January Jones is the May cover girl for Marie Claire UK – these are some shots from her cover shoot. I like how colorful it is! January’s Versace ads are so subdued and monochromatic, it’s nice to see a photo shoot with January where she gets to be more colorful. And how! I just read through January’s full Marie Claire interview, and JESUS. This woman. I’ve been maintaining for a while that she’s dumb as a box of hair. While I still think that, I’ve added a new impression: January is a liar, she’s full of herself, and she thinks she’s God’s gift. It’s a pretty unappealing package. Near the beginning of the interview, she starts out lying about her ex, Ashton Kutcher, claiming she has “never commented about him.” I guess she forgot about that GQ interview, huh?
A mention of ex-boyfriend Ashton Kutcher and his rumored statement that she wouldn’t make it as an actress makes her “bristle” and respond in “clipped tones.”
“I don’t comment about that,” she says. “And I never commented about him.”
The actress is more forthcoming about her Mad Men salary, saying, “Financially, we don’t get paid very much on the show and that’s well-documented. On the other hand, when you do television you have a steady paycheck each week, so that’s nice.”
She had never done television before Mad Men, and says, “I was hesitant because it was a five-year contract and there wasn’t really a role for Betty in the pilot, so I was taking a real leap of faith.”
She also denies claiming that her modeling career was inspired by a desire to show “all those bitches in high school who said I wasn’t pretty.”
“Where are you getting this sh*t,” retorts the Unknown star. “It sounds like something I might have said when I was, like, 15. The bitches in high school were bitches because I was pretty.”
“It paid the bills,” she continues of her modeling days. “And I’m quite petite, so I was never going to get very far with the runway stuff, but modeling taught me self-awareness, independence and how to take rejection.”
The 33-year-old maintains that privacy is paramount when it comes to her friendships and dating life.
“I don’t like living with other people, and I don’t mind being alone,” she says. “I don’t like having an entourage of people around me. I have a select group of friends who I hang out with … I just don’t really have a lot of time or energy to put into a relationship where nothing’s going to happen. I’m not going to waste time with people I don’t give a sh-t about.”
“I’m masochistic. I’m afraid of judgment and I couldn’t think of a job where you’re more open to judgment. I’m afraid of failure. I’m afraid of dying. I’m not gonna kill myself to face that fear, though. Don’t worry. I think this is a really good moment for me, at least career wise. Nothing ever came to me too easily or too fast, so I’ve been able to adjust. I’ve never gotten too bitter or jaded.
But don’t get her wrong. Jones asserts that her frosty reputation is undeserved.
“Everybody writes that they think I’m so unhappy,” she says. “[I’m] not at all [unhappy]. I’m in my own head. I’m doing things. Keeping things interesting.”
[From Marie Claire UK, via Fashion Etc and my own transcript]
My favorite part of the interview is when the reporter asks her if one of her ultimate career goals is to win an Oscar, and January goes all Jessica Biel and acts like she couldn’t even deign to campaign for an Oscar, she’s just so, so over it. January says, “If a project comes along and it is ‘Oscar material’ then that’s great, but I don’t understand the politics. You have to sell yourself to even get nominated and I don’t like the idea of that… the press, I mean. I find it tedious. If I’m going to talk to somebody, it’s not going to be somebody I don’t know. I just don’t want to have to constantly feel like I’m campaigning. I don’t have to sell myself to make myself more likeable. When I’m talking about myself, half the time I’m lying.” Yeah, like she gets offered Oscar-quality stuff all the time, but she just makes a conscious choice NOT to do it because she doesn’t want to do interviews.
And then after that, she name-drops Jack Nicholson! This is how it’s written in Marie Claire: “he remains a friend, a mentor, and, she tells me, is very protective of her.” You know. Because she’s so private.
You know who January reminds me of now? Megan Fox. She’s the blonde Megan Fox. Move over Amanda Seyfried!
Marie Claire UK photos courtesy of The Fashion Spot.
I still love her. What’s Ashton K’s deal? B/c he’s so successful.
