'Mad Men' Season 7: Actress Christina Hendricks Says Saying Goodbye Will be 'Heartbreaking'

Six years ago, AMC introduced us to square-jawed enigma Don Draper, doe-eyed Peggy Olson, and an indelibly iconic redhead-- the shrewd, voluptuous secretary Joan Holloway. As "Mad Men" approaches its end, fans will be forced to say goodbye to Joan, a character who wouldn't be a part of our pop culture lexicon if it wasn't for the actress behind the '60s up-do, Christina Hendricks. Hendricks, 38, is nominated for her fourth Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of Joan, along with co-star Jon Hamm, who is nominated for Outstanding Leading Actor for his portrayal of Don Draper, and Elisabeth Moss, who is nominated for Outstanding Leading Actress for her portrayal of Peggy Olson. Hendricks spoke to the Wall Street Journal about the reluctant goodbye she will be forced to make when the nostalgic series permanently leaves the air after its seventh season in 2014.

"The anticipation of it all ending is just kind of heartbreaking," Hendricks said. "We are all going to try to enjoy the final season as much as possible. It will be the most emotional."

Hendricks also mused about the changing gender dynamics of the show as it moves forward in time and showcases women in positions of power. "["Mad Men" creator] Matt [Weiner] is telling the story of changing times," Hendricks told WSJ. "It's a decade when things are really shifting and very powerful things are happening for women. What I love about 'Mad Men' is that there are many different female characters and it's up to us to represent different kinds of women."

Hendricks also claims that as much as this past June's sixth season finale shocked fans, fans should not discount the possibility of more surprises. The shocking penultimate finale shattered the perfect exterior of Don Draper, with Don's demons -- namely his drinking and philandering-- finally breaking through the surface and wreaking havoc upon his final bulwarks of normalcy: his job at Sterling Cooper & Partners, which is in jeopardy due to an ad pitch gone wrong, and his children, who no longer see him a paragon of morality due to his daughter catching him in a tryst with his neighbor. Yet, Hendricks says that creator Matt Weiner will keep fans guessing.

"I'm sure Matt will surprise us all," Hendricks said. "I don't know if anything in the final season will turn out how we expected it to, Matt always challenges what people expect. I'll know what happens when I get a script."