After 15 years and 15 seasons, production on Supernatural has drawn to a close. Thus marking the conclusion to an era, which has yet to play out on-screen, because fans still have a little time left before they say goodbye to Sam and Dean Winchester next month. Considering the emotional backdrop, how did Jensen Ackles feel on the final day of filming? The soon-to-be star of The Boys has revealed the answer.
As filming on Supernatural’s final episodes began, Jensen Ackles and his long-time co-star Jared Padalecki took time out of their schedule to share some poignant social media posts. That was back in August. Now we are all in October, and production has wrapped, as the postponed last episodes of Season 15 are airing on The CW. Ackles has opened up about how he felt about that last day on set, telling TVLine:
[It was] hard not to allow that emotion, knowing how heavy this was and knowing it was our last day walking the sound stages. It was hard to keep that at bay and in check. But I think another reason why [Jared] and I have worked together so well for so long is because we do bolster one another, and we do kind of like check in constantly, like, ‘Hey, it’s just another day at the office. Let’s get this done. We got this.’ And it was a really, really awesome day. It was probably one of my most favorite days in 15 years.
It sounds as though Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki were able to be there for each other during what had to be a pretty emotional day. In a somewhat surprising reveal (personally speaking), he referred to the final day of filming on Supernatural as one of his all-time favorites. Ahead of their final day on the set, Ackles and Padalecki both posted some somber and reflective thoughts on the milestone occasion.
Ackles acknowledged that it was tough not to be overwhelmed by the emotion of it all, and it would seem he succeeded. He and Padalecki had (kiddingly) said that Supernatural fans are not allowed to cry as the show comes to an end, but that will probably be hard for them to do. It sounds like Ackles succeeded in not getting too weighed down and dissolving into a puddle.
But, I could not blame him if he had. Fifteen years is a long time, and filming a TV show with a cast and crew who've become loved ones would be unfathomably emotional. Before I get too choked up at the thought of it, there is some prep work that fans can do in anticipating Supernatural’s final bow. Jensen Ackles had said that re-watching earlier seasons might be beneficial for fans.
As the cast has had time to decompress from Supernatural’s final season, fans are readying to get there, too. In one potential silver lining, those against a Dean/Amara romance got their wish, which made Amara’s portrayer Emily Swallow, happy. In a weird way, I also have to think the extra time provided by the postponement of the finale season might have helped curb the anguish of Supernatural ending for its stars.
Supernatural’s last episodes are airing Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on The CW. The series finale will air on November 19. If you need something to get your mind off of the end being near, check out this fall’s premieres. You can also watch Jensen Ackles’ past adventures as Dean during the first fourteen episodes of Supernatural on Netflix, alongside plenty of new 2020 content.
