Former Mad Men child star reveals how threesome in new TV role 'challenges' people's view of her
Shipka played Don Draper's daughter in Mad Men and spoke about how audiences have known her 'since she was 6'
BBC and HBO series Industry has found its audience after four whole seasons, but has also found a bizarre secondary role: majorly reforming how people see some of its actors.
Industry has been called the ‘adult Skins’ in the past, portraying a world of finance full of drugs, sex, and deception.
The TV show however has managed to turn around people’s perception of some of its stars, with Charlie Heaton moving from the family friendly Stranger Things to play a drug-addicted journalist who has sex in his first episode.
Similarly, Kit Harrington has managed a renaissance in the last two seasons of the series, having previously had no real successes since Game of Thrones ended, helping audiences no longer see him as Jon Snow.
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Now, Kiernan Shipka has spoken out about how the newest season of Industry helped fans no longer see her as Don Draper’s daughter from Mad-Men.
Shipka played Sally Draper, appearing in 89 episodes of the hit TV series.
Since then, Shipka has appeared in multiple successful shows and films such as Longlegs, Twisters, Red One, as well as starring in Riverdale spin-off Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
Until Industry however the roles she appeared in had not quite aged with her, as she is now 26 years old.
In season four of the HBO show though she stars as Kit Harrington’s Henry Muck’s assistant Hayley, later having a graphic threesome with Henry and his wife, Marisa Abela’s Yasmin.
It is later revealed that she was sent to collect blackmail on them and was being used as an escort/spy, with Yasmin ending the season using her in unsettling Ghislaine Maxwell-esque fashion.
Speaking to Variety about the season, Shipka said ‘it was really exciting’ to be considered for a role so different to what she is known for.
She added: “I’m very grateful to [the casting director and creators of the show] for seeing me in this part, because she is different and she’s more grown up.
“I mean, I’m 26 now, but people have known me since I was 6. I’m very aware of what kind of weight that holds.
“For them to say, ‘Hey, I think she’s the girl for Hayley,’ is very exciting for me. It’s a part I love.
“So I was definitely aware that I was doing something more mature.”
When asked about the threesome scene she spoke about how ‘the actual physical nature of the scene came last’ because of how important it is for all three characters.
Shipka added: “It was much more about what this meant for Hayley — why she was doing it, and what she kind of knew she was getting herself into.
“For those three worlds to come and collide and feel all those different energies, it was a really interesting moment. And a really fun thing to do.”
Industry season four is available to watch on BBC iPlayer in the UK.
Topics: Kit Harington, TV, BBC, HBO, TV and Film
Michael Slavin