Jon Hamm makes a triumphant return to SNL after 15 years, ready to charm audiences once more and promote his new series Your Friends & Neighbors.
This weekend, Jon Hamm, the Emmy-winning maestro of brooding charisma, steps back into the frenetic spotlight of Saturday Night Live (SNL), hosting the legendary sketch comedy show for the first time in 15 years. It’s his fourth go-round at Studio 8H, a return that feels both like a victory lap and a fresh plunge into the chaotic, live-wire thrill that defines the institution.
Best known for his indelible turn as Don Draper in Mad Men, Hamm is using this hosting stint to spotlight his latest venture, the Apple TV+ series Your Friends & Neighbors, which premieres April 11, 2025. In an exclusive chat with People, he peeled back the curtain on what it’s like to revisit SNL—the nerves, the nostalgia, and the sheer, unreplicable joy of it all.
Hamm’s SNL saga began on October 25, 2008, when Mad Men was at its cultural zenith. That debut wasn’t just a hosting gig; it was a moment. The writers and cast—think Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader—greeted him in pitch-perfect Mad Men drag, a surreal nod to his onscreen persona that threw him off balance in the best way.
“I remember being very, very scared up until about 10 seconds before you go out the door,” Hamm told People, conjuring the backstage pandemonium—the band blaring, stage manager Gena Rositano barking the countdown. “Don’t trip,” he muttered to himself, a mantra against the live-TV tightrope. Yet he didn’t just survive; he thrived, earning two more hosting slots in 2010. Now, after a 15-year break, he’s back, and the stakes feel both familiar and brand-new.
What’s changed in those 15 years? The cast, for one. “It’s a new cast. It’s a cast that I’ve worked with, but I’m not super familiar with them,” Hamm said. He’s not strolling in blind, though—he’s a self-professed SNL devotee, tuning in weekly. That fandom fuels his excitement, a kid-in-a-candy-store vibe tempered by the wisdom of a veteran.
“I’m looking forward to playing and having fun,” he added, a sentiment that underscores his approach: lean into the madness, trust the process. He calls SNL a “unicorn”—a singular beast in TV’s ecosystem, unpredictable and alive in a way streaming can’t touch. “There’s nothing like it in the world of television,” he said. “It’s super fun, and I’m honored to be asked back.”
This time, Hamm’s prep is colored by his recent gig on Your Friends & Neighbors, where he’s not just the star but an executive producer. The series, penned by Jonathan Tropper, follows a disgraced hedge-fund manager (Hamm) who turns to pilfering from his ritzy neighbors after losing his job and marriage. It’s a role that flexes his dramatic heft and comedic edge, a duality SNL has always tapped into.
Producing has sharpened his creative instincts—he raved about casting Amanda Peet and Olivia Munn, and he’s bringing that collaborative spirit to Studio 8H. “Part of it was really being a fan of Jonathan Tropper,” he said. “He’s a wonderful storyteller, and I knew that I was in good hands.” It’s a confidence he extends to SNL’s team, advising future hosts: “You’re in very good hands. It’s fun—that’s the most important thing to remember.”
Hamm’s versatility—gliding from Mad Men’s smoky gravitas to 30 Rock’s deadpan absurdity—makes him an SNL natural. His past stints proved he could riff with the best of them, and this return promises more of that alchemy. But it’s a hectic moment to step up. With Your Friends & Neighbors dropping a day before his hosting gig, Hamm’s juggling writer meetings, a dinner with SNL creator Lorne Michaels and the cast, and even his wife’s birthday.
“It’s a busy couple of days,” he told ExtraTV at the series’ NYC premiere. Yet he’s undaunted, jazzed to reunite with the SNL crew and vibe with musical guest Lizzo, whose energy he caught during her Eddie Murphy-hosted episode. “I’ve seen her before,” he said. “I was there when she did the show with Eddie.”
For Hamm, this isn’t just a gig—it’s a homecoming. “It’s been 15 years since I’ve hosted,” he mused. “I hosted three times in two years, but that was a long time ago, so if there were nerves, I have forgotten about them.” Don’t buy that entirely—the nerves are SNL’s secret sauce, the adrenaline that turns good into great.
And Hamm, with his poise, his humor, his knack for making the impossible look easy, is primed to deliver. In an era where live TV feels like a relic, his return is a testament to SNL’s pull—and his own. Whether he’s channeling Draper or diving into a sketch, expect a night that’s sharp, funny, and gloriously alive. Hamm’s back, and Studio 8H is ready to roar.
source PEOPLE