Oscar campaigns are tedious, but the prize is the ultimate. The actors, directors, writers, everyone campaigns for the prize. Meet and greet screenings in LA, NY, London, Paris you name it. If it’s something you really want, and if an actor says they don’t care they are complete and utter lairs, you play the game.
I find her “tedious.” I am sure Mad Men producers are going to love hearing that she is advertising how little she gets paid. Remember Katherine Heigl?
I don’t think she’ll ever have to worry about that.
Funny. I find the idea of listening to anything January Jones has to say tedious.
She’s full of sh*t.
If she had bigger boobs she could be my identical twin sister. It’s really scary. If they ever need a stand in or body double, I’d be perfect. Also I admire her statement:
“When I’m talking about myself, half the time I’m lying.”
She is so boring just like her facial expressions.
God, she’s gorgeous! What’s with the hate? She’s a farm girl from North Dakota or somewhere who made good. Technically, she’s not lying ’cause she never named Ashton as the guy who said she wouldn’t make it as an actress.
What are you supposed to say in these interviews anyway? Somehow, I don’t think most of us would come across as loveable salt of the earth types. Girl keeps it vague, and for that I give her credit.
i could understand why they ask some questions about oscar campaign to cate Blanchett or Annette Bening but here why ask it to her?
Perhaps the girls in high school were bitches to her because she was a bitch to them first?
Well I believe it has been clear that the actors on Mad Men are paid close to scale.
But on the flip side of it. With the high profile of the show. Practically all of actors get offer alot more money for their side projects.
So it is all kind of a wash.
I bet January made 5 times the money from that Versace campaign versus what she earned from Mad Men in the last 3 years.
Plus I bet she has incredible clothes, purses, shoes… etc… given to her by great companies.
So she should back off from making snide comments about Mad Men and her lack of pay. She is earning it from other things.
And if she gets bounced off Mad Men it will screw with her income from the side projects.
She takes herself way to seriously and seems to find herself to be a big deal. She is too snotty to admire.
Yeah, move over Amanda Seyfried, there is another blond more boring than you in town. As soon as Mad Men is over, so will be January Jones’s career. So maybe Amanda Seyfried doesn’t have to worry too much, just yet. Man, that Red Riding movie must have tanked because I haven’t seen a commercial for it in weeks.
Of course she would find an Oscar campaign tedious. It would surely cut into the amount of time she spends homewrecking and husband-stealing.
Anyone else think she was one of the people AMC wanted to fire from “Mad Men”?
I don’t blame you for taking issue with this blonde. (even though she looks A lot like one of my best friends). But Jeez, the way this woman talks. She needs to loosen up and get some humility already. But I REALLY want that dress in the second pic. Badly.
She is one of those dumb bitches that is so dumb that she doesn’t know how much of a bitch she is.
My only exposure to January was her worse than terrible Saturday Night Live hosting last year. I doubt she has to ever worry about putting on a campaign for an Oscar.
“If I’m going to talk to somebody, it’s not going to be somebody I don’t know.”
I’m sorry, but what? So is she best friends with the reporter who did this story, then?
Jenny that snl gig is epic many consider her stint as the worst guest host of all-time. Give me the supermodels of the 80s/90s they at least had some personality and were better looking than this girl. She really is full of herself funny most of the public doesn’t even know who she is without a personality she is like every other blonde in hollywood. Forgetable
So…remember that time she drove while drunk and got into an car accident on her way home? And the person she called was Bobby Flay (who is married)? And then after talking to Bobby, she left her damaged car in the street and walked a few blocks home where she changed clothes, apparently had a drink (to avoid a DUI charge) and then walked back to her car chewing gum? And Bobby Flay showed up and told police that he had just met her that night? And nobody really believed it, because why would January Jones call a man she had just met in order to get his help at the scene of her car accident? And most people thought Bobby was on his way to her house and that’s why she called and why he was there so quickly?
Yeah. That’s January Jones.
http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b185457_why_was_bobby_flay_scene_of_january.html
who cares what she says… she is so pretty especially without make-up on… i really like to look at her. don’t like her mad men role though. only when they go to Paris… 🙂
She looks pretty. That is all I will say about her.
