“She’s my hero. I have nothing but respect”: Mad Men Star Jon Hamm Is in Utter Awe of THIS Young Actress For Mastering One Thing He Doubts He Could’ve Done

The path to name and fame can be wildly different from one actor to the next in the world of entertainment. Some achieve fame early in their career, sometimes even with their debut roles, while others wait years for that one breakout role. Jon Hamm belongs to the latter category.

Hamm had a rough childhood followed by lots of setbacks in his early career. But there have been examples where early overnight success caused controversial careers for celebrities. Hamm believes the same except for one young actress who defied this common notion.

Jon Hamm’s Respect for Saoirse Ronan’s Early Fame

Jon Hamm‘s career can be considered one of the most prominent examples of perseverance. The actor lost both his parents by the time he was 20. He later moved to LA and worked on many odd jobs and small roles to meet his ends. 

By the time he got his breakout role as Don Draper in Mad Men, he was already 35. The role became very popular, and it brought much-needed money as well as fame for Hamm. But unlike him, Saoirse Ronan didn’t have to wait for her breakout role.

Ronan earned her Oscar nomination in her debut year itself for the movie Atonement, and it boosted her career in a way that she is now considered one of the most talented actresses of the current generation. Despite all this, Ronan has managed to stay grounded over the years.

Hamm, who has seen both sides of an entertainment career, can’t praise Ronan enough for the way she handled her fame. In an interview with The Irish Times, he said,

I’ve met Saoirse Ronan. She’s been famous since she was 12 and I’ve no idea how she’s the well-adjusted person that she is. She’s my hero. I have nothing but respect.

Hamm wondered how his life would have turned out if he had success at 20. He believes that a lot of times people struggle with the way media and critics make false assumptions about actors and admitted that he also becomes one of them at times.

Saoirse Ronan on Confidence and Staying Grounded

Saoirse Ronan’s ability to stay humble after achieving that level of fame and respect from peers is rarely found in the world of show business. In an interview with Harpers Bazaar, the actress opened up about how her mother helps her balance confidence with humility.

I think I’ve always had a good sense of what I’m worth and that’s really come from her (mother). She was with me every day on set up until I was about 18 years old. She was never afraid to tell a producer that they were working me too hard, or that we’d gone two hours overtime and I needed to go home and have my dinner.

Being an actor of that level, it is hard to stay connected with the real world, and Ronan’s mother was the one who helped her balance her priorities. Ronan’s simplicity can be seen in her fashion choices as well. Talking about authenticity, the actress said,

I know for me in general, the less I wear on my face and the less I do with my hair, the more I feel like me.

Ronan’s view on success is probably one of the main reasons she handles all the praise so well. According to the actress, “success comes in all different forms,” and its meaning keeps on changing with time and experiences.

Moreover, in the age of social media, Ronan doesn’t use any, which again separates her from the rest of the world. For the actress, it is her work that makes her feel the most empowered, and so far, her career has been proof of that for sure.

Atonement is available to buy or rent on Apple TV+ and Prime Video.

Mad Men is available to stream on Netflix and Prime Video.