SYDNEY MORNING HERALD Hollywood is littered with tragic stories and cautionary tales about child actors. Then there’s Kiernan Shipka, the unaffected young actor who grew up in our living rooms, playing Don Draper’s precocious daughter Sally between the ages of eight and 15 in the TV series Mad Men.

Now 19, the sassy blonde has come into her own, starring in the titular role in the Netflix series Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, the latest TV show to be based on the Archie Comics’ character Sabrina the Teenage Witch. This adaptation is a dark coming-of-age story, inspired by Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist, that follows the half-mortal witch Sabrina Spellman as she struggles to reconcile her dual nature.

“It’s been so much fun,” Kiernan says, giggling into the phone from a taxi in Toronto, Canada, on her way to a doctor’s appointment on her day off from filming the romantic comedy Let It Snow. She’s excited about the upcoming second season of Sabrina, in which her character struggles with a deal she’s made with the devil.

“It was cool because we shot both the first season and the second all in one and I felt like there was this natural progression throughout,” she says. “Sabrina grew up mortal, so that’s a more dominant personality trait in the first season. But as she comes into her power, it’s about exploring the other side of herself and she really goes all in.

“I really enjoyed playing her in the second season because her dark side is just so feisty and fiery and there’s a really powerful element to that.”

One of Sabrina’s more complex relationships is with her capricious Aunt Zelda, played by Australian actress Miranda Otto (the pair had just worked together on a horror film, The Silence, when they discovered they’d been cast as family in Sabrina).

“I love her and we are very close in real life, nothing like the tumultuous relationship we have on the show,” Kiernan says warmly. “And I learnt so much from her professionally. She truly creates such a beautiful history for her character and has a lot of ideas for Zelda that come just from her, and that kind of extra care and thought put into the role really shows.”

Kiernan Brennan Shipka was born in Chicago to John Shipka, a real estate developer, and his wife Erin Brennan, a one-time queen of Chicago’s St Patrick’s Day parade. Kiernan was only five months old when she made her acting debut in the long-running medical drama ER.

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STYLIST – Kiernan Shipka is having a blast. Jolene by Dolly Parton is booming through the photo studio speakers and Shipka is singing along at the top of her voice, living every word.

When the music changes, Robyn’s Dancing On My Own comes on and she’s lost in the moment, fizzing with energy. If you ever needed a reminder of the sheer optimism and lust for life you had at 19 (and really, who doesn’t need that right now?) it’s right here dancing in this studio in New York.

Since starring as Sally Draper in Mad Men, Shipka has frequently been described as preternaturally mature or old beyond her years. And in a way that’s true. She speaks eloquently about her love of literature and makes a point of shaking everyone’s hand after the shoot has finished, which is quite rare for any celebrity let alone one who is 19. But she is also wide-eyed about the world.

Wearing a red Moncler jumper she bought herself as a Valentine’s present the previous day, she finishes an answer with “obvi” or exclaims, “Oh my god, I died,” about Dolly Parton’s recent collaboration with Miley Cyrus at the Grammys, and suddenly there’s no question of her youth.

Born in Chicago and raised in Los Angeles, Shipka made her television debut at five months old in ER before landing her role in Mad Men aged six. Sally, a strong-willed proto-feminist who rebelled against her parents, grew up on screen for nearly 10 years, as did Shipka.

She has, it seems, remained unscathed in the notoriously difficult world of child actors. Her mum accompanies her on set (and to Stylist’s photo shoot), and she still lives at home in LA with “the fam”, although change is afoot. “I’m making the big move to the guest house,” she laughs. “They’re kicking me into the garage.”’

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When the world is under attack from terrifying creatures who hunt their human prey by sound, 16-year old Ally Andrews (Kiernan Shipka), who lost her hearing at 13, and her family seek refuge in a remote haven. But they discover a sinister cult who are eager to exploit Ally’s heightened senses. Based on the acclaimed novel, THE SILENCE is directed by John R. Leonetti (ANNABELLE) and stars Stanley Tucci, Kiernan Shipka, Miranda Otto, John Corbett, Kate Trotter and Kyle Breitkopf. Watch on April 10th, only on Netflix.

Last night (March 23), Kiernan atttended the Kid’s Choice Awards. She looked super beautiful wearing Miu Miu Pre-Fall 2019. You can check out photos from the arrivals, backstage, green room, and show in the gallery. Enjoy!

Last Sunday (March 17), Kiernan attended a Q&A and Reception for Chilling Adventures of Sabrina at the Pacific Design Center. The gallery has now been updated with HQ photos from the event.

NETFLIX – It’s a wicked world out there, and Sabrina is brewing up trouble. After signing her name in the Book of the Beast, Sabrina struggles to find the balance between her place in the mortal world and her new darker side. New challenges await Sabrina in Part 2, including having to choose between the familiar mortal Harvey Kinkle, and the sexy warlock Nicholas Scratch. She may have signed her name to the Dark Lord, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t willing to raise a little hell. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina continues April 5. Starring Kiernan Shipka.

Kiernan has done a new photoshoot for The Telegraph! You can check out beautiful outtakes in the gallery and read her interview below.

TELEGRAPH – Child stars tend to all grow up in the same way: early success, flailing box-office figures through puberty, parental emancipation, a very public skidding off the rails, a couple of stints in rehab, bankruptcy and finally, self-imposed isolation.

