Movies - TV
How Playing Nebula Affected Karen Gillan Physically
By DANIELLE RYAN
To get into character to play Nebula, Karen Gillan had to shave her head and spend four hours in the makeup chair every day of filming. However, the most uncomfortable part for her was wearing the sclera lenses, and her experience with them on the first "Guardians of the Galaxy" led her to request that her blue eyes be done in VFX for her role in the 2022 sci-fi film, “Dual.”
Gillan’s 22-millimeter sclera lenses almost completely covered the visible parts of her eye, and they are also thicker than regular contacts. With the discomfort from the lenses in combination with what Gillan describes as "intense and slightly claustrophobic” makeup, the actress had plenty of pain to draw from to get into character as a tortured alien mercenary.
Gillan has portrayed Nebula in both "Guardians of the Galaxy" movies, "Infinity War" and "Endgame,” and will reprise her role in the upcoming “Thor: Love and Thunder" and "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3." As digital effects have become more advanced since the first “Guardians” film came out, here’s hoping that she was able to act with the comfort of VFX eyes.