3. Kiernan Shipka
This year, Mad Men managed to scrape together six acting Emmy nominations, including, but not limited to, Jon Hamm, Christina Hendricks, Peggy Olsen, and Jared Harris. Kiernan Shipka is the 12 year old who steals the scenes from them. How was this not her year for a nomination? This is the question we all need to be asking ourselves.
On the show, she plays Sally Draper, Don’s oh-so-troubled preteen daughter, and she plays the hell out of her. She’s been on the show since she was eight years old, and it’s been such a joy to see her grow up on the screen, becoming more and more of a presence as the years go by. Shipka comes off as startlingly mature for her age, yet still such an innocent as she struggles to come to terms with her changing world.
She’s growing up in the turbulent 60s, her parents had an ugly divorce and then were both promptly remarried, she lives in a creepy Addams Family mansion, her mother is a terrifying ice queen who maybe should have stuck to playing with dolls instead of having actual children…the list goes on and on. My point is, the character of Sally is so complex and genuine, and it was going to take more than your run-of-the-mill precocious child actor to do her justice. Which is why I’m so glad that Matthew Weiner managed to track down this pint-sized gem. I can’t wait to see what she does when *sob sob* Mad Men is over.
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