Kiernan Shipka shows no sign of following that pattern. At 19, she is just old enough to vote (and she intends to: “I try to be woke”), but too young to buy alcohol in America – not that the legal drinking age, or the illegality of drugs, has stopped many child stars from developing habits, I remind her. “I was doing really normal kid things so I guess that never even really felt available. I mean, I’m sure it was available if I’d really sought it out, but I didn’t.”

Depending on your age, you’ll recognise Shipka for one of two roles. To the over 30s, she’s Sally, the eldest child of Don and Betty Draper on the long-running series Mad Men, Matthew Weiner’s drama set in the advertising industry in 1960s New York.

To the under 30s, she’s Sabrina Spellman, the half-witch, half-mortal protagonist of Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, based on the Archie Comics character. It’s produced by the team behind Riverdale, Netflix’s incredibly popular modern take on the Betty and Veronica, Archie and Jughead comics.

Dressed in velvet trousers and a matching crop top, her blonde bob slicked back, Shipka looks, if anything, younger than her years, seeming precocious as she gushes “thank-you-so-much” at speed to everyone on set. It’s the morning after Fendi’s autumn/winter 2019 menswear show in Milan, and Shipka fizzes over the clothes, the city…

She’s at ease in the fashion-shoot setting, used to working with stylists both on television sets and for red carpet appearances, where her style has evolved from child-appropriate babydoll and prom dresses to embellished mini-dresses and statement trouser suits of late.

Her accent is broad LA: she projects her voice, and smiles constantly. (If anyone at home is having problems with surly teens, media training might provide the answer.) Despite her youth, Shipka is focused, at ease, eloquent. There’s no agent in the room with us to deflect unwelcome questions; neither is there any trace of nervousness – but then, she’s not new to this.
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DEADLINE – Netflix has assembled a solid group of young actors to star in Let It Snow, a YA film based on the 2008 NYT bestselling book by The Fault In Our Stars author John Green, as well as Lauren Myracle and Maureen Johnson. Kiernan Shipka, star of Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina series, Isabela Moner, who toplines the upcoming Dora The Explorer live-action film, Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse’s Shameik Moore, and Dumplin actress Odeya Rush are attached as leads in the pic, which is being helmed by first-time feature director Luke Snellin.

In addition, Jacob Batalon (Spider-Man: Homecoming), Miles Robbins (Halloween), Mitchell Hope (Descendants), Liv Hewson (Santa Clarita Diet), Anna Akana (You Get Me), and Joan Cusack (Shameless) will also star.

Slated to begin production early this year, Let It Snow, set during a once-in-century snowstorm on Christmas Eve, follows several high school seniors who discover unexpected opportunities as well as complications that test their friendships, love lives, and aspirations for the future.

Finding Dory scribe Victoria Strouse wrote the latest version of the screenplay. Dylan Clark, the producer behind Netflix’s highly viewed Bird Box film and The Planet of the Apes series, is producing the project via his Dylan Clark Productions shingle, along with Alexa Faigen. Exec producers are Beau Bauman of Dylan Clark Productions and Brendan Fergusom.

Shipka is repped by CAA, Anonymous Content and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern; Moner by CAA and attorneys Peikoff/Mahan; Moore by CAA and Three Six Zero; Rush by CAA, MGMT Entertainment, and Stone, Genow, Smelkinson, Binder & Christopher, LLP.

Today (January 14), Kiernan attended the Fendi show during the Milan Menswear Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2019/20 in Milan, Italy. The gallery has been updated with two photos of her at the fashion show, hopefully we will get some more.

VARIETY – Netflix has ordered two more seasons of “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.”

The streamer has ordered another 16 episodes of the series, which will be split into two parts. Netflix initially ordered 20 episodes of the show, which was split into two 10-episode seasons. Season 3 and 4 will begin production in 2019. Season 2 is set to premiere April 5, 2019. The series also launched a holiday special, “A Midwinter’s Tale,” last Friday.

“Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” imagines the origin and adventures of Sabrina the Teenage Witch as a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror, the occult and witchcraft. It finds Sabrina wrestling to reconcile her dual nature — half-witch, half-mortal — while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family and the daylight world humans inhabit.

It stars Kiernan Shipka, Miranda Otto, Lucy Davis, Ross Lynch, Michelle Gomez, Chance Perdomo, Jaz Sinclair, Richard Coyle, Tati Gabrielle, Adeline Rudolph, Abigail Cowen, Lachlan Watson and Gavin Leatherwood. Jedidiah Goodacre will join the series as Dorian Gray along with Alexis Denisof as Mary Wardwell’s boyfriend, Adam Masters.

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, who also serves as chief creative officer of Archie Comics, is the showrunner for the series. Aguirre-Sacasa executive produces alongside Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Archie Comics CEO Jon Goldwater, and Lee Toland Krieger. Berlanti Productions produces along with Warner Bros. Television.

“Praise Satan! I’m so grateful to my partners at Warner Brothers, Netflix, Berlanti Television, and Archie Productions for supporting this darker vision of the world’s most famous teen witch,” said Aguirre-Sacasa. “And I’m thrilled to be continuing to tell Sabrina’s chilling adventures with our incredible cast and crew, led by the unstoppable Kiernan Shipka.”