Jensen Ackles: Jared Padalecki “lucky to be alive” after car accident
By Dan Selcke
Supernatural fans got an unwelcome surprise at a New Jersey fan convention over the weekend when star Jensen Ackles, who played Dean Winchester for all 15 seasons of the show, revealed that his costar Jared Padalecki (Sam) couldn’t make it because he was recovering from a “very bad car accident.”
“He wasn’t driving, he was in the passenger seat, and he’s lucky to be alive,” Ackles revealed. “And not only that, but he’s at home recovering which—the fact that he’s not in a hospital right now is blowing my mind because I saw the car.”
Happily, no one died in the accident, although apparently the “airbag pack[ed] a punch” that made Padalecki “feel like he went 12 rounds with Mike Tyson.” Ackles wrapped up by telling the crowd to “keep him in your thoughts” and to “send him some love if you get the chance on social, and he’ll be back with us soon.”
Jensen Ackles reveals that Jared Padalecki was in a “very bad car accident”
Supernatural ended in 2020, and both actors have done well since. Padalecki is the star of the Walker, Texas Ranger reboot Walker on The CW, while Ackles will shortly appear as Soldier Boy in the third season of The Boys on Amazon Prime Video.
It’s also very possible the two could return to the Supernatural universe at some point. Ackles is already working on a prequel show called The Winchesters, and The CW has said it would be open to reviving the series more directly as well.
Whether or not that happens, we wish Padalecki a speedy recovery. The second season of Walker is currently airing on The CW, and The Boys season 3 premieres on June 3 on Amazon.
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h/t The A.V. Club