‘I learned how to love myself’: Christina Hendricks reveals how playing Mad Men’s Joan Holloway has helped shape her life
Christina Hendricks has revealed how playing Mad Men’s Joan Holloway helped shape her life despite quitting the role five years ago.
The actress, 45, admitted that her iconic character, who battled sexism to rise from steely secretary to boardroom boss, showed her how to love herself.
Speaking to the Mirror, she said: ‘Playing Joan meant so much to me and she is a character that still stays with me.
Candid: Christina Hendricks has revealed how playing Mad Men’s Joan Holloway helped shape her life despite quitting the role five years ago
‘I learned how to love myself and be more confident and more ambitious because of her. I still miss her.’
Mad Men, which followed the tangled lives of staff at a 1960s Manhattan advertising agency, aired from 2007-2015 and featured Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, January Jones and John Slattery.
Christina said the friendships she made with her fellow cast members remain strong, adding: ‘We went through something very special together. We’ll be friends forever.’
Then: The actress, 45, admitted that her iconic character (pictured), who battled sexism to rise from steely secretary to boardroom boss, showed her how to love herself
Hit series: Mad Men, which followed the tangled lives of staff at a 1960s Manhattan advertising agency, aired from 2007-2015 and featured Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, January Jones and John Slattery
It comes after Christina recently divorced her actor husband after ten years of marriage, citing ‘irreconcilable differences’.
Legal papers lodged in Los Angeles reveal Christina split from Geoffrey Arend in April 2019.
In a statement released late last year on Instagram, the couple wrote: ‘Twelve years ago we fell in love and became partners. We joined our two amazing families, had countless laughs, made wonderful friends and were blessed with incredible opportunities.
‘Today we take our next step together, but on separate paths. We will always be grateful for the love we’ve shared and will always work together to raise our two beautiful dogs.
Heartache: It comes after Christina recently divorced her actor husband Geoffrey Arend (pictured) after ten years of marriage, citing ‘irreconcilable differences’
‘We will be taking time to rediscover ourselves in this transition and we thank you for your patience and support in giving us the space to do so.’
Christina, who was named the ‘sexiest woman in the world’ in a poll of readers of Esquire magazine in 2010, was introduced to Geoffrey by her Mad Men co-star Vincent Kartheiser, who played ad man Pete Campbell in the drama.
She and 42-year-old Geoffrey, best known for playing speechwriter Matt Mahoney in the TV drama Madam Secretary, married in October 2009.
They agreed not to have children but their two dogs – cockapoos called Zou Zou and Triscuit – have been regular stars of Hendricks’s Instagram posts.
The couple had previously put their New York apartment on the market for £1 million.
Christina’s film roles include Crooked House and Toy Story 4 but it was her portrayal of sassy secretary Holloway that won her critical acclaim.
Comparing herself to Holloway, she said: ‘I’ve got a little sass in me. I probably tend to get my feelings hurt more… but I can only take so much and then I jump back. I have strong survival skills.’
Over: Christina, who was named the ‘sexiest woman in the world’ in a poll of readers of Esquire magazine in 2010, was introduced to Geoffrey by her Mad Men co-star Vincent Kartheiser