Before Mad Men’s Success, “broke” Jon Hamm Repeatedly Shot Himself in the Foot By Making 1 Mistake – “Sh*t! I have to do the scene! What the f**k are the lines?”
- Jon Hamm faced significant struggles early in his career, often working in odd jobs to make his ends meet.
- Hamm often got distracted by the thought of potential paychecks during auditions, which caused repeated failures.
- Hamm related to his 'Mad Men' character, Don Draper, and the role ultimately changed his life.
Making it big in the entertainment world is not everyone’s cup of tea. What might appear as an overnight success story usually has years of unheard struggle. Mad Men fame Jon Hamm was once one of those struggling actors.
Hamm had his share of failures and struggles for years before landing his big break and becoming a household name later. His journey from being broke to an Emmy-winning star is remarkable. But his one habit that emerged due to his broke status used to ruin his auditions.
Jon Hamm Used to Get Distracted Before Auditions
Along with professional life, Jon Hamm‘s personal life was also filled with struggles initially. He moved to LA in 1995 after graduating from the University of Missouri and struggled for years to land a proper role. He did several odd jobs like a set dresser for adult films, waited tables, and even taught acting to high school students.
Although he landed some small roles, he was still broke and was struggling to make ends meet. According to The Guardian, he then signed with agent William Morris, which helped him meet some big names.
But it was not helping that much because every time he had an opportunity for an audition, he got distracted thinking about the possibility of getting the signing amount that would help him pay the bills. In The Guardian interview, he said,
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. You’re staring at the five-figure pay cheque you’ll get… if… If! A crazy amount of money for someone who has none.
Hamm would get so caught up in imagining how he would spend the potential paycheck that he would forget to focus on the actual audition. He said in the interview,
By that time they’re calling you in, you’re like: ‘Sh*t! I have to do the scene! What the f*ck are the lines?’ I would get hung up on that stuff and be an utter failure in the room.
Morris then left Hamm after a few years, and he was back working in the crew of adult films. Later, Jennifer Westfeldt invited him to one of her plays in New York, which saved him from bankruptcy for some time.
When auditions for Mad Men began, Hamm felt connected with the character of Don Draper and auditioned for it relentlessly until he got the part. Later, Draper’s role earned him critical acclaim and several awards including a Golden Globe and an Emmy.
Jon Hamm’s Initial Struggles and How Mad Men Helped Him
Jon Hamm was feeling more connected to Don Draper as both had experienced loss at a young age and struggled with their identities. Hamm said to The Guardian,
The similarities between mine and Don’s life are well documented. Growing up as a bit of a wanderer, finding my own way, making my own story… Losing my parents early on, albeit not as dramatically and tragically as Don.
Hamm’s mother tragically passed away due to stomach cancer when he was 10 years old. He then lived with his father, who had been separated since Hamm was 2. Then again, 10 years after his mother’s demise, Hamm lost his father. In the interview, he revealed suffering from chronic depression.
I struggled with chronic depression. I was in bad shape. I knew I had to get back in school and back in some kind of structured environment and… continue.
When Hamm was asked what helped him through this difficult period, he replied, “Work.” He also acknowledged the benefits of therapy and antidepressants.
After all these, it can be understood why Jon Hamm used to get distracted before his auditions earlier in life, and his journey from a struggling and depressed actor to a successful one is quite an inspiration for everyone.
Mad Men is available to stream on Netflix and Prime Video.
