1 Action Star Was Considered ‘Too Famous’ for a Role in ‘Mad Men’
Carla Gugino has been in the entertainment industry for more than 25 years, launching her career when she was just a teenager. She started landing movie roles in the ’80s, becoming an established presence in both television and film by the late ’90s. Versatile and talented, Gugino has also worked as a fashion model. When the early 2000s rolled around, she was looking for roles that would expand her resume in new and interesting ways, setting her sights on a role in the all-new TV drama Mad Men. However, Gugino would later reveal that she was unable to land a part in the series, after the show’s creator told her that she was “too famous.”
Carla Gugino was told she was too famous for ‘Mad Men’
When Mad Men was still in development, the show’s creator, Matthew Weiner, had very specific guidelines for the types of actors he wanted to play the characters. Apparently, he also wanted performers who hadn’t yet achieved a great deal of mainstream recognition, as Gugino would later reveal to Vulture. The actor sat down for an intimate interview, where she told the publication about her meeting with Weiner about a possible role in Mad Men.
“We were espousing our mutual fandom,” Gugino said. “I said, ‘I am perfect for ‘Mad Men.’ And he said, ‘You’re too famous.'” The Spy Kids star also confirmed that wanted to only cast relative unknowns in the show, likely wanting to establish recognition for those actors as Mad Men characters specifically. “So I couldn’t win,” she admitted to Vulture.
‘Mad Men’ made stars out of several cast members
Mad Men debuted on AMC in 2007. The series wasn’t a hit right out of the gate, taking a few seasons before it really hit its stride with fans and critics. Once it did, however, the show proved to be unstoppable, becoming one of AMC’s best-known and most-praised shows. Ultimately, Mad Men would run for seven successful seasons, winning numerous awards and setting new standards for quality in television broadcasting.
Mad Men also made stars out of several of its main cast members, including Jon Hamm and Elisabeth Moss. Hamm, who had acted in a wide variety of smaller roles for film and television prior to his big breakthrough as Don Draper in Mad Men, would go on to become a very successful dramatic star after winning acclaim for his work in the AMC series. Moss had earned critical recognition for her work in TV shows such as The West Wing, but had avoided major stardom until after her breakthrough role as Peggy Olson in Mad Men. The show gave her the push she needed to become a big star.
What is Carla Gugino best known for?
Gugino didn’t get a role in Mad Men, but over the years, the star has appeared in any number of interesting roles. Her role in the 2009 action movie Watchmen earned her critical acclaim, and she would follow it up with parts in movies such as San Andreas, Gerald’s Game, and Sucker Punch. She has also acted in many popular series, including The Haunting of Bly Manor, The Haunting of Hill House, and Threshold.
Over the years, Gugino has acted with many of the industry’s biggest stars, including Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Robert De Niro. Through it all, Gugino has remained humble and focused, preferring to let her work speak for itself, and never hesitating to talk about those roles that got away.
