Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill may have reunited at a convention. But it didn’t take long for “Doctor Who” fans to turn their attention to something else: Darvill’s hair. The actors appeared together at Steel City Con in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, from August 7-9, 2026.
Then, on Monday, August 10, Gillan shared some behind-the-scenes photos from the convention. And fans immediately noticed just how long Darvill’s hair has gotten. Perhaps it has something to do with an upcoming music-related role (details below).
Yep, the “Doctor Who” jokes practically wrote themselves.
Gillan captioned the Instagram post, “Made my old pal take photos with me so I could show off my backpack,” with a tag to Darvill’s Instagram. And while her backpack may have been the reason for the photos, fans had something else to focus on.
Fans Can’t Stop Talking About Arthur Darvill’s Hair
Gillan and Darvill played Amy Pond and Rory Williams beginning with the Series 5 premiere, “The Eleventh Hour,” in 2010. The episdoe also sees Matt Smith make his debut as the Eleventh Doctor. Their characters continued traveling with The Doctor through Series 7. And their final regular appearance happens in “The Angels Take Manhattan” in 2012.
So, honestly, it probably shouldn’t be surprising that fans immediately slipped back into their Amy and Rory mindset when they saw Gillan and Darvill together again.
Except this time, Rory’s hair was the star of the show.
One fan wrote, “His hair is long enough for that ponytail he always wanted! 😆”
Another referenced a line from “Doctor Who,” commenting, “Hold him down and cut his hair😃”
Then came, “Oh no, Rory is really growing that ponytail,” followed by another fan’s response, “business in the front party in the back”
One fan also brought up meeting Darvill at Starfury, writing, “Omg!! When I met Arthur during Starfury, he had long hairs already but wow!! How much is it going to grow? 😁”
Not everyone was hoping for a haircut, though. Another fan made their feelings very clear: “Loving his hair long !”
Let’s be real, once fans noticed the hair, there was really no going back.
The Amy & Rory Jokes Kept Coming
GettyOf course, the comments weren’t only about Darvill’s hairstyle.
Fans also took the opportunity to celebrate seeing the actors who brought one of the most memorable couples in the Eleventh Doctor’s era back together.
One fan wrote, “‘We are not her boys!’ / ‘Yeah, we are.’,” while another commented, “The girl who waited and Rory the Roman 🙌 😃.”
And then there was this reference to one of the couple’s most heartbreaking storylines. “If Amy and Rory had been sent to the convention hall backrooms instead of an NYC apartment,” said one person.
Another fan simply celebrated the reunion, writing, “Amy and Rory reunited again hell yea let’s gooooooo the best couple in doctor who”
The Ponds also inspired a few comments about their storyline in the show. One person commented, “Wow these two would make a cute couple, they should make a show where they go on adventures with their son in law” one fan wrote. And another replied, “Son in law, while correct, is absolutely diabolical 😆”
There was also the simple but effective, “THE PONDS 😭”
And fans even brought up Gillan and Darvill’s upcoming, “Pondcast,” a rewatch podcast the two announced via Radio Times back in 2025. When one person asked, “Is The Pondcast still happening?” Gillan replied, “absolutely”
It seems like that was more than enough to make fans happy.
Honestly, there is something pretty fun about seeing Gillan and Darvill together again. And watching the comments immediately turn into a celebration of Amy and Rory. Their characters’ story ended years ago, but the affection fans have for the Ponds clearly hasn’t gone anywhere.
What’s Next for Karen Gillan & Arthur Darvill?
While the convention reunion gave “Doctor Who” fans plenty to talk about, both actors have other projects keeping them busy.
Gillan is set to return as Ruby Roundhouse in “Jumanji: Open World,” which is expected in theaters this Christmas (a.k.a. December 25, 2026). IMDb also lists “Shrinking” (2027) among her upcoming credits, along with “Rhona Who Lives by the River,” “Highlander,” “Fools” and “Blasphemous.”
No word yet on whether she’ll be resuming her Marvel role as Nebula in any upcoming MCU projects.
Darvill, meanwhile, is heading back to the “Doctor Who” universe in audio form. Big Finish lists “The Death and Life of River Song Series 05: River and Rory” for release in January 2027. The story will bring Rory and his daughter, River Song (Alex Kingston), together for a new adventure.
He is also part of Sam Mendes’ upcoming cinematic event about The Beatles. According to IMDb, Darvill has been cast as Derek Taylor, the press officer and friend of the band, with four films scheduled to arrive in theaters in April 2028. And this might be the reason for the longer hair-do fans couldn’t stop chatting about.
So, yep, Darvill’s hair may have stolen the spotlight at the convention, but there is plenty more happening for both “Doctor Who” stars.
And if that ponytail eventually becomes a reality, it seems like fans will be ready with even more Rory jokes.
Missed out on all the “Doctor Who” action? Well, we’ve got good news. AMC+ recently became the exclusive streaming home for Series 1–13 (2005-2022).
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