Jon Hamm Credits Lorne Michaels For Offering Chance With SNL After Receiving ‘Brooding' Roles Post Mad Men Success

Jon Hamm candidly expresses being thankful to Lorne Michaels when it comes to his professional front. Read ahead to know more.

Written by Sakshi Shelke , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Feb 09, 2025 | 07:26 AM GMT | 73.6K

Jon Hamm (CC: Getty images)

It seems that Jon Hamm isn't shy to thank the people who have been of help when it comes to his work in one way or the other. Similarly, the actor credited Saturday Night Live creator, Lorne Michaels for his contribution to taking his professional front to the next level, per People magazine.

According to the publication, while having a conversation with the reporters on Friday, January 31, after being honored as this year’s Hasty Pudding Man of the Year at Harvard in Cambridge, Mass., Hamm talked about Michaels who presented him with an opportunity to show his artistry beyond performing just the dramatic roles.

He reportedly talked about the Mad Men’s success and that he was presented with the offers of multiple roles that were “a version” of his character in the show, where he, “had been smoking a cigarette and sort of brooding, looking out a window into the dark city of some kind of place.”

While talking about becoming a go-to for such kinds of roles, the actor further stated about figuring that he would do that for his “day job.” He added, “But I think there’s more stuff out [there] to do.”

According to the report, Hamm shared that he credited none other than Michales who offered him an opportunity to guest host Saturday Night Live to actually get a sense that had a “funny side” to him.

Hamm stated, “Most of the people who knew me before they knew me for Mad Men knew that was the predominant side of me.” He added that Michael gave him a chance that ended up leading to 30 Rock, Bridesmaids, and many other jobs in “Tina Fey, Robert Carlock, Lorne Michaels universe.” The performer expressed, “So I’ll be forever grateful to [Michaels] for that."

While talking about Mad Men, Hamm stated that it will be a decade since they wrapped the show and two decades since they began the venture, adding, “So it’s fading in the rearview, but it’s still very prevalent" in his life.