Minnesota actor Rich Sommer reflects on life after 'Mad Men'

It's been almost four years since "Mad Men" left the air, but people still have a hard time distinguishing cast member Rich Sommer from the weaselly ad executive he played on the iconic show.

"It hss become clear over the years just how much people hated Harry Crane," the Stillwater-raised actor said Thursday in Los Angeles. "He was a sleazeball. I was doing a podcast recently and someone submitted a question wondering if I was a jerk in real life, because every single character I play is a jerk. It's a fair question."

Sommer gets to a chance to exhibit some Minnesota Nice in his latest role, a cop in CW's "In the Dark," which premieres April 4 on the CW.

Sommer, who has stayed busy since "Mad Men" ended its Emmy-winning run, did find time to come home over the Christmas holidays, making sure to stop at Leo's Malt Shop in Stillwater ffor milkshakes and give his two kids a chance to do plenty of sledding.

Sommer and his wife, who grew up in Mankato, still discuss moving back to Minnesota, at least for a while. For now, there's just not enough film or TV work in the state to make it feasible.

"I keep an eye on what film and TV productions might be going on there, but right now it's sort of slim pickings," he said.

He admits he was jealous when his "Mad Men" co-star Vincent Karthheiser did "Pride & Prejudice" at the Guthrie in 2013 and would love to follow suit.

He certainly has the credentials; In 2016, he co-starred with Amy Madigan and Ed Harris in an off-Broadway revival of Sam Shepard's "Buried Child."

For now, he's busy promoting "In the Dark" and finishing up the third season of Netflix's "GLOW," which, by sheer coincidence, has shot a good portion of its scenes on the same soundstage where "Mad Men" taped.

"That was trippy," he said. "I mean, the 'Mad Men' cast had even carved our initials into a tree there."