{"id":2044787,"date":"2026-07-15T12:14:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-15T09:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2044787"},"modified":"2026-07-15T12:14:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T09:14:00","slug":"mad-men-star-jon-hamm-was-nearly-cast-in-l-a-noire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2044787","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Mad Men\u2019 star Jon Hamm was nearly cast in \u2018L.A. Noire\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LA-Noire-image.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"template-id-2749694\" class=\"post-2749694 tdb_templates type-tdb_templates status-publish post\">\n<div id=\"tdi_65\" class=\"tdc-zone\">\n<div class=\"tdc_zone tdi_66  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div id=\"tdi_67\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row_1400 td-stretch-content\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_68  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_70  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_breadcrumbs tdi_71 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-breadcrumbs \" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_71\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span>News<\/span><span>Gaming News<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_title tdi_72 tdb-single-title td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_72\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">\u2018Mad Men\u2019 star Jon Hamm was nearly cast in \u2018L.A. Noire\u2019<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_subtitle tdi_73 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_73\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>His co-star Aaron Staton ultimately played Cole Phelps in the detective game\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_author tdi_75 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_75\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-author-name-wrap\"><span class=\"tdb-author-by\">By<\/span> Ali Shutler<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_date tdi_76 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_76\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><time class=\"entry-date updated td-module-date\" datetime=\"2026-07-15T13:14:00+01:00\">15th July 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_77\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row_1400 td-stretch-content\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_78  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_80  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span8\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_featured_image tdi_81 tdb-content-horiz-left td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_81\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"696\" height=\"442\" class=\"entry-thumb\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LA-Noire-image-696x442.jpg\" alt=\"\u2018Mad Men\u2019 star Jon Hamm was nearly cast in \u2018L.A. Noire\u2019\" title=\"LA Noire image\"><figcaption class=\"tdb-caption-text\">&#8216;L.A. Noire&#8217;. CREDIT: Rockstar Games<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_row_inner tdi_83 article-content-row vc_row vc_inner wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column_inner tdi_85  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-inner-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_content tdi_86 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 td-post-content tagdiv-type\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_86\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>It\u2019s been revealed that <em>Mad Men<\/em> star Jon Hamm was in the running to play <i>L.A Noire<\/i>\u2019s protagonist Cole Phelps.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>READ MORE: Ice Nine Kills on their \u201cintense\u201d \u2018Dead By Daylight\u2019 collab and why horror will never die<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Released in 2011, <i>L.A. Noire<\/i> is an action-adventure detective game that went on to sell more than 7.5million units. \u201cIn his fight to climb the ranks and do what\u2019s right, LAPD detective Cole Phelps must unravel the truth behind a string of arson attacks, conspiracies, and brutal murders, battling the L.A. underworld and even members of his own department,\u201d reads the official description.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<p><i>Mad Men<\/i>\u2019s Aaron Staton took on the role of Cole Phelps for <i>L.A Noire<\/i> but according to one of the game\u2019s writers Daniel McMahon, his <i>Mad Men<\/i> co-star Jon Hamm was also in the running for the part. \u201cI remember sharing pictures of Jon Hamm in his suit wearing a hat, [and] being like: \u201cLook at this guy. Like, <i>look<\/i> at this guy\u2019\u201d, McMahon said in a new interview with YouTuber Cade Onder. However, McMahon eventually came around on Staton\u2019s casting.<\/p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Inside the Story of LA Noire (And Its Cancelled Successor)\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/EsqWTz48tN8?feature=oembed&amp;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<p>\u201cJon Hamm is a wonderful actor, but he\u2019s not Cole Phelps,\u201d he added. \u201cAaron Staton was much better at portraying Cole\u2019s fragility. A lot of the time Cole\u2019s flapping around, having no idea what he\u2019s doing. He\u2019s very, very smart, but he\u2019s also young, not very experienced, and he\u2019s just trying his best. So, I think Jon Hamm would have been incredible, but expensive, and \u2013 probably in the end \u2013 not as good casting for that character as Aaron Staton was.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Despite the popularity of <em>L.A. Noire<\/em>, Rockstar Games never made a sequel.\u00a0Spiritual successor <em>Whore Of The Orient<\/em> was announced shortly after <em>L.A. Noire<\/em>\u2018s launch, but was cancelled five years later.<\/p>\n<p>In other news, video game business analyst Ben Thompson believes <i>Grand Theft Auto 6<\/i>\u00a0is the \u201clast great game\u201d we\u2019ll get before AI tools take over development.