Fresh on the heels of a Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of ad man Don Draper in Mad Men, Jon Hamm jumps from Madison Avenue to the big screen in The Day the Earth Stood Still.


Below, the actor discusses the important message of his new film, reveals his thoughts on being labeled a “sex symbol” and addresses the rumors surrounding his role in the next Superman movie.


Q: Do you believe in aliens?
A: Yes, but I have no sort of firsthand experience, unfortunately. I think there’s got to be something else out there and maybe we’ll get a chance to see them our lifetime. Hopefully, they’ll be nice and maybe look like Keanu Reeves.


Q: If you think selling ads is brutal work, what was it like to be the lead scientist trying to help stop an alien invasion?
A: The toughest part was getting my mouth around the scientific lingo. I’ve always been a math and science geek, but it was still a challenge to say the least. When you have to spout ten-dollar words really fast, they tend to trip you up, even if you’re a fan of them. I went over to the director during one scene like, ‘Man, what am I saying?’ He said, ‘Believe it or not, it’s all real.’ I was like, ‘OK, let’s shoot it again and I’ll try to get it right.’


Q: Did you relate to the environmental message in the film?
A: Absolutely. It’s the same one that was so strongly presented in Al Gore’s documentary: ‘It doesn’t have to be this way. It can change. You just have to change it. And it’s not going to change by doing nothing.’ I think that both his film and ours focus on the possibility of halting the assault on our environment if we just take charge.


Q: The success of Mad Men surprised some critics, who predicted the audience wouldn’t relate to a series set in the advertising world of the ’60s.
A: I think Matthew Weiner, the creator and executive producer, has sort of confounded the naysayers who said it would never fly and has turned it into the phenomenon that it is. It’s like you’re not crazy if you like good stuff on TV because there are others like you who want more than Dancing With the Stars. I’m not dissing that show by the way because, who knows, they might ask me to be on next season.


Q: Even the non-stop smoking in every episode has become accepted, hasn’t it?
A: That was the reason why it never got picked up by a major network. They were like, ‘You can’t have people smoking.’ And Matt was like, ‘Well, you can’t tell the story without it because it was part of life in that era.’ Now, I think it’s being accepted as an authentic part of the world we portray.


Q: You’ve become a sex symbol for a lot of female fans.
A: Have I? It’s nice to be considered anything, as long as it’s positive, I’ll take it. Why not? Fortunately, in real life I don’t look too much like Don. When my hair is not slicked back and I’m not buttoned into the very tight-fitting suits, I’m able to sort of sneak around without getting noticed. I can blend into the background a little bit more, which is great.


Q: There have been persistent rumors on the internet that you might be the next big screen Superman.
A: I did not know that. Funny enough I went to a Halloween party last year as Clark Kent because it was the easiest costume I could come up with — just a suit and glasses. It was more out of laziness than anything else. But I’m not aware of anyone wanting me to play him and I certainly haven’t been asked.