Jensen Ackles

October 4, 2009 by Jet D
Filed under Actors 2Watch4

Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester on The CW's Supernatural If you think playing the bad boy with brooding good looks in a leather jacket that drives a fast car sounds like an easy role to play, I ask you to think again. This particular bad boy has to do more than just look cool. He has to hunt ghosts, kill demons, cry pretty and on one occasion actually die for his brother. Doesn’t sound so easy now does it? Enter Jensen Ackles, the scintillating actor who plays this unique bad boy, Dean Winchester of the CW’s “Supernatural.”

I can only imagine that fighting demons wasn’t what Jensen had in mind when he put aside his plans of going to college in his home state of Texas to study sports medicine to give Hollywood a chance. This decision came shortly after his three year run as Eric Brady on “Days of Our Lives” had ended back in the late 90’s. Maybe it was the three Daytime Emmy nominations that convinced him and his agents that he just might have some acting chops worth exploring. I guess at this point it really doesn’t matter what it was that convinced him, I’m just glad it did!

After trading in his cowboy boots for flip flops and moving west, Jensen made his first Hollywood appearance opposite fellow pretty boy Patrick Dempsey in Blonde, a mini-series about the life of Marilyn Monroe. Looking for a more steady paycheck he auditioned for the role of young Clark Kent on “Smallville”. He didn’t get the part but it helped him get his foot in the door and ultimately land the role of Alec on James Cameron’s television series “Dark Angel” in 2001. Ironically after the cancellation of “Dark Angel,” Jensen found himself full circle and back on the set of “Smallville” playing the part of Jason Teague.

It was during this time that he was asked to audition for a role in a new series being developed for the WB network. The show is about two brothers driving across America hunting the supernatural and saving people. Originally he read for the part of the younger brother Sam Winchester. But series creator Eric Kripke saw something else in Jensen that made him feel he would be better suited for the older more serious brother Dean. Wise choice as the ratings and growing fan base will attest. “Supernatural” began season five with a bang on September 10th and according to the CW press release, the show is up 60% in the networks specific target demographic, women ages 18-34. Take that “Grey’s Anatomy”!

With Jensen’s acting abilities and a face created to make women swoon, it’s a surprise that he hasn’t made more movies. Thankfully we got a 3D view of him this last January when he starred in the remake of My Bloody Valentine in, well, 3D. The movie opened to large crowds and took in a total of almost $52 mm domestically. It is now available on DVD. Quite a showing for a horror flick in the middle of winter. But if blood and violence isn’t your thing, I suggest you walk, no run to your local Blockbuster and pick up a little Indie movie called Ten Inch Hero. Jensen’s portrayal of the tattooed, Mohawk wearing, outspoken Priestly, really showcases his range as an actor with his comedic timing. Not to mention, the boy can rock a kilt and combat boots.

If all that wasn’t enough to get you interested in Mr. Ackles, he also appeared as Lt Kaffee alongside Lou Diamond Phillips in a stage production of A Few Good Men at the Casa Mañana Theatre in Fort Worth, Texas in the summer of 2007. Jensen received good reviews for his performance, the first on stage since he left high school. I can attest to the great performance since I was lucky enough to have been in the audience for one of the five performances

With only a season or two left to play out his role on “Supernatural”, we can only hope that this very talented guy will give us plenty more to watch for.

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