Kiernan Shipka, the amazingly talented actress who plays Sally Draper, turns ten years old today.
Kiernan has had such an exciting and important season–Matt and the writers have brought Sally forward as a full and vital character in the Mad Men story. Driving, thieving, shrieking in terror and ultimately not buying into her parents’ bullshit, Sally has been kicking ass, and Kiernan has made us believe every moment.
And personally, we love her. We spent more time with the kids and their dads on the set than with anyone else, and we just adore her. I really enjoyed talking with her.She is smart and cool and comfortable in her own skin. She loves Nina Simone. She is precocious without any obnoxiousness. She is clearly a professional, and really grounded, and still a kid. And beautiful.
A baskets of kisses from all of us here at BoK!
26 Responses to “Happy Birthday, Kiernan!!!”
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She loves Nina Simone?!? Now that is one cool ten-year-old.
What I like about Kiernan's acting is that she doesn't come off as one of those freaky old-beyond-her-years Dakota Fanning types. She's able to hit the necessary emotional beats in an age-appropriate manner, so she's able to be a ten-year-old and not an actor *playing* a ten-year-old.
You know she's going to have a meaty part next season, because Sally's not going to take to mom's new marriage well.
Happy Birthday, Sweetheart! Enjoy your birthday and your time off from the show! Hope school is doing well, bless you, sweetie!
She is an amazing actress. I'm a bit concerned about the intensity of the scenes she's asked to depict. From where does she draw her motivation?
One question, does anyone know the exact age of the character of Sally Draper? Don and Betty were married in late 1953, right? So that would mean that Sally was born sometime in 1964, making her 9 years old. Did I miss her birthday party during S3? I'm curious since the character is just a year younger than I was in 1963, so how she views the current events of the year would be similar to what I experienced. The scene where Sally watched the self-immolation of the Buddhist monk strikes home, since I can remember watching that and being stunned at the age of 10.
Sally's fear of baby Gene gives me a dark sense of foreboding, btw. Don showed great tenderness and tact in trying to appease her fears, but with him now out of her life on a daily basis, she's left alone to be raised by Betty the Ogress. Not good.
Happy Birthday Kiernan!! Hey it's my birthday today, too! You are a terrific actress and I always enjoy your scenes. Have a great day today.
Don & Betty were married on May 14, 1953. In the first season, Sally's sixth birthday was celebrated in early April so she was born in early April 1954.
Since Matt Wiener clearly does not have a problem recasting the role of Bobby, sometimes I wonder if how old Kiernan can play is a big factor in how much the show jumps between seasons.
Happy Birthday, Kiernan! You really came into your own this season. It's impressive that someone so young can play so many emotions so convincingly.
Quiet1ne, good point. Kiernan is too entrenched in that role now to pull off any cast changes in order to age the character. My guess is that we could go into 1965 or even early 1966 and still have Kiernan portray a believable age.
#5 Quit1ne: also the contrary. On the one hand, Weiner can't skip more than one or two years at the most – total cumulative – since Kiernan can't really play more than a year or two above her true age during adolescence. But he could skip 3 years or so in one go and recast Sally more or less believably. I can't imagine that would happen next season, but it might happen at whatever turns out to be the last season. Though I hope it doesn't.
#5 Quiet1ne
Thanks for Sally's age.
I doubt Weiner is going to jump ahead, since the events of early 1964 seem too connected to the lives of the characters. Not to mention that Kiernan is such a find, I don't think he wants to lose her. I'm guessing Sally Draper gets to grow old gracefully!
Happy Birthday Kiernan! You really are a remarkable young lady and I am so delighted we got to spend time together.
Happy Birthday to Kiernan! What a talented actress and what amazing articulateness in her interview I read recently. She brings such range to Sally and enables them to write meatier stuff for her than for a Mary Kate or Ashley.
(Not that she hasn't heard some of those words before, I'm sure, but still, she's 10.)
With all due respect to the OP, it would be even nicer if her online birthday wishes were something her mother would actually allow her to read.
