Many Hollywood stars begin their careers with little to their name - often working service jobs to get by until they land their first big job. For superstar Jon Hamm, however, things were a little more precarious. When he first moved to Los Angeles, the actor had just $150 and a car to his name. The stakes were high. Fortunately for Hamm, his hard work and dedication towards getting into the acting world eventually paid off, and he is now one of the wealthiest and best-known stars in Hollywood. His credits include a starring role in smash-hit 60s series Mad Men, wherein he played troubled advertising executive Don Draper, in addition to other big roles in movies such as Bridesmaids and Bad Times at the El Royale.
So how much is Jon Hamm worth today, and how did he acquire his money? Read on to find out.
7 Jon Hamm Made His Way Into Hollywood Through A Useful Contact
Its not what you know, but who you know. For Hamm, having a Hollywood insider was his way in:
“Paul Rudd was my one contact, and he was a big deal already – he was off to do Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet. So I said: ‘Look, I’m only going to ask one thing and that’s it – just give me a number to call.” That led to Hamm’s first manager, who led to his agent at William Morris, and then three years of auditions without a single bite. Then he lost his agent. It was around this time he worked as a set dresser on a porn film, in between waiting tables. And look how things came around. “I worked at a restaurant downtown where the parking lot we used became the studio where we shot Mad Men.”
6 Becoming Famous Was A Massive Shift For Jon Hamm
Undoubtedly, Hamm's career hit its first high note when he was cast as the lead in popular NBC show Mad Men. Did it make him happy? Yes, and no. Along with the money and success came some big drawbacks, including excessive hounding in the street.
Talking to The Guardian, Hamm explained:
“It’s weird that that’s the reward [for acting well]: ‘Oh you did a great job at something, so we’re going to hound you in public so that you feel every move you make is watched,’”
“Going through that for the first time at 35 was like: ‘Woah!’ Now I can clock if I’m being photographed from across the street. I just try not to pick my nose.”
5 Jon Hamm Enjoys Success But Doesn't Rest On His Laurels
Hamm enjoys his success but refuses to take things too easy. He has been adopting a more relaxed approach to life since entering therapy following his alcoholism battle in 2015, and is achieving the balance of enjoy the present while keeping one eye on the future:
“As crazy and superficial as it is, success can be pretty fun. No need to self-flagellate and say: ‘I don’t deserve this’, or ‘It’s all bullshit.’ A lot of Midwesterners and Brits, too, have this false modesty thing. Just enjoy it. It’s ephemeral, like everything in this business.”
4 He's Glad 'Mad Men' Was Such A Hit, But He's Not Done Proving Himself
"What’s more durable, however, is the impact of Mad Men. It’s a moment people will remember. And I was happy that I was good in it. Nobody wants to be like the worst guy on the field. Oh God, don’t pass to him…”
“I’m not resting on my laurels, I prove myself every day…”
“Don’t worry about what happened a year ago, or what movie I’m going to get next. Actors get wrapped up in all that and miss that it’s a beautiful day outside. My focus is on being present. Be here now. Which is a great album actually.”
3 What Is Jon Hamm's Episode Fee?
Actors are often paid on a per-episode basis. For Hamm, this installment fee is more than enough to buy an average-sized house. For his work, the actor receives a staggering $275,000. For Mad Men, Hamm would rake in a whopping $4 million per episode.
2 So How Much Is Jon Hamm Worth?
In total, Jon Hamm is worth quite a bit more than $150 these days. His net worth now stands reportedly at around $45m, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Mad money indeed.
1 What Property Does Jon Hamm Have?
All this money makes for a pretty impressive real estate portfolio. Since he hit the big time, Hamm has been slowly purchasing properties around the US, and still has many of them under his name. In 2013, Hamm and former wife Jennifer Westfeldt purchased a 1,000 square foot penthouse on the Upper West Side of Manhattan for $2.45 million. Four years later, Hamm splashed out $3.375m on a luxurious four-bedroom house in Los Feliz, Los Angeles.
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