Drive Us to Distraction
Photography by Andrew Gallery
The first season of AMC’s Mad Men took us to a time when male and female roles were clearly defined. The men did the heavy lifting and propped themselves up with 3 martini lunches and cavalier behavior. But when you strip away the veneer you realize that it’s the women of the cast that hold the real power. It is especially evident in the character of Joan portrayed by beauty Christina Hendricks. And she truly has the power to make us go mad…
“If Joan were a real person I don’t think we would be friends. I think she is likeable but we wouldn’t be friends” That is one of the first observations that Christina makes when I ask her to describe the iconic character. It is also very telling. Actors have to look within themselves to bring dimension to the characters that they play. Christina has been able to do that with Joan but it’s also clear they are strikingly different people. She goes on to explain more “Joan is a woman who is very straight forward and her lack of sensitivity is shocking. She is control of most situations and is very aware of herself.” This does not imply that Christina lacks those qualities. In fact it’s just the opposite. Her self awareness and confidence comes in her choices of roles as well as her perseverance in the Hollywood machine. Her career in entertainment started as a model rather than an actress. When most 19 year olds are chugging beer and wolfing down pizza Christina was living in NYC and traveling the world. Careful not to get swept up in the fast world of high fashion modeling Christina remembers that her goal was to do the work and then to stay home. There were no drunken late nights and drug parties for the young beauty. Instead a mature mind and clear goals led away from modeling and to the screen in roles on shows such as Firefly, &????. But even with that journey it is Mad Men that is best poised to make Christina a household name. The journey is ultimately what is most important to Christina. Her attitude has consistently been one of “take it as it comes”.
“I can’t say I have had a plan. I believe in going along for the ride and taking advantage of the open doors” Of course, when blessed with talent, brains and beauty those doors tend to open just a tad more frequently. It is hard to picture the smoldering Joan being as Zen in her approach to life. And that contrast is what makes Christina’s performance all the more impressive. She gives us insight to someone so unlike herself but plays her as a complex human being and not a caricature. It takes a deft hand to pull this off. We keep watching and can’t help being drawn to a woman that manages to beguile us and seduce us all at once. Mad indeed and loving every minute of it.
