Jared Padalecki: who is Supernatural actor, what happened in car accident, what did co-star Jensen Ackles say?

Jared Padalecki, star of dark fantasy TV drama Supernatural, is said to be “lucky to be alive” after being involved in a car crash.

But who is Padalecki, what TV shows has he starred in, and what happened in the car crash?

Here’s what you need to know.

Who is Jared Padalecki?

Jared Tristan Padalecki is a 39-year-old American actor, born in Texas on 19 July 1982.

His engagement to Supernatural co-star Genevieve Cortese was announced in January 2010 and they married in February 2010.

Cortese played Ruby, the love interest of Padalecki’s character Sam in the fourth season of the show.

The couple’s first son, Thomas Colton Padalecki, was born on 19 March 2012. Their second son, Austin Shepherd "Shep" Padalecki,  followed on 22 December 2013. Their daughter, Odette Elliott Padalecki, was born on 17 March 2017.

The family still lives in Texas.

Which TV shows has Jared Padalecki starred in?

Padalecki is best known for playing the role of protagonist Sam Winchester in TV series Supernatural, which ran for 15 seasons between 2005 and 2020.

He rose to fame playing Trey Lipton, the love interest of Mary Kate Olsen’s character, Roxy Ryan, in 2004 film New York Minute.

In 2005, he played Dean Forester, the first boyfriend of Alexis Bledel’s character Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel) in hit US TV show Gilmore Girls.

Most recently, Padalecki  starred as the main character, Cordell Walker, in TV series Walker.

What happened in the car accident he was involved in?

On 24 April, Padalecki’s Supernatural co-star Jensen Ackles revealed that he had been in a car crash.

Ackles, who played Sam Winchester’s brother Dean Winchester in the show, was speaking at a Supernatural fan convention when he told fans why Padalecki was not there.

He said his co-star was  “lucky to be alive” and that Padalecki had told him that he felt like he had done “12 rounds with [American heavyweight boxing champion] [Mike] Tyson.”

He said Padalecki was recovering well at home and was not driving at the time of the accident, and there were no fatalities.

No further details about the car accident, such as the date it occured, are known at this time.

What did co-star Jensen Ackles say about the car accident?

In a video shared on Twitter Ackles, aged 44, can be heard telling fans Padalecki had said he could tell them that he had been in an accident.

After he shared the news, gasps from the crowd could be heard along with outcrys of “oh my god”.

Ackles said: “[Padalecki] was in a very bad car accident. He wasn’t driving. He was in the passenger seat, and he’s lucky to be alive.

"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.

“There were no fatalities, but he is recovering and sends his love.

“That airbag packs a punch. He’s like, ‘I feel like I went 12 rounds with Tyson.’ But he is doing ok, and he’s moving around.

“But yeah, [it was a] really, really bad car accident. Just keep him in your thoughts, send him some love if you get a chance on social and he’ll be back with us soon.”

What has Padalecki said about the accident?

Padalecki has not yet said anything publicly about the accident directly.

He last posted on his official Twitter page on 21 April, and though he addressed his absence at the convention he did not mention what had happened.

He wrote: “Hey #SpnFamily! Sorry to miss y’all in NYC this weekend. Thank you and the #WalkerFamily for all the love and support. Can’t wait to see y’all again. “

How have fans responded?

Following Ackles’s comments at the Supernatural convention, fans of the series quickly took to social media to share their support for Padalecki by using the hashtags #WeLoveYouJaredPadalecki and #GetWellSoonJared.

Tagging Padalecki’s official account, one said: “Wishing you a speedy recovery @jarpad glad you’re home recovering. Please take care of yourself and get all the rest you need. You’re so loved!!”

Another said: “Sending all the love and support to @jarpad and the entire Padalecki family.”

Another fan said: “Wishing you speedy healing, @jarpad. Gentle hugs from your #SPNFamily.”