Guardians of the Galaxy’s version of the Nebula makeup required Gillan to shave her entire head, which she understood would be necessary before accepting the gig. Speaking with Screen Rant shortly before the film’s release, Gillan said, “I was told even before I auditioned that the actress who got this would have to shave her head, and I didn’t think I was gonna get it. So I was like, ‘absolutely, I will shave my head! Sure!’ Then, like three screen tests later, [I thought], ‘oh God, this might actually happen.'”
Gillan famously demonstrated her dedication at Comic Con San Diego in 2013, when the Guardians cast was introduced. She arrived to the event sporting shoulder-length locks, but when an audience member pointed out that Nebula was supposed to be bald, Gillan replied, “Yeah, she is — and I might have done something a little bit crazy.” She then removed what turned out to be a wig, revealing her completely smooth dome and drawing a raucous response from the crowd. “It’s liberating!” she told those in attendance. “I think everyone here should shave their heads.”
By the time she reprised her role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, her makeup’s design had undergone a slight modification. “I shaved half of my head this time, but they took away the butt — like, the underneath-half of my hair, and then left the top part,” Gillan told The Wrap before the flick’s release. “That was the best gift ever.”