‘Mad Men’ Lead John Slattery Not ‘Comfortable’ As Sex Symbol


Mad Men star John Slattery confided recently in an interview with People that he’s not “comfortable” being seen as a sex symbol in his role as Roger Sterling, however fans may see him.

“It’s nuts. I don’t think that anybody who is thought of in any way, shape or form as that is comfortable with it.”

Slattery’s comments, coming as Mad Men is about to come to the end of its seven-year run, are very interesting in light of a rapidly-growing trend in gender equality awareness. Women have had a lot to say about being seen as sex symbols for a very long time, but this may be the first time a male celebrity has come out as not only being uncomfortable with the appellation, but flat-out rejecting it. Hopefully, Slattery’s feelings on the subject of celebrities as sex symbols represent a broader trend.

Slattery, now 52, began playing Roger Sterling on Mad Men at the age of 44, and as he recently discussed with the Wall Street Journal, Mad Men has helped him to become a better actor. Slattery discusses how his character evolved as the series progressed, how that affected his own acting, and the significant impact that directing episodes of Mad Men had on his ability to see the overall picture.

“Directing the show was the best lesson in acting. I’d see that much more of [the show] and my own work, and the work of all the other people. Acting on film is just a series of attempts to come close to the vision when you started. And editing plays a huge part in it. You never need to do the same thing twice. The butterflies you feel don’t necessarily show. And it’s not all on you. All in an effort to relax and be in the moment.”

Of course, Slattery isn’t the only Mad Men actor who has changed during the show’s run. As previously reported in the Inquisitr, co-star John Hamm, not unlike his own character Don Draper, struggled with alcohol addiction. He completed a stint in rehab after filming the final season of Mad Men, emerging sober as the show started its final run, and with Mad Men ending soon, he continues to reflect on the fact that while he loves his job, playing the character has been a rough ride for him.

Mad Men begins its final seven-episode run this Sunday, April 5. The series finale will be on May 17, playing every Sunday on AMC at 10 p.m. EST.

[Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images]

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