What Jen wants, Jen gets.
Jennifer Aniston and Jon Hamm — whose latest on-screen sex scene has gone viral — have always wanted to work together. So when the “Morning Show” creators were looking to cast the role of newcomer Paul Marks, it was a done deal.
“Who would play Paul was a list of one,” executive producer Kristin Hahn previously told The Hollywood Reporter. “Jen and Jon have been friendly for years and have wanted to work together I think for a while.”
“So when Paul Marks became a part of the conversation, it was a list of one,” she continued. “And so it was a little scary because if he had said no, I don’t know what we would have done. It was this or bust. Thankfully, he said yes.”
Hahn is Aniston’s producing partner with Echo Films. The “Just Go With It” actress has played Alex Levy on the Apple TV+ drama since its 2019 debut.
Hamm’s billionaire Paul Marks has been compared to Elon Musk by viewers so far.
He’s “a character who is an amalgam of a lot of different individuals,” executive producer Lauren Neustadter told THR. “And he’s also incredibly grounded and authentic in a way that feels very Charlotte Stoudt.”
“The entire season pivots around his moves,” Media Res executive producer Michael Ellenberg added. “The audience will see what the dynamic is like with him and Alex Levy, but it’s a complicated one; it’s an emotional one. We also wanted someone who would be an equal force with Billy Crudup and Greta Lee [who plays UBA President Stella Bak]. The new man’s in town who can give them all what they want; there’s a big price to it. I don’t know that there was anyone better than Jon Hamm that we could have gotten for that role.”
He also related the character to Hamm’s iconic “Mad Men” character. “I think the opportunity to access the legacy of Don Draper, but in a new fashion, was kind of undeniable to us,” he said. “Paul is quite a powerful guy and a wealthy guy. He does have a heart and he’s quite handsome.”
Alex would think so too. In the latest episode of the series, titled “The Stanford Student,” Aniston and Hamm’s characters strip down for a hot and heavy sex scene after having an intense interview.
The raunchy moment is a first for the “Friends” alum on a project. During the hookup, Alex is at one point shown lying naked on top of Paul.
“It was a closed set, and two very grown-up actors who really understood the nature of the storytelling and were very much a part of it,” director Mimi Leder told Variety after the episode aired. “We wanted it to be sensitive. We wanted it to be sexy. We wanted it to be adult. We wanted it to be emotional. They really let go. They’re great actors. And there you have it.”
Season 3 of “The Morning Show” will consist of 10 episodes. The series also stars Reese Witherspoon, Billy Crudup, Greta Lee, Mark Duplass, Karen Pittman, Julianna Margulies, Tig Notaro, Stephen Fry and Natalie Morales. Nicole Beharie joined as a new cast member alongside Hamm.
The show was renewed by the streamer in April, with Aniston noting it’s “such a pleasant set to be on.”
“We thrive and it’s quite — dare I say it — easy,” she told Variety. “We love to communicate. We love to work stuff out, and we don’t just shove stuff under the rug. There’s no stone left unturned in a creative decision. We all put our heads together. There’s something so wonderful about trusting in your co-workers to know that if five people tell you look sick, then I’m gonna lay down, I’m gonna put my sword down on this one.”
