Jon Hamm Knows His Co-Stars Think He’s ‘Handsome.’ Why It’s Sometimes A ‘Sh—y Dig’ And Not A Compliment
Jon Hamm is a TV and film actor who doesn’t shy away from looking handsome. His square shoulders and jaw can’t hide from the camera when he’s in projects like Mad Men or Million Dollar Arm, as well as his best random cameos. On the other hand, Hamm doesn’t always find being called “handsome” by his co-stars as a compliment.
Beautiful women face the threat of not being taken seriously as an actress when they’re cast solely as sex figures. Handsome men like Jon Hamm are in the same boat when they want their talent to stand out more than their appearance. The Baby Driver star once spoke to The Guardian about why being good looking can come off as burdensome to him.
I bring more to the table than what I represent physically. And it’s a daily struggle to prove that. Obviously it’s a lovely thing for people to say… [I’m handsome], but sometimes it comes with a shitty dig underneath.
The 52-year-old actor started his career playing “Gorgeous Guy at the Bar” on Ally McBeal. That speaks plenty for how the entertainment industry first thought of him. Even Baby Driver’s Edgar Wright admitted Hamm being “handsome” is why he wrote the part of Buddy with the actor in mind. He wanted to pick someone who would personify an attractive thief you’d see in stars like Steve McQueen in The Getaway or George Clooney in Out of Sight. While talking about the Black Mirror actor’s comedy chops, Wright said a comment about handsome people that Hamm disagreed with.
It’s rare to find a dramatic actor who’s also funny. Handsome people aren’t usually funny either.
The Primetime Emmy winner then went on to list a lot of funny people that he thought were good-looking. He mentioned his Bridesmaids co-star Kristen Wiig, 30 Rock co-star Tina Fey and SNL alum Amy Poehler as actresses who can be attractive, yet still bring out a chuckle from audiences. As for men, he listed Tom Cruise, Aziz Ansari, George Clooney and Matt Damon as examples. So it proves that looking good doesn’t have anything to do with a person’s sense of humor.
If you thought you couldn’t get enough of Jon Hamm last year with Top Gun: Maverick and Confess, Fletch, this month is the start of his TV comeback. He’ll be shaking up The Morning Show Season 3 by playing a tech billionaire who’s tall, juicy and, yes, handsome. He’ll also be teaming up with Ted Lasso’s Juno Temple and Stranger Things’ Joe Keery in Fargo Season 5, where he plays Sheriff Roy Tillman.
Not only will you see Jon Hamm on your TV screens, but he’ll have big roles in plenty of upcoming movies. In 2024, Hamm will be part of the cast of Transformers One by voicing Sentinel Prime, who was originally played by Leonard Nimoy in Transformers: Dark of the Moon. He’ll also show off his musical chops in the cast of Mean Girls: The Musical as Coach Carr. The TV/film actor looks like he has plenty of opportunities to flex his acting muscles.
Being handsome may come off as a “shitty dig” sometimes to Jon Hamm, but his acting talent will continue to shine through in all of his works. Take a look at our 2024 movie releases so you’ll be prepared for when Hamm will appear on the big screen next.
