By Sondra Barr
Long before he epitomized the man that women want and men want to be while inhabiting the iconic role of Don Draper in AMC’s Mad Men show, 53-year-old actor Jon Hamm was a self-described “nerdy kid” and a “voracious reader” who excelled in high school sports to mask his childhood pain.
Growing up in St. Louis, Missouri, Hamm’s early life was marred by tragedy. His mother, Deborah, passed away from colon cancer when Hamm was just 10 years old. After her death, Hamm and his father, Daniel, moved in with his grandmother. Tragedy struck again when Hamm was 20, and his father passed away, leaving him orphaned.
Reflecting on these experiences, Hamm told PEOPLE in 2014, “I’ve survived a lot in my life. I’ve had a lot of close calls with a lot of stuff. I think someone’s watching out for me.” Despite these challenges, Hamm doesn’t see himself as a tragic figure: “Everyone’s got a sad story. I’ve had two good decades and two bad ones. No one was raised in Happyland. It doesn’t exist.”
Determined to pursue his dreams, Hamm moved to Los Angeles to embark on an acting career. His early years in Hollywood were far from glamorous. He faced financial hardships and struggled to find steady work. “At a certain point, I had owed my landlord here in LA about seven or eight months’ worth of back rent that I somehow talked her into being fine with,” Hamm revealed in an interview. His finances were so strained that he dodged phone calls from creditors throughout the ’90s. “The caller ID would come up and if it was an 800 number, it would immediately go to voicemail.”
Hamm’s big break came in 2007 with his portrayal of the dashing Don Draper on Mad Men, a series that would go on to become a cultural phenomenon. Despite a network executive once telling his agent that Hamm would “never be a television star,” Hamm’s depiction of Draper earned him critical acclaim and an Emmy Award in 2015.
The character of Draper, with his mix of charm and deep-seated flaws, showcased Hamm’s ability to bring complex characters to life, solidifying his place in television history and as a sex symbol, which he never fully understood. “It’s silly,” he told PEOPLE in 2014. “First of all, it’s completely arbitrary. Point me to 50 people online who think I’m super sexy, I’ll point you to 50 more who say, ‘He’s old and looks like my dad.’ It’s not universal. If you buy into that, you’re crazy.”
Beyond Mad Men, Hamm has demonstrated a remarkable range. His dramatic depth shone through in The Town, Baby Driver, and Top Gun: Maverick, while his acting versatility is further highlighted by his work in comedy. His appearances on Saturday Night Live and his role in 30 Rock showcased his comedic timing and ability to make audiences laugh. In discussing his favorite SNL sketches, Hamm fondly recalled working with SNL’s Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig, saying, “You realize how uniquely gifted those people are—the cast, the writing staff, the production staff, everybody. It’s like being a part of a really good baseball team. You just don’t want to be the guy that drops the ball.”
Meanwhile, his recent role as the villainous sheriff Roy Tillman in Fargo season five was hailed as his best performance since Mad Men, marking a new era for the seasoned actor. “One of the great things about Jon is that he can play both sides of that moral spectrum,” said Noah Hawley, creator of Fargo, in a recent interview, highlighting Hamm’s ability to portray both charm and menace with equal finesse.
Hamm’s upcoming project, Landman, created and directed by Taylor Sheridan, the creator of Yellowstone, promises to be another exciting chapter in Hamm’s career. Set in the boomtowns of West Texas, the series explores the world of oil rigs and features Hamm as Monty, a Texas oil titan. The show, which also stars Billy Bob Thornton and Demi Moore, is expected to be a compelling blend of drama and intrigue.
Hamm’s career is not only defined by his on-screen roles but also the roles he didn’t land. He learned early on the importance of honesty, a lesson that came in a rather humiliating fashion. During an audition for the 2004 movie Miracle, Hamm, who had embellished his ice skating skills on his resume, quickly realized the error of his ways. “I can skate a little bit. I can go forward and backward, I can turn, can’t really stop. But who needs that? That’s what the boards are for,” he joked during The Hollywood Reporter’s Drama Actor Emmy Roundtable earlier this year. He did not get the role and this experience taught him the value of authenticity and set the tone for his future endeavors.
Reflecting on his career, Hamm has often emphasized the importance of resilience. “The auditioning process is the worst,” he once said. “It just stinks, but that’s the only way we’ve got. And there’s so many variables that are completely out of your control, so the ability to let it go is an amazing point in one’s career. And then, of course, that’s when you don’t ever have to audition again.” The irony doesn’t escape him: “It was one of those things where I had auditioned for this person and this network over and over and over again, as one does, and for whatever reason didn’t get the part, and didn’t get the part, and didn’t get the part. It would always come down to the last two, me and the guy who’s going to get it.”
On the home front, after many years as an eligible bachelor, he found love with actress Anna Osceola, whom he met on the set of Mad Men. The couple, who wed in June 2023, prefer to keep their lives private and away from social media. Both he and Osceola choose to maintain a low-key presence away from the public eye. Hamm has spoken about setting boundaries in the industry to retain his sense of self, telling InStyle, “The point of life is not to put dog ears on yourself and post it online for everyone to see.” Despite their tight lips, the couple has hinted that starting a family might be on the horizon.
Although Hamm’s personal life reflects a balance between public and private spheres, he has opened up about the importance of mental health and the impact of therapy on his life, helping him navigate the complexities of relationships and personal growth.
“As an actor, you have to be aware of your emotions and where you are in the course of a day or in the course of your life. And you have to be able to let that inform whatever character you’re playing. I think keeping that side of your mind/body duality sharp is the same thing as keeping your physical side sharp. There’s a weird stigma about mental health, and there doesn’t need to be. Staying aware of where you are in that spectrum just makes good sense,” he told Men’s Journal.
As Hamm continues to take on diverse roles, his dedication to acting remains evident. Whether portraying a suave advertising executive, a menacing sheriff, or a Texas oil magnate, Hamm’s performances are consistently compelling, drawing viewers into the complexities of his characters. No doubt, his journey his far from over.