Happy Birthday, Kiernan! Many of your scenes made me cry this year, you are a wonderful actress.
Happy Birthday Kiernan! You are a very talented actress. #5 Quiet1ne: Don told Anna Draper in The Mountain King (Season 2) that she was 8 years old. So, now she would be 9 years old in 1963- having been born in 1954- one year after the Drapers were wed.
even the Beatles want to say
H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y !
#5 Quiet1ne – I've been paying attention to the dates, too. Don and Betty were indeed married in May, 1953 per Betty's statements about it being 3 months after he divorced Anna on Valentine's Day 1953. However, I've always thought Sally's birthday was around the first part of May, 1954 because of the comment Betty made during her birthday party in S1. She said something about serving Mint Juleps because "it's the season," or something like that. To me, that meant it was on or near Derby day. Plus the weather on her party day was awfully nice outside to be early April in the northeast. At any rate, Sally is 9 going on 10 in the spring of '64.
As we get into the "off season," maybe we can have a thread dedicated to dates significant to the characters so we can piece together some things. And a total aside, but it seems to me that it's often Roger who helps put the date on the time frame of the episode – especially this season, either by flatly saying it (as in the S3 finale) or referencing historical events that give us clues. Don't know why that is, just something I noticed.
Happy 10th Birthday, Kiernan! You are lovely and talented and your future is very bright.
Kiernan Happy Birthday, but if you're reading this blog here's some advice.
You're young and talented. The world is your oyster. Get outside, breathe the fresh air, go to the zoo, read a book in the park. Do something else please, (louise? that works there too.)
But check out that link up above before you do, it's first-rate!
Happy b-day, Kiernan! Excellent work this year on the show.
How nice. Happy Birthday, little lady!
Happy Birthday Kiernan! You are such a talented actress. You did a fantastic job in the finale the other night. Your performance broke my heart!
Have a great birthday!!
I read an article devoted to Mad Men, something unkind that has been edited out by a Lipp because it's the kid's birthday and does not belong here. I was gobsmacked.
Kiernan as Sally brings a very real gravity to what could otherwise be little more than Don and Betty sniping at each other over two scared little boys. She asks the honest, pertinent questions of both parents that neither of them will ask of themselves or the other, and always realistically, well-acted and believably so. While I feel that Sally's character is a necessary counterpoint to the world of adults the rest of the show is concerned with, she wouldn't be half of what she is if she wasn't acted by Kiernan. I genuinely wish nothing but the best for her and the rest of her career.
(singing) Happy Birthday to you ~~~~~~ Kiernan !
You are a talented & beautiful young lady and I love the SASS you bring to the character Sally.
Wishing you lots of cake, ice cream & presents! ((hug))
Happy Birthday Miss Shipka!!
Enjoy your big day!!
We love you!
Kiernan absolutely killed it in the finale. The living room scene was almost excruciatingly sad, especially Kiernan's heartbreaking dialogue delivery. 'Twas a wonderful way to cap off a spectacular season for Kiernan.
And I can't believe she's only turning ten! Talent beyond her years. I hope she's had a lovely day.
Noah, I really hope you find your way to New York one of these days. We just adore you. Talent beyond your years.
Happy Birthday Kiernan! From a once upon a time wiser than her years 10 year old with extremely troubled parents to someone who makes me say "at least it wasn't like Sally Draper's parents" – you are a heck of an actress!
Dear Kiernan: Hope you had a great birthday. I really look forward to all your scenes on the show. I also hope Sally becomes a big Beatles fan early in Season 4. Maybe Henry Francis will object to that? No way of knowing – I just want the Beatles to be a part of "Mad Men" the way they were for me back in 1964 (age 9).
Kiernan, Happy Birthday!
You are a terrific actress. I am amazed that you are so talented at such a young age. It will be exciting to watch you bring Sally to life again next season. I love the clothes you wear on the show. I think I had a few of the same dresses when I was a kid! You look very authentic in them.
Your fan,
Susan