Jon Hamm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jon Hamm
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Hamm in 2024
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| Born |
Jonathan Daniel Hamm
March 10, 1971 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
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| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1996–present |
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Works
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Full list |
| Spouse(s) |
Anna Osceola
(m. 2023) |
| Partner(s) | Jennifer Westfeldt (1997–2015) |
| Awards | Full list |
Jonathan Daniel Hamm (born March 10, 1971) is an American actor. He is most famous for his role as the advertising executive Don Draper in the TV series Mad Men (2007–2015). This role won him many awards, including a Primetime Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards.
Hamm has also starred in many movies. He played the main character in films like Stolen (2010), Million Dollar Arm (2014), and Confess, Fletch (2022). He has also had important supporting roles in popular movies such as The Town (2010), Bridesmaids (2011), Baby Driver (2017), and Top Gun: Maverick (2022).
You might also recognize his voice from animated movies. He voiced characters in Shrek Forever After (2010) and Minions (2015).
Besides Mad Men, Hamm has starred in other major TV shows. These include A Young Doctor's Notebook, the fifth season of Fargo, and The Morning Show. He is also known for his funny guest appearances on shows like 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
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Early Life and School
Jonathan Daniel Hamm was born on March 10, 1971, in St. Louis, Missouri. His mother, Deborah, was a secretary, and his father, Daniel, ran a family trucking company. His family background is German, French, English, and Irish.
His parents divorced when he was two years old. He lived with his mother in Creve Coeur, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. Sadly, his mother passed away from a serious illness when he was 10. After that, he moved in with his father and grandmother. His father passed away when Jon was 20.
Hamm's first time acting was in first grade, when he played Winnie-the-Pooh. When he was 16, he was cast as Judas in the play Godspell. He really enjoyed it but didn't think about making acting his career yet. He went to John Burroughs School, where he played football, baseball, and was on the swim team.
After graduating from high school in 1989, he went to the University of Texas for a while before finishing his degree at the University of Missouri.
Acting Career
Hamm graduated from college in 1993 with a degree in English. He then went back to his old high school to teach acting to eighth-graders. One of his students was Ellie Kemper, who later became a famous actress herself. Years later, Hamm appeared with her in the show Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
Early Struggles in Hollywood
In 1995, Hamm moved to Los Angeles to become an actor. He lived in a house with four other aspiring actors and worked as a waiter while going to auditions.
It was hard for him to find acting jobs at first. After three years without getting any roles, his talent agency dropped him. He kept working as a waiter and even worked as a set designer for a short time. He made a deal with himself: if he wasn't a successful actor by his 30th birthday, he would go home.
He later said, "The last thing I wanted to be out here was one of those actors who's 45 years old... and not really working much. So I gave myself five years." Luckily, right after he made that decision, he started getting work.
In 2000, he got a role as a firefighter on the TV show Providence. He was only supposed to be in one episode, but he ended up being in 19. This allowed him to finally quit his job as a waiter. He also had a small part in the Clint Eastwood movie Space Cowboys (2000). He then had bigger roles in the movies Kissing Jessica Stein (2001) and We Were Soldiers (2002).
Breakthrough with Mad Men
In 2007, Hamm got the role that made him a star. He was chosen out of more than 80 actors to play Don Draper in the TV drama Mad Men. The show was set in the 1960s and was about an advertising agency in New York City. Hamm played a charming and mysterious advertising executive.
Hamm said he loved the script but didn't think he would get the part. The show's creator, Matthew Weiner, thought Hamm was perfect for the role. Hamm used memories of his own father to help him play Don Draper.
Mad Men started on July 19, 2007, and quickly became very popular. Critics loved Hamm's performance. For his work on the show, he won a Golden Globe Award in 2008. After many nominations, he finally won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2015, the year the show ended.
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While on Mad Men, Hamm also worked on other projects. He hosted the comedy show Saturday Night Live four times. He had a funny guest role on the show 30 Rock as a love interest for Tina Fey's character.
He also appeared in many movies. He voiced an ogre named Brogan in Shrek Forever After (2010). He played an FBI agent in the crime movie The Town (2010) with Ben Affleck. He also had a supporting role in the hit comedy Bridesmaids (2011). In 2015, he voiced the character Herb Overkill in the animated movie Minions.
Recent Roles and Continued Success
After Mad Men ended, Hamm continued to take on a variety of roles. In 2017, he was in the action movie Baby Driver. In 2018, he starred in the thriller Beirut.
In 2019, he played the Archangel Gabriel in the popular fantasy series Good Omens, based on the book by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. He returned for the show's second season in 2023.
In 2022, Hamm appeared in the blockbuster movie Top Gun: Maverick with Tom Cruise. That same year, he starred as the main character in the comedy Confess, Fletch. Critics praised his funny performance in the film.
In 2023, he joined the cast of the TV drama The Morning Show. He also played the main villain, Sheriff Roy Tillman, in the fifth season of the crime series Fargo.
In 2024, Hamm played Coach Carr in the movie musical Mean Girls. He also voices the main character in the animated comedy Grimsburg, which he also helps produce. In 2025, he began starring in the TV series Your Friends and Neighbors.
Acting Credits and Awards
Hamm has won many awards for his acting, including an Emmy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Personal Life
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Hamm's role as Don Draper in Mad Men required him to smoke on screen. However, he used herbal cigarettes that did not contain any tobacco or nicotine. During the first season of the show, he developed a skin condition called vitiligo, which causes patches of skin to lose their color.
From 1997 to 2015, Hamm was in a relationship with actress and screenwriter Jennifer Westfeldt. They started a production company together called Points West Pictures.
In 2023, Hamm married actress Anna Osceola. They had been dating for two years. Interestingly, Osceola had a small part in the final episode of Mad Men in 2015.
Sports and Hobbies
Hamm is a big sports fan. He loves the St. Louis Blues hockey team and the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. He has even appeared in commercials for the Blues. In 2011, he narrated the official movie celebrating the Cardinals' World Series win.
He also enjoys reading. Some of his favorite books include The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe and A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving.
Political Views
Hamm has been involved in politics. He supported Barack Obama for president in 2012. In 2016, he attended a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton. He has also appeared in public service announcements, including one about important issues on college campuses. In 2024, he supported Adam Schiff in his campaign for the U.S. Senate in California.
