It was “like a test”

“When it comes to ‘Mad Men,’ I have a very vivid memory of most of the scenes I did,” Shipka told “Cosmopolitan” for its digital coverage.

Kiernan Shipka reflects on a special moment from his childhood in the spotlight.

In his digital cover story for Cosmopolitan, the actress, now 25, said she was a child star and sometimes took on more mature roles. Looking back on her time as Sally Draper in Mad Men, that she started when she was just 10 years old, Shipka said she was grateful she never understood the show’s dark content.

“When it comes to Mad MenI have a very vivid memory of most of the scenes that I did,” she explained. “I remember my first day. I remember my audition. It’s very etched in my memory But what I didn’t know at the time was what the scene was actually about, so there’s something cool about going back and watching stuff where you played a piece of the puzzle and to say, ‘Oh, whoa, now I see the puzzle.'”

“At that young age, it’s not your job to know what it is; it’s your job to be the character,” she continued. “It touches me because I feel like I was never really robbed of my innocence in any way.”

Related: January Jones Jokes That Kiernan Shipka Is the ‘Mayor of Hollywood’ on Festive Mad Men Photos from the Reunion

For the most part, Shipka said she and her character are in the same phase of life — but there’s one thing she’s fallen behind on.

“I just got to be Sally and grow with her in a way that never felt like she was learning too much before me,” she began. “But she got her period before me. I thought, “Is it going to be like this?” I remember it was like a test. I was a little scared, but it was still fun. Every time I got to do something on this show, I was excited.

Related: Kiernan Shipka Was ‘Surprised When I Appeared On Screen’ While Watching Her Hit Show Mad Men

THE Chilling Adventures of Sabrina star admitted in an episode of Watch what’s happening live! in November that she saw again Mad Men during the pandemic in 2020, but she said Cosmopolitan It was more to appreciate the story of the series than to see myself in it.

“I have a very changeable relationship with myself,” she noted. “The further away I get from a project, the easier it is to accomplish. »

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In November, Shipka appeared on an episode of Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Dinner is for me podcast, where she revealed the efforts of the Mad Men the creators managed to protect her from the most graphic scenes of the series.

“They were so protective of me and my kind of innocence and not exposing me to things that, you know, were sensitive or more adult,” the Lover said the star.

“I think at one point I was like, ‘Guys, I know what this is. Like, I’m fine. I’m fine,” Shipka confessed. “But I really love and admire and respect the way they handled the situation. But I think in my head I was probably like, ‘I’m mature. I I’m an adult. I know what’s going on here. Like, it’s okay, guys.’

The seven seasons of Mad Men are available for streaming with an AMC+ subscription.