Although he’s now considered a real A-lister, Jon Hamm was close to giving up on his acting dream after being dropped by his agency in his twenties. Thankfully for lovers of the hunky American, he hung in there, and now has a filmography and awards cabinet that would turn most actors green with envy. He’s probably best known for his time on the period drama Mad Men, where he played the charismatic and morally ambiguous ad-man Don Draper, but he’d managed to build a pretty good resume before that, and since then he’s had the opportunity to show off his talent in a wide number of varying roles. If you’re interested in seeing more of the actor, or just want to know where to begin with his back catalogue, then have a look at our list of the 10 best Jon Hamm movies and TV shows, ranked.
10. Bridesmaids
Hamm is briliant during his relatively small amount of screentime in this raunchy ensemble comedy about female friendship, the fear of being left behind, and the consequences of mixing questionable food with bridal dress shopping. He plays the self-involved, uncaring, but stupidly hot man who is sleeping with the main character, Annie (Kristen Wiig), without offering her any commitment, or even the implication that he sees her as anything more than a bed for the night. While the audience rightfully finds him irritating, he brings just enough charm to the role that you can see why Annie is a little obsessed with him (well, that and his face and body).
9. Good Omens
This supernatural, religious-ish Prime Video series is an adaptation of the ultra-successful novel by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman (the latter of whom has written the series). Set in modern times, the plot follows a demon named Crowley (David Tennant) and the angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) — the two representatives of heaven and hell on Earth — who have agreed to ignore the conflict between their two belief systems and maintain a friendship (and an easy life). However, when they discover the antichrist is on the way, they decide to team up to stop him. Hamm plays the angel Gabriel, who was only mentioned once in the novel but gets a full arc in the series, and the Mad Men star acts the part brilliantly, stealing the limelight whenever he’s on screen.
8. Beirut
Hamm shows his serious side in this political action thriller which is set in the midst of the Lebanese civil war. In it, he plays a former diplomat named Mason Skiles, who is sent to Beirut to rescue his colleague. However, it’s not just his workmate’s life that’s on his mind, as the same group that kidnapped him was responsible for killing his wife. Despite some controversy around the film because of its trailer, which heavily implied a white savior narrative, Beirut itself is surprisingly nuanced, not only in terms of its characters but also how it handled the controversial region in which it was set. Add a tight, tense plot, and you have a great flick.
7. 30 Rock
Although he’s known for his brooding performances, Hamm showed off his comedic chops multiple times during his guest appearances on Tina Fey’s 30 Rock. His most memorable character was that of Drew, a brief love interest of Liz Lemon’s (Fey). Lemon quickly deduces that, because he’s so handsome, Drew lives in “the bubble” (also the name of the episode) – a place which attractive people inhabit because the world bends to their every whim. As a result, Drew is lacking some basic skills, and some more important ones (he’s a doctor but can’t perform a heimlich, for one). His other performances came in different roles, but he was great throughout his run.
6. Baby Driver
This music-filled action comedy is full of fantastic performances from its principal cast, and Hamm doesn’t disappoint. The film follows a young getaway driver who is looking to escape from his life of crime along with his girlfriend, so they can live together in peace. Hamm plays a former finance worker whose intense drug habit brought him into the criminal world, although a midlife crisis is what’s keeping him there. Hamm’s role was the only part in the entire film written specifically for an actor, as director Edgar Wright and the star are long-time friends.
5. The Report
Another tense historical political drama, The Report (styled as The Torture Report) tells the story of investigations by the senate intelligence committe into the use of torture by the CIA in the wake of 9/11 and the invasion of Iraq. In a turn of events that will shock nobody who’s aware of the CIA’s history of doing stupid, illegal, and dangerous things with far-reaching consequences their agents don’t have the intelligence or empathy to consider, they were in fact torturing people, many of whom were innocent of any suspected crimes. Hamm plays Denis McDonough, who worked under Obama and was one of those responsible for redacting the report. To this day, none of the CIA agents involved in the torture program have been punished, and one was even promoted to head of the agency.
4. Top Gun: Maverick
Good things come to those who wait, and Top Gun: Maverick very much proved that belief. Released decades after the original, this sequel to the classic Tom Cruise action film earned well over a billion dollars at the box office, and critical acclaim to boot. In it, Maverick (Cruise) has become an air force teacher, training the next generation of pilots. But when a name from his past crops up, he realizes he hasn’t quite hung up his wings. Hamm plays the part of the big boss, Vice Admiral Beau “Cyclone” Simpson, and projects all the power you’d want from the role, while also playing a vital part in the plot.
3. Marjorie Prime
Hamm stars alongside other legends like Geena Davis, Tim Robbins, and Lois Smith in this moving, thought-provoking sci-fi film that delves into questions of memory, love, and what it means to be human. Marjorie (Smith) is an Alzheimer’s patient who utilizes a new technology to bring back a version of her dead husband (Hamm), who then tells her stories about their life together. This is an outstanding bit of cinema, and one that will definitely bring out the tears thanks to its heartfelt plot and the wonderful actors who bring it to life.
2. Black Mirror
While most Christmas episodes of shows are full of joy and redemption, this Black Mirror holiday “special” is anything but light and airy, but with that said “White Christmas” is widely considered to be one of the best episodes in this acclaimed anthology series. Hamm is one of two men who’ve been living in a cabin for five years, and we soon discover he was a sleazy former moderator of an online forum of men who covertly watched each other seduce and sleep with women through the use of an implant that transmits the user’s vision and hearing. It’s then revealed that he and his companion are in a new bit of technology that controls how time is passing, and the man who Hamm’s character has been interacting with is a murderer, who will now be forced to live in a world where one real-life minute feels like a thousand years to him. Bleak and brilliant.
1. Mad Men
AMC hit the jackpot when they cast Hamm as the smooth-talking, hard-boozing and shadowy ad executive Don Draper, who’s the main character in this critically acclaimed series. Draper is charismatic and an advertising natural. In Mad Men we see his career through its ups and downs, while also being introduced to a number of other intriguing, well-rounded characters over the course of seven incredible seasons. Although he’s supported by a dynamite cast that includes January Jones, Elisabeth Moss, and John Slattery, Hamm is often the center of attention, and always impossible to take your eyes off of. There’s a reason he won an Emmy and two Golden Globes for this show.
