# Jared Padalecki
**Jared Padalecki** (born 1982 in [San Antonio](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-antonio), Texas) is an American actor and producer best known for playing Dean Forester on *Gilmore Girls* and [Sam Winchester](https://www.edgepedia.org/sam-winchester) for fifteen seasons of *Supernatural*, and later for starring in and executive producing [The CW](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-cw)'s *Walker*.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1982, San Antonio, Texas[1](https://www.buddytv.com/the-life-and-career-of-supernaturals-jared-padalecki/) |
| Breakthrough role | Dean Forester, Rory Gilmore's first boyfriend on *Gilmore Girls*, landed in 2000 at age 17, originally contracted for four episodes[2](https://jared-padalecki.com/articles/variety-magazine-june-2024/) |
| Signature role | Sam Winchester on *Supernatural*, 15 seasons (2005–2020), the longest-running series in The CW's history[3](https://www.cwtvpr.com/the-cw/talent/?view=jared-padalecki) |
| Producing debut | Star and executive producer of *Walker* (2021–2024), his first producing job, canceled after four seasons[2](https://jared-padalecki.com/articles/variety-magazine-june-2024/) |
| Advocacy | Launched the "Always Keep Fighting" campaign in March 2015 for mental health, depression, and suicide prevention; more than 24,500 shirts sold in the first week[4](https://twloha.com/blog/jared-padalecki-always-keep-fighting/) |
| Business | Co-founder of MANTRA Labs, a nutrition company, with Paul Janowitz[3](https://www.cwtvpr.com/the-cw/talent/?view=jared-padalecki) |
| Upcoming | Stars with Leighton Meester in *Guarding Stars*, a Netflix holiday romantic comedy adapted from Katherine Center's novel *The Bodyguard*, set for release on November 18, 2026[5](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/leighton-meester-jared-padalecki-bodyguard-adaptation-cast-news-movie-name) |
## Early life and start in acting
Born in San Antonio, Texas, Padalecki is the son of Sherri (Kammer), who taught English, and Gerald Padalecki, who worked as a tax accountant.[6](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0655585/?showAllCredits=true) After graduating in 2000, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting[6](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0655585/?showAllCredits=true). A nationwide contest had earlier led to an appearance on the 1999 [Teen Choice Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/teen-choice-awards), and he used the opportunity to make the move to Los Angeles[7](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jared-padalecki/).
In interviews he has described how precarious those first years were: when he filmed the *Gilmore Girls* pilot at 17, the only apartment he could afford in Los Angeles had a door that did not lock and sat in the parking lot of a liquor store[8](https://www.looper.com/1553832/jared-padalecki-exclusive-interview-gilmore-girls-walker-season-4-change/). He had a school schedule for the [University of Texas at Austin](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-texas-at-austin) at the time and expected to do a couple of episodes, pay off some student loans, and return[9](https://www.tvline.com/interviews/jared-padalecki-new-tv-series-walker-cancelled-1235270192/).
## Gilmore Girls
In 2000, at 17, Padalecki landed the role of Dean Forester, the first love of [Alexis Bledel](https://www.edgepedia.org/alexis-bledel)'s Rory Gilmore, on the family dramedy *Gilmore Girls*[2](https://jared-padalecki.com/articles/variety-magazine-june-2024/). Originally contracted for only four episodes, he went on to appear in the first five seasons[2](https://jared-padalecki.com/articles/variety-magazine-june-2024/). At a 2015 ATX Television Festival reunion panel, [Lauren Graham](https://www.edgepedia.org/lauren-graham) and creator [Amy Sherman-Palladino](https://www.edgepedia.org/amy-sherman-palladino) revealed that Padalecki was not the original Dean; there had been two Canadian actors considered for the part before the producers decided to cast an American[10](https://time.com/3911816/gilmore-girls-reunion-five-things-to-learn/).
He later reprised Dean in the Netflix revival miniseries *Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life*[3](https://www.cwtvpr.com/the-cw/talent/?view=jared-padalecki). He has said that the scene fans bring up most often involves cornstarch, which Rory steals from the market, a moment the revival referenced[11](https://jared-padalecki.com/articles/people-magazine-november-2025/).
## Supernatural
His performances in horror films such as *House of Wax* (2005) and *Cry Wolf* (2005) laid the groundwork for his casting as Sam Winchester in *Supernatural*, which premiered on The WB on September 13, 2005[7](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jared-padalecki/). The show, created by [Eric Kripke](https://www.edgepedia.org/eric-kripke), followed Sam and his brother Dean ([Jensen Ackles](https://www.edgepedia.org/jensen-ackles)) as they hunted paranormal evils across the country in a 1967 [Chevrolet Impala](https://www.edgepedia.org/chevrolet-impala)[7](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jared-padalecki/). When it premiered, it aired after *Gilmore Girls* on Tuesday nights, a scheduling choice intended to carry Padalecki's fans over to the new show[12](https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/9a98/88cae02dbf24de9ea4bbd4c4dddefcc7bf51.pdf).
