Karen Gillan has spoken about her enduring attachment to Scotland, saying she is always keen to return home despite living in Los Angeles. The Inverness-born actor, who now lives in the United States with her husband and young daughter, said she misses Scotland deeply and associates returning with familiar routines, including local food and walking around her home town.
Gillan, 38, is widely known for her roles in major international productions, including Guardians of the Galaxy and Jumanji, as well as her earlier television role in Doctor Who. She said what she misses most about Scotland is difficult to define, but pointed particularly to the people and what she described as a distinctive sense of humour shaped by resilience and shared experience.
The actor also reflected on the challenges of balancing motherhood with an active film career, describing it as an ongoing process rather than a settled routine. After taking time away from acting following the birth of her daughter, she has since returned to filming and said she feels fortunate to be able to have her child with her on set. She added that colleagues have been supportive, helping to make the arrangement manageable.
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Gillan is currently involved in new projects, including a further Jumanji film and a reboot of Highlander, which is due to be filmed in the Scottish Highlands. She has also marked a personal milestone by appearing on the label of a 2026 whisky release by Compass Box, a collaboration she described as closely tied to her upbringing in the Highlands. She said whisky, like returning home, provides a sense of connection to where she grew up and continues to shape her identity.
