Christina Rene Hendricks (born May 3, 1975) is an American actress known for her role as Joan Holloway in the AMC cable television series Mad Men, and as Saffron in Fox's short-lived series Firefly. A poll of female readers taken by Esquire magazine named Hendricks "the sexiest woman in the world". Hendricks was born in Knoxville, Tennessee. Her mother, Jackie Sue (née Raymond), was a psychologist. Her father, Robert Hendricks, who worked for the United States Forest Service, was from Birmingham, England. Through her father she has dual U.S./U.K. nationality. Her family moved because of her father's profession, living in Fairfax, Virginia; Portland, Oregon; and Twin Falls, Idaho. Hendricks is a natural blonde and began coloring her hair red at the age of 10 after reading Anne of Green Gables. She plays the accordion, and used her talent on an episode of Mad Men. On October 11, 2009, Hendricks married actor Geoffrey Arend. Hendricks began acting in children's musical theater productions in Twin Falls. She was a model from the ages of 18 to 27. She made a number of guest television appearances, starting as a regular in the series Beggars and Choosers.