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We know Jon Hamm today as one of the most versatile actors in the industry. But even he had to walk the tough road of Hollywood fame before his career-defining role inMad Men. The situation was quite bad for him, given he almost believed that maybe success was just not in his cards. That’s when Don Draper happened, and with his incredible take on the character, Hamm established his position in the business.
But before landing the iconic role, the actor did go through one thing that might have impacted his interaction with the legendary Steven Spielberg.
Signing Contracts Impacted Jon Hamm’s Performance in Front of Hollywood Bigshots Like Steven Spielberg
There have been several success stories in Hollywood where actors have tasted fame quite late in their lives. A-listers like George Clooney, Viola Davis, and Morgan Freeman, to name a few, achieved success much later in their lives, despite being active for many years.
Jon Hamm’s story is no different. The actor was 36 years old when he got his breakthrough as Don Draper inMad Men. Before this, Hamm had some well-acclaimed projects to his name, but none truly captured his full potential as an actor. This also led to him facing financial difficulties, and he had to work as a waiter and bartender to support his acting gigs.
Despite these tough times, he was sure of his passion for acting and believed that these moments were necessary to reach the pinnacle of success in the industry. With faith in himself, the actor moved to Los Angeles and signed with William Morris.
“Really? This is the guy you want?”: Never Forget AMC Nearly Committed Blasphemy When They Wanted Jon Hamm Out of Mad Men
It was after this that he started getting a series of pivotal roles. However, there was one thing that impacted his auditions and maybe a chance to work withSteven Spielberg. He detailed in an interview withThe Guardian:
I had met Steven Spielberg and all these people that had my eyes just rolling back in my head. The opportunities I almost had! And there’s this hideous thing they make you do when you go up for a television show: they make you sign a contract before you walk into the final audition. The last thing they want is for you to have everyone fall in love with you, and then you not have a deal in place. So you sign this thing – and I had no money; I was broke.
Following this, the actor faced another major setback when, just after 3 years, he was dropped by William Morris. But he stayed put and continued with his acting journey with another agent. Soon, noteworthy roles started coming his way, but when he auditioned for the role ofDon Draper, he was considered an outsider.
In the same interview, the actor recalled being at the bottom of the list. But eventually, Hamm was cast in the iconic role when writer Matthew Weiner, famous for his work onThe Sopranos, stronglyadvocatedfor him.
Jon Hamm’s Thoughts on a Mad Men Reboot
The American period dramaMad Menwent on for seven glorious seasons from 2007 to 2015. It was this very show that catapulted Jon Hamm to Hollywood stardom and established him as a talented actor. But while the show ended almost a decade ago, fanscannothelp but wonder if there’ll be a reboot of the same or not.
Further, after Don Draper’s perfect ending in the show, Hamm was asked in an interview if he’d be up for putting on Draper’s iconic suits anytime soon. While the actor cherishes his time on the show, his answer will definitely disappoint theMad Menfandom. The actor appeared onThe Hollywood Reporter’sDrama Actor’s Roundtable and answered“no”on theMad Menreboot. He said:
Part of it is that there’s no story to tell. We ran out of story. (Hamm continued) No, obviously, you never say never.” Oh, okay then! Does that mean he’s going to say yes? No, not exactly. But [the way we ended the series] felt satisfying to me. And I think it was very satisfying to the audience as well. I’m happy with the way that [the show] lives in my life, and I would love it to stay there.
While the public would have loved a sequel of the iconic show, Hamm’s take on the same makes sense, given the perfect ending it had in 2015. Despite this, the actor did reprise his role for a small cameo in Jerry Seinfeld’s Netflix movie, Unfrosted.
you’re able to watch all the seasons ofMad Menon AMC+ and Apple TV.
Sakshi Singh
Articles Published :1436
Sakshi Singh has written over 1,300 entertainment articles, mostly about Netflix shows and reality TV. She’s spent the last two years covering everything from surprise engagements to shocking eliminations and previously wrote for Essentially Sports in their Netflix Junkie division. A self-proclaimed reality TV addict, Sakshi has watched all 48 seasons of Survivor and never misses a new dating or competition series. She loves watching how strangers meet, fall in love, team up, or betray each other - it’s the mix of strategy and drama that keeps her hooked. When she’s not glued to a reality show, she’s usually watching a crime thriller or tracking the next big streaming hit.
