Says Mad Men star Christina Hendricks
Sex symbol ... Christina Hendricks
Published: 21 hrs ago
CHRISTINA HENDRICKS’ gorgeous curves have made her a sex symbol around the world.
And the Mad Men star has revealed the secret behind her amazing hourglass figure — pasta and cappuccinos.*The Sun would like to thank the Italians for their national dish
Christina, 37, explains: “I started out as a model and when I went to Italy to build my book I gained 15lb from all the pasta and cappuccinos that were part of my life over there.
“I saw my body change and I loved how it changed my appearance and how it made me look more womanly and sexy.
“I give credit to my mum, who told me to feel good about my appearance and not feel embarrassed about my body because she was never worried about looking too big or feeling fat.”
In an age of skinny actresses and size zero models, curvaceous Christina is a breath of fresh air.
Schooldays ... Christina was slimmer before she moved to Italy
It’s no wonder men cannot keep their eyes off her — but the flame-haired beauty says she is used to it.
“Men will stare and there’s nothing you can do except let a guy know if he’s staring too intently,” she reveals.
“I know I have a figure and I long ago decided that I wouldn’t starve myself and try to become one of those typically skinny actresses.
“I’m completely comfortable with my body.”
Now starring in the sixth series of Mad Men – the hit show based around the lives of ad executives on New York’s Madison Avenue – Christina’s role as Joan has made her a household name.
A respected office manager, she ends up becoming a partner in her ad agency thanks to steely ambition and her confidence around the macho men in the boardroom.
Tennessee-born Christina admits she loves that femme fatale Joan uses her sex appeal to her advantage — just like her.
She says: “I’ve long ago understood sex appeal is about projecting confidence and charm. Joan is very confident about who she is and what she wants from life. When she’s at work, she’s bossy, bold and resourceful.
“She understands office politics better than anyone, and she carries herself with pride and poise and doesn’t like to be challenged.
“Even though some of the men feel threatened by the idea of having her as a female partner, Joan won’t let them forget it and that’s why she has this commanding aura about her. She inspires me.”
Red alert ... Christina has been dyeing her naturally blonde hair since she was 10
She dyed her hair for the first time when she was just ten years old after becoming a fan of a children’s classic novel.
She said: “I was obsessed with Anne Of Green Gables. I decided I was Anne. There was something that spoke to me about her and I wanted to have her beautiful red hair.
“So my mother said, ‘Let’s just go to the drugstore and get one of those cover-the-grey rinses!’
“My hair was very blonde at the time but it went carrot red — I was over the moon.
“I went to school the next day and felt like myself. And then I went back to red over and over again. What a cool mum, right?”
Christina’s eye-catching looks made modelling a natural career choice.
Because of her father’s job, her family moved frequently and they lived in Idaho, Oregon and Virginia. She got the chance to leave small town America for the bright lights of the big city after winning a Search For A Model magazine contest in the early Nineties.
Christina says: “What I really wanted to do was get out of Virginia and live in New York — modelling was just a way of getting there.”
After that, “acting was the next best step” and Christina racked up a CV of small roles in TV and film.
But it was not until she got her role in Mad Men that she was launched on to the A-list. Now, six years after she took the part, Christina is starting to think about life after the hit show, which is due to end after the current season.
She laughs as she says: “We try not to think about it too much although we know we’re getting closer to the end. Our contracts run out next year but I’m still hoping Matt Weiner, the series creator, will change his mind and realise we need to do at least one or two more seasons.
“I don’t know whether I will ever get to play another character as interesting as the one I’m playing now or be able to have such great lines and scenes to do.
“We all know how fortunate we’ve been to be part of this.
“I would love to play Joan for ever and for her to fall in love and be happy ever after.
Go figure ... as the voluptuous Joan Harris in Mad Men
Rex Features
In contrast, Christina herself is blissfully happy. Her career is going from strength to strength, with a lead role in Ryan Gosling’s directorial debut, How To Catch A Monster, lined up, and parts in Ginger & Rosa, and Drive already under her belt.
And she is more in love than ever with 35-year-old actor husband Geoffrey Arend, who she married in 2009.
She said: “Married life has been as beautiful as I could have imagined.
“I feel I’ve grown closer to him and we’re sharing so much every day in terms of how we feel and how we see our lives moving forward together.
“I’m more aware now of making sure silly things never cause problems between us and being very protective of our time with each other.”
The pair met in 2007 when they were introduced by Christina’s Mad Men co-star Vincent Kartheiser, who plays fellow agency partner, Pete Campbell.
She became convinced Geoffrey was “The One” almost straight away.
Happy ... with husband Geoffrey Arend at Mad Men's season six launch afterparty
Rex Features
“I was able to get his number on a pretext and then over the next few weeks and months we began seeing each other and at one point we just knew it was right between us.
“Geoffrey proposed to me in a very traditional way on one knee, with flowers all over the house, and my favourite song playing. It was one of those perfect moments.”