Production on Season 5 of “Mad Men,” delayed because of contract negotiations, finally begins on Aug. 8 with series star Jon Hamm making his directorial debut in the opener. AMC is committed to at least two more seasons (5 & 6) of “Mad Men.” Debut date for Season 5 is TBA.

Source: A+E

I added 2 scans from the new issue of Jalouse (french magazine).

Update: I replaced the new still by HQ.

Two of the stars of the biggest break-out comedy of the year, “Bridesmaids,” Kristen Wiig and Jon Hamm, will be back together for “Friends With Kids,” written and directed by Hamm’s long-time partner Jennifer Westfeldt, who wrote and starred in indie hit “Kissing Jessica Stein” a decade ago. She also appears here, along with Hamm, Wiig, “Party Down” star Adam Scott, Megan Fox, Chris O’Dowd, Maya Rudolph and Edward Burns, for a film with the logline “When a few members of a close group of married and single friends start to have children, it has a big impact on everyone.” Check all the images out below, and we’ll be sure to have reviews when the festival of Toronto kicks off September.

Source: indieWIRE

The Emmy nominations were announced a couple of weeks ago. Breaking Bad’s fourth season premiered late too late to be eligible, so your fourth Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama will have to wait until next year. Who would you like to see win in your place?
I can’t say that I would be disappointed with anyone. You look at that field, and it’s so terrific. But Jon Hamm is a friend, and I’d love to see him win it. I talked to Jason Alexander, who’s a friend of mine, and I said, “You had such a great run on Seinfeld, and it was so solid, and you got nominated but you never won, because Michael Richards had a bigger, broader, splashier role.” That’s the way I look at it with Jon Hamm compared to Bryan Cranston. My role is a splashier one. He has the harder role. Don Draper is harder to play than Walter White.

Source: Grantland

Jon Hamm will appear in five episodes of “The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret” during its second season, IFC announced Monday.

The network didn’t reveal the exact nature of the character that the “Mad Men” star will play, but expect him to be yet another person piling the miseries on David Cross’ poor, stupid Mr. Todd Margaret.

Cross created the series, which launched with six episodes in 2010. His character is a sad sack American assigned to launch an energy drink called Thunder Muscle in the U.K., and, true to its title, the show documents the many “increasingly poor” ways in which he fails.

The network also said that Johnny Marr, the guitarist for the legendary British band the Smiths, which he co-founded with eccentric singer Morrissey, will compose music for season two of “Margaret.”

The comedy will return with another run of six episodes in January 2012.

Source: The Wrap

FRIENDS WITH KIDS, a dramedy about the fall-out among a group of tight friends when babies come into the picture, is one of the films set to make its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September. The film, written and directed by Jennifer Westfeldt (KISSING JESSICA STEIN), features a superb ensemble cast, led by Westfeldt’s real-life boyfriend Jon Hamm (MAD MEN). Hamm plays a father whose marriage to a shrewish wife (played by SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE’s Kristen Wiig) is crumbling, while his best gal pal (played by Westfeldt) decides to have a child with her platonic friend (played by Adam Scott). The cast includes great comic turns by Edward Burns, Megan Fox, Maya Rudolph and Chris O’Dowd. Westfeldt and Hamm produced the film through their own Points West Pictures, avoiding agents and managers by recruiting friends and previous co-stars to be in the film. The film explores the cultural phenomenon of what happens when married friends become too busy pushing baby carriages and have less time to spend with one another…..a go-to theme for the 30-something audience that has made the film BRIDESMAIDS one of the summer’s biggest hits.

Source: Film Festival Today

Yep, that was Don Draper taking in the summer breeze from one of the best places around — a Williamsburg stoop.

Sweltering temps didn’t stop actor Jon Hamm, who snagged a Golden Globe for playing the protagonist on “Mad Men,” from checking out the vista outside tree-lined 365 Grand Ave. at Gates Avenue, in between takes for his new movie, “Friends With Kids,” co-starring Megan Fox, and directed by his gal-pal, Jennifer Westfeldt.

