Jon Hamm Speaks Out About Alchohol Rehab Stint; Addresses 'Mad Men' Parallels

A little more than a week before the April 5 premiere of the final episodes of “Mad Men,” the AMC series’ star – Jon Hamm – has spoken out about the news that he recently completed a stint in rehab for alcohol abuse. TMZ broke the story Tuesday that the actor had just finished a 30-day stay in a Connecticut rehab facility, but Hamm had not immediately responded with a public statement.

Hamm, 44, reportedly checked in to Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan in late February. When TMZ first released the story, Hamm’s rep responded with a statement saying, “"With the support of his longtime partner Jennifer Westfeldt, Jon Hamm recently completed treatment for his struggle with alcohol addiction. They have asked for privacy and sensitivity going forward.”

Now the actor is speaking for himself. Hamm told Australia’s TV Week Wednesday that dealing with this issue in the public eye has been difficult.

"Life throws a lot at you sometimes, and you have to deal with it as much as you can," Hamm said. "I've been very fortunate that throughout the most recent 24-hour period, I've had a lot of family and friends support me."

Hamm has done a good job of keeping his personal problems to himself over the past month. While seemingly completing his rehab program, the actor has been participating in a myriad of promotional events for the final episodes of “Mad Men” -- including posing on the show’s commemorative bench outside the Time-Life building Monday. Much has been made of the apparent parallels between the recent news about the actor’s personal life and Hamm’s famously alcohol-dependent character on the AMC series.

"Obviously there can be a lot of discussion about how much of this is related to that, and honestly I don't have much to say about that either," Hamm said. "I've said in varying ways that acting can be a difficult endeavor, certainly not as difficult as the recent example I used of being a baby heart surgeon, but it does present its own challenges, and so does life."

Hopefully, Hamm is now on the road to a healthy recovery with the support of his family and friends. Will his fictional counterpart sort out his own life before “Mad Men” ends? Only time will tell. "Mad Men" returns to AMC on Sunday, April 5.