Christina Hendricks
She embodied the elegance, resilience, and quiet power of Joan Holloway.
Christina Rene Hendricks (born May 3, 1975) is an American actress and former model. She is best known for her role as Joan Holloway on the critically acclaimed AMC period drama series Mad Men (2007–2015). In 2010, a poll of female readers taken by Esquire magazine named her "the sexiest woman in the world." She was also voted "Best Looking Woman in America." Hendricks has received various accolades, including two Actor Awards and two Critics' Choice Awards, as well as nominations for six Primetime Emmy Awards.
Quick Facts
- Birth name
- Christina Rene Hendricks
- Born
- 3 May 1975
- Birthplace
- Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.
- Citizenship
- United States, United Kingdom
- Occupation
- Actress, model
- Years active
- 1994–present
- Height
- 5 ft 8 in / 1.73 m
Lore & Background
Within the Sterling Cooper offices, Joan Holloway operated as the office manager. Her performance earned her six Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series over the show's seven seasons. The character's journey reflected the shifting tides of the era, moving from an administrative role to a position of greater influence within the agency.
Reader's Guide
Christina Hendricks' casting as Joan Holloway became one of the most defining choices in American television history. Creator Matthew Weiner cast her in the role that would run from 2007 to 2015. Her performance earned her six Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. In 2010, a poll of female readers taken by Esquire magazine named her "the sexiest woman in the world." She was also voted "Best Looking Woman in America." Hendricks has received various accolades, including two Actor Awards and two Critics' Choice Awards.
Did You Know?
- Hendricks was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, to an American mother and English father, giving her dual British and American citizenship.
- She began coloring her hair red at age 10, inspired by the book Anne of Green Gables.
- She was a hand model in the poster for the film American Beauty.
- Hendricks married actor Geoffrey Arend on October 11, 2009; they separated ten years later with a divorce finalized in December 2019.
- She picked up DJing as a hobby in late 2025 and played a set at Part Time Lover in San Diego in April 2026.
More in Production & Legacy
Elsewhere in Mad Men
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