Jensen Ackles shared a sweet story about how Jared Padalecki welcomed him on his first day on set directing Walker. Few co-star relationships have lasted as long as Ackles and Padalecki's and their comradeship was largely built through their work on Supernatural. Padalecki and Ackles starred in CW's horror drama, which ran from 2005 to 2020. The hugely popular series was created by Eric Kripke and follows two brothers, Dean (Ackles) and Sam Winchester (Padalecki), who set off to fight demons and other supernatural forces in search of their missing father.
Since the series came to an end, Padalecki and Ackles have both navigated their own separate projects. Padalecki began starring in CW's Walker in 2021, an American crime drama and reimagining of the TV series Walker, Texas Ranger. The series follows Cordell Walker (Padalecki) a widowed father struggling to reconnect with his children and family while also piecing together the circumstances of his wife's death. Meanwhile, Ackles reunited with Kripke to star in the black comedy superhero series The Boys. The series follows a group of vigilantes as they attempt to expose and stop superheroes who abuse their powers. While Padalecki and Ackles have diverged paths, the two were recently reunited on the Walker set.
In an interview with EW, Ackles shared Padalecki's sweet response to him directing an episode of Walker. While Ackles had previously directed on the set of Supernatural, it was a bit different for him to walk onto an entirely new set in the role of director. However, Padalecki stepped up to ensure Ackles' experience was as smooth as possible. In a speech, Padalecki introduced Ackles as his brother and explained that he wouldn't be where he is now without him. Check out Ackles' statement below:
Well, look, it was still a friendly set. [Laughs] Jared had laid the groundwork of like, "This is my brother. I'm here because of what he and I built together." He gave a great speech to the whole crew, saying, "We wouldn't be here without the work that this guy did with me." I was vouched for by the commander-in-chief, so although I was a guest in someone else's house, it was a house that felt very welcoming.
Padalecki's speech is especially sweet, considering that the two recently experienced a rough patch in their relationship. In the summer of 2021, much to the excitement of fans, Ackles revealed he and his wife were developing a Supernatural prequel series, The Winchesters, with CW. However, things took an awkward turn when Padalecki revealed he had not been kept in the loop and had no idea The Winchesters was in development. Naturally, Padalecki was gutted, considering he spent 15-years on Supernatural alongside Ackles. However, the two have since reiterated that there are no hard feelings between them, as it was simply a misunderstanding relating to Ackles' uncertainty on if The Winchesters was even happening. Padalecki's sweet speech to Ackles further cements that the two have made amends and they still have each others' backs.
From Ackles' story, it seems that his and Padalecki's reunion on the set of Walker was a successful one. Ackles previously directed six episodes of Supernatural, but his stint on Walker was the first time he has directed in several years and the first outside of Supernatural. Hence, it was especially heartwarming that Padalecki instantly vouched for him and saw to it that his cast and crew treated Ackles respectfully. Meanwhile, Padalecki displayed a great deal of humility in acknowledging how he and Ackles have helped each other build up their careers through Supernatural. Supernatural was truly a joint effort between the two and its success has certainly elevated Ackles and Padalecki's careers and given them the opportunity to branch out. Overall, Padalecki and Ackles's reunion on the Walker set is a solid example of how true friendships can stand the test of time, survive through fallouts, and thrive off of mutual respect and appreciation.
Source: Entertainment Weekly