Good One John Slattery Is One of the Greatest Living Readers of Dialogue
Mar 19, 2026
John Slattery, film and TV actor/director best known as Roger Sterling on Mad Men, chats about choosing roles post-Mad Men and his turn in Vladimir. He shares theater memories, stories working with legends like Al Pacino and Clint Eastwood, thoughts on aging and on-screen intimacy, and why he loves performing eloquent, verbal characters.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
How John Slattery Pitched Himself Into Vladimir
- John Slattery proactively read Vladimir and told Sharon Horgan he was right for the role, which led to him being put on a shortlist early.
- He notes early involvement is usually a disadvantage because someone often enters late with a more exciting idea and replaces you.
The Wheelhouse Tradeoff After A Breakthrough
- Success creates a wheelhouse: similar roles get offered repeatedly so you must accept work or risk unemployment.
- Slattery accepts roles in his wheelhouse while noting he also has range beyond it.
The Audition Where Hair Dye Dripped Down My Face
- Slattery once dyed his hair for an audition and arrived with dripping dye because his sister's building had no water to rinse it.
- He later stopped dyeing when it made him look oddly older and stranger, calling the effect 'an old guy with dyed hair.'