Sally Draper From Mad Men Is All Grown Up And Avoiding The Pitfalls Of Being A Child Star

It is not uncommon for once-popular child stars to completely vanish from the public eye. After all, it's only natural that they would want to protect themselves from the toils of fame once they're finally old enough to understand them. As someone who has been in front of the camera since she was only six months old, "Mad Men" star Kiernan Shipka has experienced essentially all of the highs and lows that come with her chosen career. 

However, she still chose to remain an actor even after she was all grown up and totally gorgeous. During a November 2024 appearance on "Today," Shipka admitted that the transition from child star to adult actor was rough. One major obstacle she faced along the way "was knowing who I was because I was always so front-facing that having an identity outside of who I was to other people was something that was important for me to find." 

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The "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" star further elaborated on her struggles by noting that it was about "What we sort of put out there for others versus who we actually are." After reading Shipka's comments, Dr. Sanam Hafeez, a NYC neuropsychologist and the director of Comprehend the Mind, exclusively offered her thoughts to The List. The expert first professed that it was a good idea for someone who had grown up in the limelight to take some time away from it to understand who they really are before continuing on. According to Dr. Hafeez, this time away, without all the constant chatter from external sources, could help someone like Shipka "make decisions based on their values rather than fear of criticism or praise."

During Dr. Sanam Hafeez's exclusive chat with The List, she argued that former child actors like Kiernan Shipka could greatly benefit from relying on the opinions of people who knew them before they got famous, since they were more likely to have their best interests at heart. It was equally important for those in the "Totally Killer" star's shoes to build their self-confidence by asserting their independence in smaller ways, like clothing choices and choice of friends. Fortunately, it seems that the "Mad Men" cast member who looks really different today has been setting boundaries about her public life since her childhood.

Speaking to The Talks, Shipka revealed that she consciously decided not to pick up new gigs during "Mad Men" off-seasons because she wanted to ensure that she had things going for herself outside of work as well. "I definitely feel really lucky that I was always allowed to be a kid," the actor acknowledged, while reflecting on her days as a child star. "Most of my friends were also theater kids, so it never felt like I was totally wrapped up in that other world. I was able to have a childhood I can look back on and be really grateful for." 

Meanwhile, during her November 2024 appearance on the "Dinner's On Me" podcast, the actor who has voiced numerous cartoon characters confirmed that her cast-mates from the Emmy-winning drama were fiercely protective of her and endeavored to ensure that its adult themes wouldn't mar Shipka's childhood. Clearly, their combined efforts paid off.