January Jones finds the idea of campaigning for an Oscar “tedious”…
… which is #82 on a long list of reasons why she will never win one.
I actually loved every bit of this article. She is a selfish person who is only seen as selfish because she could give a crap about anyone else but herself. At least she almost admits it…lol. I like that.
She’s annoying. Yuck.
She is pretty — I’ll give her that but the girl never has to worry about ‘campaigning’ for an Oscar. I went to see Unknown and I usually don’t comment on people’s acting because they are all better than me, but man was she terrible. Terrible. Like the worst actress I’ve ever seen in my life.
Despite what she said about herself – “When I’m talking about myself, half the time I’m lying.”- she sounds sincere. And what’s up with the bitching on her opinion about oscar campaign? She was asked that question, and she answered.
I think she would look better with a darker shade of blonde.
So pretty on the outside. So homely on the inside… Like a film set where all the street fronts have nothing on the other side of them…
I love the makeup/styling for the shoot, though. I feel like 70’s era Iman could walk through the background at any moment.
Quote – “I’m afraid of failure. I’m afraid of dying. I’m not gonna kill myself to face that fear, though. Don’t worry.”
…I wasn’t. -_- What an uppity bitch…
I dont like her but this is a nice shoot. She looks gorgeous
Love her. Another confidant, gorgeous girl you guys crap on. What is the deal with that? I’m a woman and I find her candidness cool and refreshing. Why hate on her, because she knows who she is? She not trying to fool anyone including herself.
I have some issues with her (the whole drunk driving/Bobby Flay thing), but this interview made me think that she’s just an introvert, which makes a lot of other stuff that she’s said, make sense, and I liked her a lot better than I did before reading it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Introvert
I feel her, because I am an introvert too, and although I would use the word “exhausting” rather than “tedious” to describe an Oscar campaign, I honestly think I would feel the same way. I like people, but they wear me out, and I need a lot of alone time.
I also think she’s REALLY GOOD on Mad Men, and gives Betty a lot of depth and texture…but it’s really subtle, and that doesn’t work for everyone.
She’s definitely an awkward interviewee.
Beautiful girl but stiff, boring and a terrible actress. I find it amusing that she would never want to campaign for an Oscar – wouldn’t that imply that she actually was a good enough actress to be nominated for one in the 1st place? LOL Yes, I know, I know, she was asked the question and she answered it, but still… 🙂 I saw “Unknown” and there was nothing different between how she is as Betty Draper and how she was as the character in that movie. Seriously, she was the exact same in both.
Love the clothes in this shoot, though.
brin, the old adage is true…great minds think alike! The very first thought that popped into my head when I read this headline was “Honey, I don’t think that’s something you need to worry about.”
I’m the opposite; after reading this article, I kind of love her now. Before, I was like, “January Who?” I still don’t know who she is but I like her spunk. I don’t think she’s stupid at all. I think she’s introverted and doesn’t care about giving airs.
Stunning shoot and I actually like her more after reading this interview (except Oscar part)
Macheath, I had the same reacton as you. She doesn’t come across as boring, she sounds quite interesting, possibly complex.
I can totally relate to the living alone bit, I don’t like living with other people either.
Hmm. Is this her?
http://www.laineygossip.com/Ladies_Room_Encounter_blind_riddle_21mar11.aspx
This woman is beautiful.
And I completely agree with the commenters that said she’s introverted; I can totally relate. I just don’t get how this interview makes it seem like she’s God’s gift?
Celebrities are bashed for over sharing, but then they are also bashed for under sharing. How odd.
Well don’t worry January, you’ll never have to campaign because never get nominated.
I love her and I think if it was someone else saying some of the same things, people wouldn’t be so harsh. If Mila Kunis had said the stuff about the Oscars, I bet it would have been called “refreshing”.
She’s very beautiful and she’s not dumb. And I think a lot of what she says gets misinterpreted. If it makes life easier to think of her as a horrible person, then go ahead, but it says more about the way you see people than it says anything about her.
