January Jones

Is she a victim of circumstance? Is Hollywood out to get her? Is this all her own doing? January Jones is a talented actress, make no mistake about that. She also has the looks to go along with her talent and was married to Jon Hamm on Mad Men, one of the great shows ever. But something is off and we (like many) just can’t put our finger on it.

She continues to get work in Hollywood on television, but she hasn’t landed a movie since 2014 and when Mad Men ended she seemed destined to be a bigger star. But she is active on social media.

JANUARY JONES IS ON INSTAGRAM

The 42-years-old January Jones does have some projects lined up coming down the pike, but she’s stayed plenty busy on Instagram over the years. Whether it’s posing in somewhat revealing Halloween costumes or just sharing what’s happening in her daily life, the actress hasn’t shied away on the social media platform.

But her true sense of humor came out when she posted a fun video where Ms. Jones is taking a bubble bath and being served by her son. He first drops some bath salts in for her and when she reaches for a megaphone to let her son know, “You forgot my tea,” it’s all smiles from there on.

Xander comes back with the tea, but his heavy footsteps departing prompt Ms. Jones to remark, “Quietly.” She gives her son a few more seconds before she grabs the megaphone one more time to let him know, “I can hear you walking.” It’s all for fun.

She’s still very active on social media, making posts about her life and wearing skimpy outfits.

EARLY JANUARY JONES ROLES INCLUDED BANDITS AND DIRTY DANCING: HAVANA NIGHTS

January Jones began her career in 1999 when she starred in three projects. One was the movie All the Rage and then two TV pilots, Get Real and Sorority. Neither of those two TV pilots landed and it took Jones another two years before she would find her next project.

Most of January Jones’s early career centered around feature films or TV movies. She was seen in The Glass House, Bandits, Taboo, Full Frontal, and Anger Management. She was also seen in the TV movies North Hollywood and In My Life.

During the decade from 2000-2009, January Jones was a very busy actress. She continued her work in feature films getting roles in movies such as American Wedding, a small part in Love Actually, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, Three Burials, and We are Marshall. In 2005, she tried her hand at another TV series when she guest-starred in Huff. But in 2007, she finally landed the role that would fit her best.

JANUARY JONES STARS ON MAD MEN

As January Jones continued to work in Hollywood, she was beginning to get herself a bit of a reputation, and not a good one: An Ice Queen. Execs thought was not a very warm person and it was beginning to show.

So, when the role for Betty Francis in the hit series Mad Men came along, it was a perfect fit for her. Her character was described as blonde, beautiful, immature, and emotionally distant. She stepped into those shoes without any adjustment necessary.

In fact, according to Jones, there was no part of Betty Francis until she read for the part that Elizabeth Moss eventually got, Peggy Olson.

As Jones told W via Gawker, “There was no Betty in the pilot when I auditioned. Matthew Weiner, the creator of the show, had no intention of showing Don Draper’s home life. I read for Peggy two times-it was between me and Elisabeth Moss, who eventually got the part. At the end of the scene, there was a casual mention that Don was married. Matt went home that night and wrote two scenes that featured Betty. I auditioned a couple of days later, and he made me a verbal promise that the character would grow. I took the part on faith-there was no script or fleshed-out character or Betty plotline.”

JANUARY JONES WAS IN X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, BUT EARNED A NEGATIVE REPUTATION

But January Jones’ reputation was firmly in place by now. She was reportedly not well-liked on set; she was not well-liked in person. The list of her detractors is long. Much of it comes from how she handles the media, but there are many instances of brushes with other movie stars that left a bad taste in their mouths.

From the media’s point of view, The New York Times wrote about her, “In person Ms. Jones did little to counter these impressions. She shook a reporter’s hand wanly. In conversation, she studiously averted her eyes. Nor would she dish about her off-screen romances. ‘I’m not trying to sell myself,’ Ms. Jones said matter-of-factly. ‘I wouldn’t know how.’”

January Jones was spotted at a restaurant with friends during the San Diego Comic-Con. “She was in a really foul mood and sat by herself, chain-smoking an e-cigarette while her friends danced. She was completely disinterested, and no one knew why she was there.”

Even comedian Zach Galifianakis ripped Jones to EW upon his meeting her. “I was at a party — I’d never met her — and she was like, ‘Come sit down.’ So I sit at her table and talk for 10 minutes, and she goes, ‘I think it’s time for you to leave now.” So I say, ‘January, you are an actress in a show and everybody’s going to forget about you in a few years, so be nice.’”

These are just a few instances where January Jones’ reputation preceded her.

With all the bad publicity, some wonder how January Jones continues to work in Hollywood at all. Her love life, at times, seems just as messy. She has been linked to many (Jon Hamm, Liam Hemsworth, Nick Viall, Ashton Kutcher, Bobby Flay, Matthew Vaughn, Noah Miller); she has a son but refuses to name the father. Perhaps it is no one’s business but when you are in the spotlight and your reputation is nowhere close to a good one, a little goodwill can go a long way.

SHE WAS ON NETFLIX’S SPINNING OUT

Perhaps her cool personality has finally caught up to her, but we haven’t seen the likes of January Jones getting bigger and bigger roles.

She starred for one season on Netflix’s Spinning Out. In it, she plays a former figure skater who suffers from bipolar disorder. the series centers on her daughter played by Kaya Scodelario who has dreams of competing on the ice herself.

The series was met with mixed reviews and was ultimately canceled after just one season on the streamer.

SHE HAS UPCOMING ROLES IN GOD IS A BULLET AND THE HELPERS

After finishing up the one-season run of Netflix’s original series Spinning Out, Ms. Jones has been absent from both the big and small screen. Is she due for a comeback?

The answer to that is a resounding…maybe. Ms. Jones is finally back in front of the camera for God is a Bullet which sees her joining the film with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Jamie Foxx, Ethan Suplee, and Maika Monroe. The story follows Coster-Waldau’s Detective Bob Hightower, whose ex-wife is murdered, and his daughter is kidnapped by a satanic cult.

Bob’s frustrations with the investigation lead him to quit the police force, covering his body with tattoos and then infiltrating the cult to find his daughter and catch his ex-wife’s killers. Jones plays Maureen Bacon, but who and what the character means to Detective Bob is unknown.

One thing for sure though, during Ms. Jones’ two-year absence from filming, is that she has not lost her sense of humor. She frequently posts to her Instagram page, recently posting a very heartfelt Mother’s Day tribute to those that saw her through her “30 hrs of labor” to her son, Xander.

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Maybe some time off is just what Ms. Jones needed. Stepping away from the limelight, so to speak, is a great way to recharge the batteries and take stock of what you once had. And maybe, hopefully, the time away will help Ms. Jones shed that “icy” label she’s been carrying around for much of her career.