Fri Nov 15 20:50:00 IST 2024: ## Kiernan Shipka Opens Up About Her Unique Childhood on “Mad Men” Set

**LOS ANGELES** – Actress Kiernan Shipka, known for her roles in “Mad Men” and “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” has revealed the unique challenges of growing up on a television set. In a recent interview on the “Dinner’s on Me” podcast with Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Shipka spoke candidly about her unconventional schooling and the lack of a traditional childhood experience.

Shipka, who began acting at the age of six, stopped attending school after first grade and instead learned on the set of “Mad Men.” This unconventional approach to education led to some awkward moments, such as when she had to film a high school scene and found herself unable to open a locker. “I didn’t know how to open a locker,” Shipka shared. “I was filming a high school film after ‘Mad Men,’ I was like 15. They were like, ‘Okay Kiernan, you’re just going to walk down the hall and then open the locker.’ And I was like, ‘Okay, great.’ And I walked down and then I get to the locker, and I’m like, ‘Oh no, oh no, I never got to this! This isn’t part of my skill set yet, guys. Someone teach me.'”

The actress also discussed the impact of being immersed in the world of acting from such a young age. “I don’t have a reference point for what it’s like to not be in the industry or some level of public figure,” she explained. “I was like 6 when I started ‘Mad Men,’ and coming out of it, I was still so young that it was a little bit of finding my footing.”

Shipka revealed that her experience playing Sally Draper, who often witnessed her father’s infidelity, was a unique blend of acting and real-life understanding. “I was reacting to Jon [Hamm] playing Words with Friends on his phone as an eyeline, and not the real deal,” she said. However, she emphasized that she was always given the necessary context and never exposed to sensitive content.

Finally, Shipka discussed her recent rewatch of “Mad Men,” which provided her with a deeper understanding of Sally’s character. “As an adult, I can psychoanalyze and go, ‘Oh no, she was grieving there and acting out,'” she remarked. “At the time, I think I understood her as much as she understood herself. As I get older, I understand her the way that I hope she would understand herself one day with therapy.”

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