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Jon Hamm Reveals Battle With Alcohol Addiction Pre-‘Mad Men’ Final Season Premiere, Completed 30 Days In Rehab

By Nicole Nolan
Published on: 23:40 PST, Mar 25, 2015

Jon Hamm has revealed to the press a private struggle with alcoholism, for which he recently completed a stint in rehab.

Speaking to the Australian magazine, TV Week, Hamm – who found fame back in 2007 as womanizing Madison Avenue ad exec Don Draper in ABC’s hugely successful Mad Men – admitted to the interviewer that he has just completed a secret 30-day treatment at the Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan, Connecticut, for alcohol addiction.

The news of Jon’s addiction broke on Tuesday, a day before the Mad Men cast gathered at the Black & Red Ball held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in downtown Los Angeles to promote the seventh and final season of the show, which premieres April 5. It was the first red carpet appearance for Hamm since he checked himself in to the clinic last month. As Time reported, the actor was pretty stoical about the experience.

“Life throws a lot at you sometimes, and you have to deal with it as much as you can. I’ve been very fortunate that throughout the most recent 24-hour period, I’ve had a lot of family and friends support me.”

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Hamm and his partner Jennifer Westfeldt have been together since 1997. The couple have no children. The actor originally traveled to Hollywood to visit his friend, Paul Rudd. Jon made his film debut in Space Cowboys in 2000, with his first leading role not coming until the 2010 movie, Stolen. It was initially a long road to fame. Hamm has in the past, most notably in 2008 (after winning a Best Actor Golden Globe for Mad Men), spoken about his relationship with alcohol.

“I appreciate alcohol. I love the place that alcohol holds in our society, but I’d never attempt to drink as much as Draper.”

Yes, there are available parallels to be drawn between Jon Hamm and the troubled character he plays on Mad Men, Draper known to throw back a few (or more than few) throughout the working day and beyond, but 44-year old Hamm rightly rejects all life imitating art connotations. Draper smokes, and Jon quit far before he ever took up the character, smoking pretend, herbal cigarettes on set. As the Daily Mail reported, Hamm believes it wrong for actors to be clothed in the fictional flaws of their roles.

“I understand it constitutes news these days, but it’s between me and my family and not something for public consumption.”

As the Inquisitr reported, Jon Hamm does seem “much happier” since spending time in rehab, which he did only after filming on the show had finished. Indeed, the actor’s troubles had seemed quite evident to those who worked with him before he sought help, stating that Hamm “seemed sad”.

Hopefully, Jon’s tee-total future post-Mad Men will maintain that hard-won happiness.

[Image courtesy of Jason Merritt/Getty Images]

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