Kiernan Shipka Says Her Entire Career Traces Back To 'Mad Men' As She Joins 'Industry' Season 4

Kiernan Shipka is taking a moment to reflect on the role that shaped her entire career as she continues to take on more complex and adult projects.

While attending the New York City premiere of Industry season 4, she spoke openly about how much her early work still means to her.

"I mean, Mad Men's such a legacy show and it's crazy to be a part of it," Shipka, 26, exclusively told Us Weekly on Thursday, January 8, as she arrived at Regal Union Square.

"It still sort of blows my mind," she continued. "I actually think the older that I get and the further away from it I get, the weirder and wilder it is to process the fact that that was a part of my life and it's something that I'm part of — but it's cool."

Shipka is best known for playing Sally Draper on Mad Men, the daughter of Don Draper, portrayed by Jon Hamm, and Betty Draper, played by January Jones.

Kiernan at HBO's "Industry" Season 4 New York Screening after party ShutterStock

She appeared on the series for all seven seasons, meaning she spent much of her childhood growing up on a television set.

Since then, Shipka has gone on to lead Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and appear in a range of films and series.

Still, she often points back to Mad Men as the foundation that taught her how to act, work on set, and understand storytelling.

"I had someone tell me the other day that they were watching Mad Men on HBO Max, and then it cuts to, like, a trailer for Industry, and I'm doing something very adult and it's kind of, like, wild that it's been so long," Shipka explained. "But it's exciting and I will always owe, quite literally, everything here to Mad Men."

Now, Shipka is stepping into the high-pressure, morally messy world of Industry.

She joins season 4 as Hayley Clay, an executive assistant at a fintech company who is described as a "full party girl."

According to Shipka, the role immediately stood out because of how layered and unpredictable the character felt on the page.

"I think just that she was very layered, very complicated, and I looked at her whole journey as, like, this big old map and I got to sort of place who she was playing, where and when, and she was just a fun person to dive into," she said.

"She kind of had a lot of beats and moments to sort of, you know, fill out her story and she's also just, like, kind of sassy and raw. I loved her."

Kiernan Shipka owes Mad Men everything Getty Images

Another part of the appeal came from leaning fully into the character’s lifestyle, which exists firmly inside the show’s intense and indulgent universe.

Shipka said exploring the "party girl" side of Hayley was a big part of what made the role so enjoyable.

"So fun! Oh my god, I mean, I've done enough research and development in my own life," she joked. "It's good that I finally got to bring it."

Without giving away too many details, Shipka teased that viewers should not assume they know where Hayley’s story is headed.

Even longtime fans of Industry, a show known for its raw take on power, sex, and ambition, may not see this arc coming.

"I just hope that they're surprised by her," Shipka said. "I was surprised by her. I was surprised reading it. I never knew what her next move was, and I really hope that people don't see what's coming."

Kiernan at HBO's "Industry" Season 4 New York Screening after party ShutterStock

For Shipka, the transition from child actor to adult roles has been gradual but intentional.

Each new project has allowed her to push further away from expectations while still honoring where she started.

As she continues to build a career defined by bold choices and complex characters, Shipka remains clear about one thing.

No matter how far she goes, Mad Men will always be the place where everything began.