Turns out Karen Gillan isn't the only sci-fi superactress to play Pond.

Back in 2011, Firefly  alum Jewel Staite guest-starred in the season-seven Supernatural episode titled "The Girl Next Door." She played a childhood friend of Sam Winchester who may have been eating human brains. We won't spoil the rest of the episode for you, but it is worth noting that Staite's character bore the same name as the 11th Doctor's fiery ginger companion. 

Though the characters are very different, it is interesting that Supernatural's writers chose to pay homage to a Doctor Who character in such an obvious way. Perhaps next we'll be getting characters named Rose Tyler or Martha Jones. Who knows?  We might even get another Captain Jack Harkness if we wait long enough.

And check out these other little-known sci-fi facts:

Toshiro Mifune turned down Vader role

How a mime saved the original RoboCop

Lucas originally wanted FOUR trilogies

Why Soylent Green was called Soylent Green

R2-D2 appeared in Raiders of the Lost Ark

Gandalf wasn't going to be named Gandalf

A computer glitch almost killed Toy Story 2

The incredibly filthy joke hidden in Willy Wonka

Kirk wasn't Wrath of Khan's only father

The accident that gave us the lightsaber

Scully stood on a box to film X-Files

Kirk's Trek hot rod was Catwoman's, too

James Cameron played the Alien Queen

Why HAL 9000 sang 'Daisy' in 2001

What inspired Alien chestburster scene

3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars

The brawl that got Mel Gibson the Mad Max gig

James Doohan was shot six times on D-Day

Tolkien killed a Beatles LOTR movie

How Ghostbusters pissed off Isaac Asimov

The lyrics to Star Trek's opening theme

The famous "Wilhelm scream"

(Via Reddit)