'Mad Men' Creator Matthew Weiner Comments On Jon Hamm, Jennifer Westfeldt Breakup

Unfortunately, over the last year “Mad Men” creator Matthew Weiner has had to watch his now-concluded show’s star, Jon Hamm, deal with many of the same struggles that Hamm’s “Mad Men” character, ad man Don Draper, had to cope with in the AMC series. Months after the actor was revealed to be in rehab for alcohol addiction, Hamm revealed he and longtime partner Jennifer Westfeldt had decided to split. When asked about the actor’s big breakup at the 2015 Creative Arts Emmys Saturday, Weiner expressed sympathy for his former leading man.

“It’s a tough time for [both of them],” Weiner told Us Weekly at the 2015 Creative Arts Emmys at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. “I know both of them very well. They are both really gifted artists and it’s rough. But it’s also — it was a very long relationship.”

Earlier in September Hamm, 44, and Westfeldt, 45, announced that they had decided to separate after 18 years together. Hamm revealed that the reason for the split was that the couple disagreed on whether to have kids in their future, with Hamm voicing a desire to start a family.

Weiner previously watched Hamm deal with another one of Don Draper’s demons – alcoholism. Hamm completed a 30-day rehab for drug and alcohol addiction in March as the final season of “Mad Men” was premiering on AMC. “Life throws a lot at you sometimes and you have to deal with it as much as you can," Hamm told TV Week at the time, highlighting the support of those around him, including Westfeldt. "That’s why you have family and friends and co-workers to help you with that."

Weiner had been representing “Mad Men” at the Creative Arts Emmys Saturday, where the AMC series was nominated for five awards, including Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series and Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series.

At the Primetime Emmys, airing Sunday, Sep. 20, Weiner will be hoping Hamm catches a break in the Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series category. Hamm has previously been nominated for his portrayal of Don Draper seven times without ever having taken home the trophy. Many believe that the final season of “Mad Men” will lead to Emmy voters finally giving Hamm the nod – Emmy-winner Jon Cryer even started a Twitter campaign to get Hamm his overdue recognition. Hamm, it seems, could use the win.

Will Jon Hamm win the Emmy for Outstanding Actor? Plus, would he thank Westfeldt if he won? Fans will have to wait to find out. The Primetime Emmys air Sunday, Sep. 20 at 8 p.m. EDT on Fox.