Jon Hamm Talks ‘Shared DNA’ With New Role

Jon Hamm is embracing something Hollywood doesn’t always spotlight: getting older, and actually enjoying it. The Jon Hamm Talks ‘Shared DNA’ With New Role first appeared on The Blast

Jon Hamm is embracing something Hollywood doesn’t always spotlight: getting older and actually enjoying it. The Emmy-winning actor is opening up about life in his mid-50s, why success doesn’t always equal fulfillment, and how his latest role is tapping into some familiar territory. As he gears up for Season 2 of “Your Friends & Neighbors,” Jon Hamm is reflecting on everything from career highs to personal growth, and why this chapter of his life might be his best yet.

Jon Hamm Says Aging Is ‘Fun’ And Earned

At 55, Hamm isn’t shying away from getting older. In fact, he’s celebrating it.

“If you’ve made it this far, you’re doing something right,” Hamm shared in his interview with AARP’s Movies for Grownups, making it clear he’s fully leaning into this stage of life. “I’m very lucky. I get to do what I’ve always wanted to do at, I think, the highest level. I still appreciate it every day. I still love going to work. So for me, aging is fun, honestly. I’ve enjoyed it. I’ve earned it.”

Rather than viewing aging as a setback, Hamm sees it as something he’s worked for and something worth appreciating.

From ‘Mad Men’ To Now

Since wrapping “Mad Men” in 2015, Hamm has kept his momentum going with a wide range of roles. He’s taken on everything from a chilling sheriff in “Fargo” to a tech billionaire love interest opposite Jennifer Aniston in “The Morning Show.” He’s even poked fun at himself with a comedic turn on “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

Now, he’s stepping back into the spotlight with “Your Friends & Neighbors,” where he plays Andrew “Coop” Cooper, a disgraced hedge fund manager resorting to theft to maintain his lifestyle. While Hamm’s newest character may live in a very different world than Don Draper, he admits the two aren’t as far apart as they seem.

“There’s a lot of shared DNA between the two characters. There’s a competency there in both of their jobs, but also kind of an unfulfilled quality to what looks like, from the outside viewer, material success,” he said. “One of the early episodes of ‘Mad Men’ ends with the song, ‘Is That All There Is?’ That could be Coop’s theme song, or at least the theme song to Westmont Village [the setting of ‘Your Friends & Neighbors’], because that’s certainly one of the themes that we drill down on the show.”

Jon Hamm Reflects On Loss And Life Lessons

Hamm also got candid about the personal experiences that shaped him, including the loss of both of his parents before he turned 20.

“I’ve had tremendous advice over the course of my life. Unfortunately, I lost both my parents before I turned 20, but I had some other folks in my life who were able to remind me that, yes, sometimes bad things happen, but if you let those things define you, then you’re going to end up wallowing in those things…” he explained. “Life is about growing and experiencing new things. Life is about the future, not about the past.”

Those lessons have clearly stuck with him, influencing not just his outlook on life, but his approach to his career as well.

Hamm Is Still Dreaming Big

Even after decades in the industry, Hamm says there are still plenty of people he hopes to collaborate with.

“There are still tremendous people out there making movies. And the list grows every day,” he admitted. “It was a wonderful awards season. We saw Paul Thomas Anderson finally win. Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan.”

He then went on to recall when he met Jordan when he was on “Friday Night Lights.” “I knew he was fantastically talented,” Hamm said. “It’s great to see people like that go on and win the whole thing. Once I saw ‘Sinners,’ I knew he had a great shot at it. He really deserves it. But there are tons of people out there I’d still love to work with. Hopefully, I’ll get a chance to.”

Jon Hamm Reveals The Movie He Can’t Stop Watching

And when he’s not working, Hamm is still a full-on movie buff at heart. “I’ve got a million of them,” he admitted. “I most recently had ‘Fast Times at Ridgemont High’ on it. It’s a great film. Cameron Crowe.”

He continued, “I just read Cameron Crowe’s autobiography. It was fantastic. It’s called ‘The Uncool.’ There are a million movies that I could go back to. I’m a member of The Criterion Channel. I look at that every day. It’s great. We live in a pretty great time if you’re a movie buff. You’ve got all the movies in the world a click away.”

The Jon Hamm Talks ‘Shared DNA’ With New Role first appeared on The Blast