Other parts of the borough, including Henry Street from Cranberry to Clark, were also closed off for flick — a stroller-pushing tale of two best friends who attempt to offset the stress of raising kids by dating other people.

It’ll be out next April, and more proof — as if we needed one — that the best talkies are made in these exciting parts.

Always were, always will.

Source: Brooklyn Paper

Jon Hamm is in New York, doing reshoots on the comedy Friends with Kids, directed by his girlfriend Jennifer Westfeldt.

“It was nice to be awake for this for the first time,” says Hamm of the early morning Emmy nominations announcement. He’s up for playing conflicted creative whiz Don Draper on AMC’s Mad Men. “It’s very exciting to have all this insane recognition heaped on the show. I believe the show got 19 nominations, which is amazing. It’s really just a great honor. It’s nice that we’re recognized in all the acting categories.”

The next installment of the series starts shooting in August, after protracted contract negotiations by show creator Matthew Weiner delayed the start of the fifth season. “I don’t think there was any kind of doubt that the show wouldn’t come back. Everyone has their legal wrangling and once that happens, everyone can get back to work,” says Hamm.

As always, the top-secret scripts are under wraps, so Hamm hasn’t a clue as to what befalls Draper this season. “I don’t and it’s a bummer. I would really like to know,” he says.

And he also is in the dark about how January Jones’ pregnancy will be dealt with on the show. “She’s going to have a baby come hell or high water. I don’t know and I don’t have to know. I’m happy that it’s not my problem,” says Hamm.

How is Jones doing? “I haven’t talked to her in a while, but I assume she’s doing very well. She’s healthy and happy and looking forward to being a mom.”

Source: USA Today

“I am beyond thrilled that our show has achieved such recognition from the Academy. It is testament to the hard work of all our cast and crew and indicative of the pride we take in making each episode. Additionally, I’m very excited to be included in such an amazing group of individuals for lead actor. All in all a great morning.”

Source: TV Line

“I don’t want to say I was surprised, because I have tremendous amount of faith in Matt’s ability to tell a story. The character I think from the beginning was set up as a character who had an awful lot of darkness in his soul. I think it was interesting to finally get to viscerally see that darkness. I was glad that people were on board for that. I had a wonderful time shooting that episode. Elisabeth is a good friend of mine and is an incredibly talented actress, and I think it was a great payoff for both of those characters to see them come together on such a showcase moment in both of their lives. I don’t want to say it was fun, but it was challenging and exciting to work on, and again I’m glad it resonated. “It came right in the middle of the season or toward the end of the season, so I’m already pretty exhausted by then. But again, what we do is not mining, it’s not exactly training for a marathon or heavyweight boxing. It’s acting at the end of the day and we get paid at the end of the day. It’s pretty exciting no matter how you look at it. If you get a terrific story like that, the work is fun to do even if it can be physically exhausting at times.”

Source: Variety

Jon is nominated for Lead Actor in a drama! Congratulations Jon! “Mad Men”, Elisabeth Moss, Christina Hencdricks and John Slattery are also nominated for Drama Series, Lead Actress in a drama, Supporting Actress in a drama and Supporting Actor in a drama.

“Mad Men” earns a leading 19 Emmy Award nominations! You can see all the nominations here.

Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire
Dexter
Game of Thrones
Mad Men
Friday Night Lights
The Good Wife

Lead Actor in a drama
Steve Buscemi
Kyle Chandler
Michael C. Hall
Jon Hamm
Hugh Laurie
Timothy Olyphant

Lead Actress in a drama
Kathy Bates
Mariska Hargitay
Julianna Margulies
Elisabeth Moss
Mireille Enos

Supporting Actress in a drama
Kelly Macdonald
Archie Panjabi
Christine Baranski
Margo Martindale
Michelle Forbes
Christina Hendricks

Supporting Actor in a drama
Peter Dinklage
Josh Charles
Alan Cumming
Walton Goggins
John Slattery
Andre Braugher

The 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards will air next September 18th, 8/7c on FOX.