*Supernatural* ran for fifteen seasons and 327 episodes, surviving a writers' strike, the network's transition from The WB to The CW, and repeated character deaths[13](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/i-rewatched-supernatural-pilot-20th-anniversary-chick-flick-moment). The CW describes it as the longest-running series in the network's history and the longest-running genre show in American prime-time broadcast television[3](https://www.cwtvpr.com/the-cw/talent/?view=jared-padalecki). Padalecki and Ackles decided together during season 14 to end the show, telling then-CW president Mark Pedowitz that season 15 would be the last[9](https://www.tvline.com/interviews/jared-padalecki-new-tv-series-walker-cancelled-1235270192/). Padalecki has said that *Gilmore Girls* and *Supernatural* now rank among the top ten most watched shows on Netflix worldwide every year[9](https://www.tvline.com/interviews/jared-padalecki-new-tv-series-walker-cancelled-1235270192/).
His film work during and around the series included the Twentieth Century Fox remake *Flight of the Phoenix* (2004), *House of Wax*, *Cry Wolf*, and the 2009 *Friday the 13th*, in which he played Clay Miller[3](https://www.cwtvpr.com/the-cw/talent/?view=jared-padalecki) • [14](https://jared-padalecki.com/filmography/).
## Walker and producing
After *Supernatural* ended, Padalecki became the star and executive producer of *Walker*, a modern reimagining of the 1990s [Chuck Norris](https://www.edgepedia.org/chuck-norris) series *Walker, Texas Ranger*, developed by showrunner Anna Fricke[2](https://jared-padalecki.com/articles/variety-magazine-june-2024/). It was the first television show he produced[15](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-studios/shows/walker-independence/talent/?view=jared-padalecki-3). The series premiere drew the largest audience in The CW's time slot in over four years, and the show was quickly renewed for a second season as the network's most-watched series premiere in five years[3](https://www.cwtvpr.com/the-cw/talent/?view=jared-padalecki).
Padalecki described the reboot as a character study rather than a martial-arts action show, following a widower and father of two returning home to Austin, and said playing a father on television for the first time mirrored his own life as a parent of three[8](https://www.looper.com/1553832/jared-padalecki-exclusive-interview-gilmore-girls-walker-season-4-change/). He also served as executive producer on the spin-off *Walker: Independence*[15](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-studios/shows/walker-independence/talent/?view=jared-padalecki-3).
The CW canceled *Walker* in 2024 after four seasons; the June 26, 2024 season finale doubled as the series finale[2](https://jared-padalecki.com/articles/variety-magazine-june-2024/). Padalecki publicly criticized the network's strategy after the cancellation and said he was still grieving the show's end[2](https://jared-padalecki.com/articles/variety-magazine-june-2024/). Reflecting on a 24-year television run, he told TVLine he was tired and had no new series planned, saying he did not foresee signing another long-running TV contract while his children were young[9](https://www.tvline.com/interviews/jared-padalecki-new-tv-series-walker-cancelled-1235270192/).
## Always Keep Fighting and mental health advocacy
In March 2015, Padalecki launched the "Always Keep Fighting" T-shirt campaign through the company Represent, choosing to direct the majority of the money to To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA), a nonprofit supporting people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide, with additional donations to Attitudes In Reverse, Wounded Warrior, and a fund in the name of his friend Matt Riley, who died by suicide[4](https://twloha.com/blog/jared-padalecki-always-keep-fighting/). The campaign sold more than 24,500 shirts and sweatshirts in its first week[4](https://twloha.com/blog/jared-padalecki-always-keep-fighting/).
On April 16, 2015, Padalecki and Ackles announced a joint charitable fund to distribute money raised by their campaigns to organizations including To Write Love On Her Arms, Wounded Warriors, St. Jude's, and Attitudes In Reverse[16](https://jared-padalecki.com/always-keep-fighting/). Later shirt campaigns supported the fund and the SPNFamily Crisis Support Network; the July 2015 shirt sold 40,152 copies and the November 2015 shirt 45,989[16](https://jared-padalecki.com/always-keep-fighting/).
Padalecki has spoken openly about his own anxiety and depression[17](https://www.eonline.com/news/679901/jared-padalecki-opens-up-about-his-struggle-with-anxiety-and-depression-i-m-not-alone), and in 2015 he checked into a clinic for suicidal ideation[18](https://www.tvline.com/interviews/jared-padalecki-suicidal-ideation-clinic-2015-supernatural-1235270723/). In March 2025 he marked ten years of the campaign[19](https://supernaturalwiki.com/Always_Keep_Fighting). He also designed a "You Define You" apparel line in support of Mental Health Awareness Day, with proceeds benefiting Dream Big! and spcaLA[3](https://www.cwtvpr.com/the-cw/talent/?view=jared-padalecki).
## Recent and upcoming work
After *Walker*, Padalecki took guest and short-arc roles rather than another series lead. He played Camden Casey in a season 3 arc of *Fire Country* in 2024[7](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jared-padalecki/), and appeared as Mister Marathon in season 5 of *The Boys*, reuniting on screen with Ackles and [Misha Collins](https://www.edgepedia.org/misha-collins) for the first time since *Supernatural* ended[20](https://www.televisionacademy.com/files/assets/ballots/performer-2026-v3.pdf) • [21](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/superhero-shows/supernatural-fans-agree-that-the-long-awaited-reunion-was-upstaged-by-all-those-surprise-actor-cameos-in-the-boys-season-5-episode-5/).