What I do find amusing is the “bitches who said I wasn’t pretty” line. I do remember that from an interview. I wonder if she was just lying or if she actually never said that.
I can’t imagine that she was ugly in high school and while you obviously can and do get many breaks in life for being beautiful, there also will be people who hate you for being beautiful and not acting a certain way. Like you have to be beautiful and never complain about anything, because like “How dare you? Shouldn’t being pretty be enough for you?” I think stuff like that happens a lot unfortunately.
She is perfect on Mad Men. But I think that’s the writing more than anything else. I would be surprised if she has much more range than that. But she’s awfully pretty so she will surely get a shot at more. C’mon JJ prove us wrong, damnit! 🙂
I don’t get how she is SO good on Mad Men, yet so bland in everything else. She is really pretty though.
I don’t get it. She doesn’t seem that awful to me. I mmean I don’t love her or anything but I think we might be getting a bit carried away with tearing her apart for nothing very much here.
This untalented, unattractive, unintelligent, UNGRATEFUL, VERY immature girl will never have to worry about campaiging for as Oscar.
The bitches in high school were bitches to you because you are a bitch not because you are pretty. Egomaniac much?
Anyone can play her role on madmen – she is very replaceable.
Didn’t he pull that crap on brittany murphy too? Ugh. stupid guys. I don’t this chick from maude besides her boob-filled cover for GQ but she’s got a great look.
She’s boring. I didn’t read anything even remotely interesting in that interview. And where are people getting that she’s introverted? She stated “I don’t like living with other people, and I don’t mind being alone.” That’s not introversion. My main feeling that I get from her is ambivalence. She doesn’t know what to say or how to act in interviews. Which is why she lies, and keeps getting caught out in her lies.
She’s very pretty. I’ve never seen her in anything, so I can’t offer my opinion on her talent as an actor. She just seems dull as dishwater.
@:bisou: I agree. Actors can’t win. If they mouth platitudes about their co-stars and fans they get accused of being phoney. If they shoot from the hip they get accused of being arrogant. I can’t find any faults with what she said and I think she’s gorgeous. I think people resent her because she’s a striking blonde and she gets to kiss the Hamm.
I’ve read a few interviews with her and in all them she’s come across as conceited and unlikeable. She’s pretty and she does a very good job playing Betty Draper but beyond that I don’t know-the only other thing I’ve seen her do is SNL in which she sucked. I can’t see her having alot of range.
I agree w/ bisou’s comment. She may be dumb as a box of hair, but I think she’s just being honest and I sort of agree with her about the Oscar campaigning crap. I would feel the same. Actually, she sounds a lot like me (without the mega beauty) and I think maybe I like her a just little bit more now.
She doesn’t come across as unintelligent at all and she sounds like she tried to answer the interview questions as honestly as she could which unfortunately opened up a can of worms for people to dissect and misinterpret. As others have already asked, why the hate?
@Rachel .33 — ‘I like people, but they wear me out’ — I agree COMPLETELY!
I get what she’s saying. She’s like: This is me, I hate this, I like that..” She’s just being honest.
With all due respect….and I love Mad Men….I don’t think she’ll every be in a position to campaign for an Oscar. She is beautiful, though.
I think it’s the source that must be the part that annoys some over the message, because she says a lot things that we say here all the time and it barely raises an eyebrow. I mean, I’ve always hated the notion of campaigning, it makes no sense to me. How does the number of photoshoots and interviews change the quality of a performance that’s over? There’s no such thing as retroactive talent, so I just don’t get that one.
Something else that really cheeses me off is when some starlet over whom everyone has been gushing for years always feel compelled to list off all their worst traits and experiences in a ploy to be perceived as some kind of everywoman. Every supermodel was a total geek in high school, the Sexiest Woman Alive used to get pimples, too. Trying to convince me that before you were physical perfection and topped a Forbes list, you were ugly, fat and generally disgusting–just like us, isn’t endearing, it’s transparent and disingenuous. Becuause you had to endure that for so long before your big break–at seventeen! Yeesh. Why would I want to read about yet another woman hates her looks, is that the only way in which one woman can relate to another?