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_tags tdi_87 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_87\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<ul class=\"tdb-tags\">\n<li><span>Related Topics<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Jon Hamm<\/li>\n<li>L.A. Noire<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper td_block_wrap vc_raw_html tdi_89 \">\n<div class=\"td-fix-index\">\n<h3>You May Also Like<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_91  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span4 td-is-sticky\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td-a-rec td-a-rec-id-sidebar  tdi_92 td_block_template_2\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap td_flex_block_1 tdi_93 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdc-no-posts td_flex_block\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_93\">\n<div class=\"td-block-title-wrap\">\n<h4 class=\"td-block-title\"><span class=\"td-pulldown-size\">TRENDING<\/span><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_93\" class=\"td_block_inner td-mc1-wrap\">\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">\u2018Lucky\u2019 review: Anya Taylor-Joy\u2019s plucky con artist will keep you guessing until the final sting<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Yard Act on Andy Burnham, capitalism, and the power of art as community: \u201cNigel Farage is a dark entity that must be struck out&#8230;<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">The breakneck rise of digital hardcore duo Femtanyl<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">\u2018Evil Dead Burn\u2019 review: hotly anticipated horror sequel never quite catches fire<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">\u2018Assassin\u2019s Creed Black Flag Resynced\u2019 review: a treasure chest of sea-faring adventures<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td-a-rec td-a-rec-id-custom_ad_1  tdi_94 td_block_template_2\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_95\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row_1400 td-stretch-content\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_96  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_98  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"vc_row_inner tdi_100  vc_row vc_inner wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column_inner tdi_102  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-inner-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper td_block_wrap vc_raw_html tdi_104 \">\n<div class=\"td-fix-index\">\n<h3>More Stories<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap td_flex_block_1 tdi_105 td-pb-border-top td_module_flex_1--card td_module_flex_1--card--highlight td_block_template_2 tdc-no-posts td_flex_block\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_105\">\n<div id=\"tdi_105\" class=\"td_block_inner td-mc1-wrap\">\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Film News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Stan Lee documentary alleges former manager swindled Marvel icon out of millions<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Gaming News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">\u2018Mad Men\u2019 star Jon Hamm was nearly cast in \u2018L.A. 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Noire<\/i> is an action-adventure detective game that went on to sell more than 7.5million units. \u201cIn his fight to climb the ranks and do what\u2019s right, LAPD detective Cole Phelps must unravel the truth behind a string of arson attacks, conspiracies, and brutal murders, battling the L.A. underworld and even members of his own department,\u201d reads the official description.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<p><i>Mad Men<\/i>\u2019s Aaron Staton took on the role of Cole Phelps for <i>L.A Noire<\/i> but according to one of the game\u2019s writers Daniel McMahon, his <i>Mad Men<\/i> co-star Jon Hamm was also in the running for the part. \u201cI remember sharing pictures of Jon Hamm in his suit wearing a hat, [and] being like: \u201cLook at this guy. Like, <i>look<\/i> at this guy\u2019\u201d, McMahon said in a new interview with YouTuber Cade Onder. However, McMahon eventually came around on Staton\u2019s casting.<\/p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Inside the Story of LA Noire (And Its Cancelled Successor)\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/EsqWTz48tN8?feature=oembed&amp;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<p>\u201cJon Hamm is a wonderful actor, but he\u2019s not Cole Phelps,\u201d he added. \u201cAaron Staton was much better at portraying Cole\u2019s fragility. A lot of the time Cole\u2019s flapping around, having no idea what he\u2019s doing. He\u2019s very, very smart, but he\u2019s also young, not very experienced, and he\u2019s just trying his best. So, I think Jon Hamm would have been incredible, but expensive, and \u2013 probably in the end \u2013 not as good casting for that character as Aaron Staton was.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Despite the popularity of <em>L.A. Noire<\/em>, Rockstar Games never made a sequel.\u00a0Spiritual successor <em>Whore Of The Orient<\/em> was announced shortly after <em>L.A. Noire<\/em>\u2018s launch, but was cancelled five years later.<\/p>\n<p>In other news, video game business analyst Ben Thompson believes <i>Grand Theft Auto 6<\/i>\u00a0is the \u201clast great game\u201d we\u2019ll get before AI tools take over development.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/news\/gaming-news\/mad-men-jon-hamm-la-noire-cole-phelps-3957128&#8243;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/LA-Noire-image.jpg&#8221;] NewsGaming News \u2018Mad Men\u2019 star Jon Hamm was nearly cast in \u2018L.A. Noire\u2019 His co-star Aaron Staton ultimately played Cole Phelps in the detective game By Ali Shutler 15th July 2026 &#8216;L.A. Noire&#8217;. CREDIT: Rockstar Games It\u2019s been revealed that Mad Men star Jon Hamm was in the running to play L.A [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,78],"class_list":["post-2044787","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-nme-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2044787","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2044787"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2044787\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2044787"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2044787"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2044787"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}