Jared Padalecki spent most of his adult life as the co-lead on Supernatural, but how old was the actor at the start and end of the hit show?
Supernatural spanned 15 years and launched the careers of Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles. Created by Eric Kripke, Supernatural was very popular, defying the expectations of sci-fi fantasy shows from its era. Ending in November 2020, Padalecki and Ackles spent much of their adult lives on the show.
Jared Padalecki began his career as a teenager on the TV show Gilmore Girls, where he played Rory Gilmore's boyfriend, Dean Forester. He was a regular on the show for seasons 1,4, and 5, spending the second and third seasons on the main cast. The same year his stint on Gilmore Girls ended marked the start of his journey as Supernatural's Sam Winchester. Despite the show's end and a prequel on the horizon, both Padalecki and Ackles have not closed the door on a potential revival show of Supernatural.
Jared Padalecki was born July 19, 1982. This would make him 23 years old at the show's start in 2005, which is relatively young to become the star of a hit TV series. By the show's end in the back half of 2020, Padalecki was 38, basically growing into middle age throughout the series.
How Old Sam Winchester Was In Supernatural Seasons 1 & 15
Jared Padalecki's character, Sam Winchester, is around the same age he is. Often, TV actors play significantly younger characters than their actual age, especially in teen dramas. However, Sam Winchester was born in May 1983, which is not even a full year after Padalecki was born. Similarly, Jensen Ackles' character, Dean Winchester, is also a year younger than his actor counterpart. The ages of Sam and Dean Winchester in Supernatural mirror the age difference between the actors as well, creating good continuity for the show. Part of the reason for the show's success is the synergy between Padalecki and Ackles. Their brotherly bond, coupled with the show's format, which focused on a singular hunt and resolution in most episodes, is the reason for the show's longevity.
With Supernaturalat its end, audiences can now focus on the prequel series, The Winchesters. The show will focus on Sam and Dean's parents and take place in the 1970s, which is not long before the brothers were born. It is unknown if any of the original cast will return, with the exception of Ackles, but Supernatural was known for being able to bring back past characters in creative ways.
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