He stars as Jack, an action star protected by a bodyguard played by [Leighton Meester](https://www.edgepedia.org/leighton-meester), in *Guarding Stars*, a Netflix holiday romantic comedy adapted from Katherine Center's 2022 novel *The Bodyguard*, directed by Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum and scheduled for release on November 18, 2026[5](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/leighton-meester-jared-padalecki-bodyguard-adaptation-cast-news-movie-name). Padalecki and his wife [Genevieve](https://www.edgepedia.org/genevieve) are among the film's producers through their company Living in the Asterisk[5](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/leighton-meester-jared-padalecki-bodyguard-adaptation-cast-news-movie-name).
## Personal life
Padalecki met actress Genevieve Cortese when she appeared as a guest star on *Supernatural*; they married, and she is now known as Genevieve Padalecki[22](https://www.rogerebert.com/chazs-blog/an-ode-to-supernatural). The couple lives in Austin, Texas, with their three children[3](https://www.cwtvpr.com/the-cw/talent/?view=jared-padalecki). In business, he co-founded the nutrition company MANTRA Labs with Paul Janowitz, built around the principles of movement, rest, and community[3](https://www.cwtvpr.com/the-cw/talent/?view=jared-padalecki).
## References
1. [The Life and Career of Supernatural's Jared Padalecki, BuddyTV](https://www.buddytv.com/the-life-and-career-of-supernaturals-jared-padalecki/)
2. [Jared Padalecki Says Goodbye to 'Walker', Variety (June 2024), via Adoring Jared Padalecki](https://jared-padalecki.com/articles/variety-magazine-june-2024/)
3. [Jared Padalecki biography, The CW Press](https://www.cwtvpr.com/the-cw/talent/?view=jared-padalecki)
4. [Jared Padalecki Explains What Inspires Him to "Always Keep Fighting", To Write Love on Her Arms](https://twloha.com/blog/jared-padalecki-always-keep-fighting/)
5. [Guarding Stars: Leighton Meester and Jared Padalecki to Star in Holiday Rom-Com, Netflix Tudum](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/leighton-meester-jared-padalecki-bodyguard-adaptation-cast-news-movie-name)
6. [Jared Padalecki, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0655585/?showAllCredits=true)
7. [Jared Padalecki, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jared-padalecki/)
8. [How Jared Padalecki Changed From A Gilmore Girls Kid To Walker Season 4's Father, Looper](https://www.looper.com/1553832/jared-padalecki-exclusive-interview-gilmore-girls-walker-season-4-change/)
9. [Jared Padalecki Reflects On His 24-Year TV Run, TVLine](https://www.tvline.com/interviews/jared-padalecki-new-tv-series-walker-cancelled-1235270192/)
10. [Gilmore Girls Stars Don't Recall Context of Their Most Popular Quotes, TIME](https://time.com/3911816/gilmore-girls-reunion-five-things-to-learn/)
11. [People Magazine: November 2025, via Adoring Jared Padalecki](https://jared-padalecki.com/articles/people-magazine-november-2025/)
12. [Academic chapter on Supernatural's premiere scheduling, Semantic Scholar](https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/9a98/88cae02dbf24de9ea4bbd4c4dddefcc7bf51.pdf)
13. [I Rewatched Supernatural's Pilot For The 20th Anniversary, CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/television/i-rewatched-supernatural-pilot-20th-anniversary-chick-flick-moment)
14. [Jared Padalecki Filmography, Adoring Jared Padalecki](https://jared-padalecki.com/filmography/)
15. [Walker Independence talent biography, Paramount Press Express](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-studios/shows/walker-independence/talent/?view=jared-padalecki-3)
16. [Always Keep Fighting, Adoring Jared Padalecki](https://jared-padalecki.com/always-keep-fighting/)
17. [Jared Padalecki Opens Up About His Struggle with Anxiety and Depression, E! News](https://www.eonline.com/news/679901/jared-padalecki-opens-up-about-his-struggle-with-anxiety-and-depression-i-m-not-alone)
18. [Jared Padalecki Checked Into Clinic For 'Suicidal Ideation' In 2015, TVLine](https://www.tvline.com/interviews/jared-padalecki-suicidal-ideation-clinic-2015-supernatural-1235270723/)
19. [Always Keep Fighting, Super-wiki](https://supernaturalwiki.com/Always_Keep_Fighting)
20. [Television Academy Awards performer ballots (2026)](https://www.televisionacademy.com/files/assets/ballots/performer-2026-v3.pdf)
21. [Supernatural reunion in The Boys season 5, GamesRadar](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/superhero-shows/supernatural-fans-agree-that-the-long-awaited-reunion-was-upstaged-by-all-those-surprise-actor-cameos-in-the-boys-season-5-episode-5/)
22. [An Ode to Supernatural, RogerEbert.com](https://www.rogerebert.com/chazs-blog/an-ode-to-supernatural)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames P to Ph*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license