Mad Men star John Hamm recently looked back at his time playing Don Draper and spoke about what he thinks happened to the iconic character after the show concluded. Though the show does not end on a cliffhanger, fans have long speculated about whether the main character actually finds peace in his life after the show’s conclusion.
Jon Hamm speculates on what happened to Don Draper after Mad Men finale
John Hamm recently made an appearance on Good Hang With Amy Poehler and discussed what may have happened to Don Draper after the events of the Mad Men finale.
In the finale of the acclaimed show, Hamm’s Draper goes to a spiritual retreat in Big Sur, California, where he appears to get the inspiration for the greatest campaign of his career. After rediscovering who he was and what he wanted after a long phase of disconnection, Don seemingly returned to the world of advertising.
When asked what Hamm thinks eventually happened to Don Draper, the actor said, “Lung cancer.” Draper was a frequent smoker throughout the series, and the disease also took the life of his ex-wife, Betty.
Hamm further added that Don had probably held on to what he discovered about himself in the spiritual retreat as well. “I think he goes back [to the Manhattan firm],” the actor said, “He is a successful advertising executive, and I think he finds happiness and peace. I think he connects with his children.”
However, smoking was still a huge part of Don’s character. Hamm recalled that someone even kept a count of the cigarettes he smoked. “Somebody watched the pilot just to watch how many cigarettes I smoke,” the actor said, “and I think it was something like 80 in a one-hour pilot.”
In the same podcast, Hamm also discussed saying goodbye to the character that defined his career.
Over a decade after its conclusion, the series remains one of the most acclaimed television shows ever made.
Mad Men is available for streaming on AMC+.
