Jon Hamm is a talented and well-respected actor, but most still associate him with his breakout role as womanizing ad man Don Draper from AMC's hit drama, Mad Men. His award-winning portrayal of an advertising executive in the 60's is what made him a household name and though the show ended in 2015, it's been tough for Hamm to outrun his Mad Men image, but he's trying.
Since the show ended, he's been taking on totally different roles in Hollywood, playing everything from villains and criminals to animated characters and everything in-between. In an interview with Today, Hamm confessed that he didn't really have a "strategy" in place after Mad Men ended but that he knew that he "didn't want to play Don Draper again." With the colorful assortment of roles he's taken on after the hit show, it seems apparent that Don Draper is well in the rearview mirror.
Foray Into Film
With his constant appearances on SNL, it's easy to see that Hamm has a knack for humor, but his film choices point toward his innate penchant for the dramatic. In Baby Driver, Hamm was gritty, smooth-talking thief, Buddy. The film was heavy on the action and fans were able to see a different side to the actor.
Fast forward to political drama, The Report, in which he portrays Obama-era White House Chief of Staff, Denis McDonough. In an interview at a screening of the film, Hamm stated that he was both "appalled and transfixed" by the subject matter in the script and the masterful writing, which left him feeling like he had to take on the role.
Lending His Voice
Hamm has actually taken on voice over work for a couple of well-known properties. Firstly, he voiced Herb Overkill, husband of Scarlet Overkill, the villain in Minions, a role he says allowed him to be "completely creative." He also had the opportunity to voice Boba Fett in the Star Wars anthology, From a Certain Point of View, a collection of stories that further the legends of the Star Wars universe.
The avid sports fan, Hamm has recently lent his voice to a documentary about the 2020 NHL (National Hockey League) All Star Weekend. Hamm is famously and ferociously supportive of his hometown of St. Louis' hockey team, the Blues and their baseball team, the St. Louis Cardinals.
Return To TV
Arguably one of his funniest moments is Hamm's stint on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. At first, Hamm was only featured every so often as Reverend Wayne, Kimmy's captor, but as his character's popularity grew, he was given his own spinoff episode (Party Monster: Scratching the Surface) and will reprise his role in the upcoming Netflix interactive movie. According to the Netflix press release, the full length feature is going to be a doozy. "Three states! Explosions! A dancing hamburger! And you, the viewer, get to decide how the story goes."
Good Omens is another show that Hamm has graced with his divine presence recently. The Amazon exclusive is the adaptation of a book by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. Hamm, a longtime fan, said in a statement about the show that, "I read Good Omens almost 20 years ago...Two months ago Neil sent me the scripts, and I knew I had to be in it." His character, the Archangel Gabriel, is pompous, well-dressed and mysterious, which seems like a part tailor-made for Hamm.
Upcoming Projects
Hamm is proving he has a big year ahead as he co-starred in the highly anticipated sequel, Top Gun: Maverick. Not much has been disclosed about the story or Hamm's character but it has been confirmed that Tom Cruise will reprise his role of Maverick, with Cruise himself calling the film "a love letter to aviation."
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