Whatever happened to 'Mad Men' bombshell January Jones?

Fans of 'Mad Men' will instantly recognize January Jones. She gained widespread acclaim for her role as Betty Draper, the wife of advertising executive Don Draper. Their on-screen marriage was tumultuous, marked by numerous episodes of cheating and lies. But, wow! It's been 16 years since the show first aired. Discover what has transpired in the life of this stunning actress since then...

She played a supporting role in 'Mad Men,' and indeed that's how most of her career has continued on since then. With her magnetic acting in 'Mad Men,' many thought she would have gone on to become one of Hollywood's leading starlets. But it hasn't been a straight line to success... and maybe for the better, as she's managed to stay at a healthy level of fame.

After that, things haven't been completely smooth for January Jones. The South Dakota model and actress hasn't stopped working on the big and small screen. However, even with some lead roles, she hasn't reclaimed the same fame she had during the Betty Draper years.

January Jones arguably hit the height of her popularity (so far) from 2007 to 2014, also during peak 'Mad Men.' During that time, she worked on other interesting film projects like starring alongside Liam Neeson and Diane Kruger in the 2011 film 'Uknown' or as the telepathic mutant Emma Frost in 'X-Men: First Class.'

After the 2013 film 'Sweetwater,' she's worked on four main projects: The 2014 thriller 'Good Kill' with Ethan Hawk; the 2015 TV comedy 'The Last Man on Earth' where she was one of the main characters; the 2019 tv show 'The Politician' and the one-season drama 'Spinning Out'(2020).

Her film 'God is a Bullet' hit theaters in the summer of 2023. In this American crime thriller, she stars alongside Jamie Foxx, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Maika Monroe, and Andrew Dice Clay. Although there were high hopes for the firm, it only got a 24% on Rotten Tomatoes. "If God is a bullet, it can’t come fast enough," wrote one critic at RogerEbert.com.

So what about the flop?! Jones is a great presence on social media, especially on Instagram @januaryjones. She has more than a million followers who love getting glimpses into her daily life. It can also be a great source for some of the tabloids, which are still totally obsessed.

In May 2023, the iconic blonde debuted her bold new pixie haircut on her popular social media account. Although anything would look great on her, it's a love or hate relationship with this one... but it may just mark a new trend for the second half of the year.

Photo: @januaryjones / Instagram

It's actually rare to see such a fun celebrity Instagram profile, which really seems like she manages herself. In this recent pic, she's seen celebrating Christmas with a shirt reading: "Resting Grinch face."

Photo: @januaryjones / Instagram

But, like many, Jones has had her fair share of critics on Instagram. One example was when she dressed up as the model Elizabeth Short, known as the Black Dahlia, who was brutally murdered 70 years ago... or when she participated in the 2018 breast cancer campaign 'Love your Melons' where she got around the Instagram filter with a top less selfie and a VERY "friendly reminder to get a mammogram!"

In the depths of 2020, she also attracted some attention by directly flirting with NBA player Kawhi Leonard on her stories. One message with a picture of him said "Future boyfriend?? @laclippers" and another straight-up asked him to call her. During the quarantine, she also offered her followers great beauty and exercise routines.

Photo: @januaryjones / Instagram

In 2021, she posted herself wearing a red Versace dress, the same one with which she triumphed at the Golden Globes in 2011, with the caption: "Ten years later and it still (more or less) fits me." In 2022, she also joked around by posing like Kim Kardashian by a car but wearing sneakers and a nerdy expression. "I'm basically you now @kimkardashian," she joked with a winky face emoji.

Photo: @januaryjones / Instagram

At the moment, Jones appears to be single. Rumors had once swirled about a relationship with Ashton Kutcher, then she dated Jason Sudeikis from 2010 to 2011, and later, Josh Groban. She's been great at hiding her private life and hasn't publically said who's the father of her son, Xander Dane Jones, born in 2011.

This beautiful and talented actress seems like a genuinely good person too. She enjoys helping others and can usually be spotted at the 'Los Angeles Mission' on Thanksgiving, serving food to those most in need. Here she is alongside the actress Malin Akerman.

Looking back, January Jones was born into an ordinary family in Sioux Falls, the largest city in South Dakota. Her mom was a store manager and her dad was a physiologist. While she moved to the town of Hecla for a while, she went back to Sioux Falls for highschool.

A radical change from South Dakota, after high school she moved to New York to make it as a model. No surprise, she was scouted in high school. But had said that she never really took modeling seriously and it wasn't her passion.

Despite her stunning good looks, not even Jones was perfect for the modeling world. With a height of 5'5, she fell on the short side. However, her undeniable beauty and perseverance helped her land some big modeling jobs like advertisements for Abercrombie & Fitch (alongside Ashton Kutcher), and she also made it into the pages of international fashion magazines.

It was precisely through ads that Jones made a foray into acting. As her face became more recognized, doors started opening so she could pursue her true passion...

Her big acting debut came in 1999 in the independent film 'It's the Rage.' In the film about nine people in three interconnected stories involving handguns, she played the role of Janice Taylor. There, she also met other famous stars like Jeff Daniels, Anna Paquin, and Josh Brolin.

That first role got her a lot of attention. In the following year, 2001, she starred in two films: the suspense flick 'Glass House,' alongside Leele Sobieski and 'Bandits' where she shared the set with Bruce Willis, Cate Blanchett, and Billy Bob Thornton.

In the following years, Jones continued to shine in supporting roles. She appeared in 'Anger Management' (2003), 'Love Actually' (2003), 'American Wedding' (2003), 'Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights' (2004), 'The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada' (2005), and 'We Are Marshall'(2006).

She wasn't just a star on the big screen. Before 'Mad Men,' she worked in other TV series like 'Love's Enduring Promise' (2004), 'Law & Order' (2008) as a fraudster, and she appeared on 'Saturday Night Live' as the host.

Then came 'Mad Men,' the AMC series that propelled her to international stardom. As Betty Draper, she played a housewife struggling with her relationships and own personal identity. Betty met her mysterious husband Don while working as a model, but quit work to stay home with her family. Throughout the show, she grappled with society's expectations and her longing to find meaning.

Betty had struggles in her relationships with her husband and children. She loved them but struggled to connect. With her children, she was strict, demanding and had trouble expressing her affection. But ultimately, she ended up as a strong and resilient character who found the strength to pursue her own happiness.

Although Betty Draper has somewhat overshadowed Jones's career, the South Dakotan is still happily working in Hollywood. This actress bursting with beauty, grace and acting talent isn't going anywhere! Keep an eye out for her next film projects, where she'll likely find another role to make her stand out. And in the meantime, you can keep following her on social networks.