A SUPER CHAT With Jensen Ackles

The actor talks about his life on TV, including his new role on The Boys and returning to his Supernatural roots with The Winchesters

- DAMIAN HOLBROOK

FAMILY NEVER DIES. They just book new jobs. A year and a half after ending a 15-season run on Supernatural, Jensen Ackles is returning to TV and reuniting with Supernatural creator Eric Kripke in a turn as a grizzled Captain America-like superhero on Prime Video's The Boys. The former Dean Winchester also recently directed his costar and SPN brother Jared Padalecki in an April episode of The CW's Walker. And when we spoke to him over Zoom, he was sitting in a 175-year-old house in New Orleans during the production of the pilot of The Winchesters. The planned Supernatural prequel follows the demon hunters' parents, and Ackles is an executive producer along with his wife, Danneel (who made her SPN debut as angel Anael in Season 13).

Even in real life the actor attracts the paranormal. "Not kidding, I was on the third floor earlier and there was one of those weird half doors that cracked open a foot," he recalls. "I turned around and it closed. I was like, 'Anybody sees that?' And then right at the second, I said that it opened again." True to Dean, he investigated the creepy anomaly, reporting: "Nothing. Just a broom closet."

Still, the dad of three was in good spirits, with the same gratitude and charm that fans fell for when he and Padalecki first revved that 1967 Chevy Impala. Here, he opens up about his next moves and building a future from Supernatural's past.

So, you've been busy. I thought things would be nice and slow after Supernatural and it's been the exact opposite!