicly, so she got to know just before everyone else, which is quite nice. She was just over the moon, she couldn’t believe it. ?She is always trying to find out what is going to happen, I’m like, ‘Mum just watch the thing!’

Has your mum given you a crash course in Dr Who?
Not really, she has kind of backed off. She is more interested about what is going to happen in the new series. She is always trying to get stuff out of me, trying to trick me. She always asks about things hoping I will let something slip. She is going to come down and visit the set at some point — hopefully it will be a good day. Maybe she might appear as an extra in the future, if she wanted to. I don’t see why not.

Do you have a favourite companion?
I have been watching lots of episodes from 2004 onwards, lots of Steven Moffat episodes. As for a favourite, I did like Billie Piper’s Rose Tyler.

What was your first day on set like?
Pretty insane. We were on the beach and the TARDIS was there, I couldn’t believe my eyes, this beautiful blue box is such an iconic image. I couldn’t believe I was there playing the companion. There were lots of people, lots of fans, it was quite a strange experience.

And any embarrassing moments on the set?
Oh, just the typical shaky acting and maybe I went a bit overboard and it looked like I was dancing, so everyone had a good old laugh.

Originally published on March 30th at TV Choice Online