The acclaimed tv present Mad Males is synonymous with the identify of Emmy Award-winning actor Jon Hamm, who starred as Don Draper on the favored collection. For Hamm, it was a breakthrough function after spending a decade in relative obscurity. Nonetheless, Hamm virtually didn’t land the half that made him a star — talking with The Hollywood Reporter, Hamm reveals that he was partially solid as Draper as a result of the producers weren’t in search of a recognizable star for the function.
Hamm notes that he feels that his bodily look held him again from early performing success. He remembers, “I simply didn’t match. I used to be the man who was 25 however regarded 35. It’s like I fell between two barstools. I imply, I didn’t appear to be I used to be in highschool after I was in highschool. I don’t know if it was dropping my dad and mom, however I regarded older.”
Nonetheless, Hamm quickly discovered himself involved in roles on two monumental tv collection — Mad Males (which he received) and The West Wing (which he didn’t). He explains, “I received the Mad Males script, and I used to be like, ‘Shit, that is actually good.’ And it’s a superb lesson in not getting forward of your self as a result of I bear in mind considering, ‘They’re by no means going to solid me.’ As a result of I’d had an expertise with one other actually good script that I learn and I used to be like, ‘I might do something to get this half.’”
Recalling that have auditioning for The West Wing, Hamm shares that it set him as much as doubt his probabilities to land Mad Males. He continues, “It was The West Wing. Rob Lowe’s character, Sam. I assumed, ‘I may homicide this half.’ And I used to be nice within the audition, however I noticed the casting director’s face, and I knew this half’s already solid. Then it was like, ‘Oh, it’s Rob Lowe. OK, I get it.’ So I assumed the identical factor would occur on Mad Males. I’ll give an incredible audition, and so they’ll give it to a film star. The primary time I went in, I used to be the one individual auditioning, it was so early within the course of. After which as I’d return in and return in, I began seeing names that I acknowledged on the sign-in sheet.”
Because it seems, Lowe was additionally thought-about for Hamm’s future function on Mad Males, although he by no means auditioned for the present. Hamm reveals, “[Creator] Matthew Weiner, God bless him, mainly mentioned, ‘We are able to’t have a celebrity. If Rob Lowe performs this half, it’ll be the Rob Lowe present, and we don’t need that. We would like it to be a thriller about who this man is.’ And to my large profit, that labored.”