I didn’t see her SNL performance but if you’re trying to tell me she was worse than Nancy Kerrigan, we’re going to have to talk. I happen to like her performance on Mad Men, but common knowledge has alerted me to the fact that any performance of hers that isn’t on that show should be avoided, so that’s what I do.
As far as living alone and being introverted, I don’t see anything wrong with that, but maybe it’s because I happen to be the same way. Who here can honestly say that you don’t have at least one girlfriend who treats being single like it’s a terminal disease and absolutely must have a boyfriend at all times (Jennifer Love Hudson-Swift)? I don’t know, it that necessarily better? You’ve got to give yourself enough time to at least wash the Ex Residue off of yourself. Maybe read One Hundred Years Of Solitude, it’s one of my favourite books.
But yes, the Bobby Flay car crash thing was very, very strange, I don’t even know what that mess was.
She is stunningly beautiful in Mad Men and a pretty good actress too. All the other stuff is just heresay and gossip.
She’s beautiful and a good actress.
They get paid scale? Somebody wanna put that in $$$ amounts for me?
I don’t think she’ll ever have to worry. But stranger things have happened.
Please if she were ever to learn that she’d been nominated for an Oscar she’d go Tracy Flick on our asses and be campaigning 24/7….SIT DOWN January! As if she gets offered important dramatic leading roles!
@TheOnlyOne – “Why hate on her, because she knows who she is? She not trying to fool anyone including herself.”
She just rubs me totally the wrong way. I guess my personality just doesn’t mesh with arrogance.
There’s a difference between self confidence & being conceited. Saying the ‘bitches in highschool were bitches because I was pretty‘ comes across like “They were bitches because they were just jealous of my beauty, of course‘…She’s a beautiful girl on the outside, but she sounds like the most stuck-up thing since Megan Fox. (We all see what that got her…) Kinda felt unprofessional for her to talk about how much she was making as a salary, but that’s just my opinion.
@Petite – I could really see her saying that. What a bitchy response to a compliment.
She’s too old to be Megan Fox or Amanda Seyfried- woman is in her 30’s, she should be less snotty/dumb by now.
She’s so BORING. Her acting is like she’s emoting under water after taking a couple of Xanax. And her looks match her acting – bland.
#56 word to everything you said except give Nancy Kerrigan a break, she’s not an actress and right minded people should never have put that deer in front of the headlights. You expect more from someone like JJ who’s job is to deliver lines convincingly.
Yeah she comes across as dumb (seeming) as Betty. But still. People who think anyone could play that part the way she does, have you ever acted? I am the first one to slag off girls skating on their looks, but she kicks ass on Mad Men. I think she is inarticulate and maybe immature for her age (like Betty, who knows maybe Weiner did just find the perfect match)…I dunno. I still don’t think she’s as annoying as Heigl, Fox, et al, because she has created a very watchable character. So what if she’s kind of a jerk, I dispute that there’s no talent there until she proves otherwise in something else. And she is stunning in this shoot.
@tiff: Fair enough, fair enough. I’m also reminded of the performance of another non-actor named Wayne Gretzsky, whose performance went over like an H-bomb. Then again, I’ll admit that by the time the whole Tonya Harding blowup, I (shamefully) felt enough irritation towards her to have a secret ticker tape parade in my imagination. And when she screamed ‘why?’ my venomous mind thought ‘ugh, THAT’s why!’ Oh, the ’90s. Of course, then came the whole mess with her getting Kwan’s spot happened I was ready for her to take an SCTV dive. Some people do just irritate you to no end and you can’t logically explain it because not much reasoning outside of your gut drives that irritation. At least she kept her ass in the fabric in performance, I remember when Katerina Witt got that dress code warning. Life’s so odd and inane, sometimes.
LOL. I’m starting to like this woman. She really doesn’t self-censor, does she?
She needs to play another popular character, though. I swear it seems Betty Draper is her polar opposite but in terms of public perception is almost like a kiss of death coming across like she does while playing that character.