Perspective on Padalecki in Person

At the recent Creation Convention Salute to Supernatural/Smallville/Buffy the Vampire Slayer held in Chicago over the weekend of November 10th and 11th, I got my first opportunity to observe actor Jared Padalecki in person. It was quite an interesting experience and Jared Padalecki is truly a dynamic force of nature to encounter in person.

Padalecki who starred as Dean Forester in several seasons of the highly successful series Gilmore Girls, is host of the MTV/Ashton Kutcher Productions reality show Room 401 and has had roles in the feature horror films, Cry Wolf and House of Wax, currently stars as Sam Winchester in the hit CW/Warner Bros. series Supernatural. The series, which also stars Jensen Ackles as older brother Dean Winchester is based on the premise of two brothers in a classic car with a trunk full of crazy weapons and who go from one American town to another to solve supernatural problems and hunt down all manner of supernatural creatures and demons.

Now with Supernatural in it's third season, Padalecki finds himself involved in a storyline where his character of Sam Winchester must find a way to stop the horde of demon's the brothers unwittingly played a part in unleashing from hell at the end of season two of Supernatural, some of whom want to follow through on the plans of the Yellow-eyed Demon to make Sam their leader. Added to that is the pressure of finding a way to get his older brother Dean out of deal Dean made with a demon to trade his soul into hell in one year's time for Sam to be returned to life in the two part season two finale All Hell Breaks Loose. On top of that Sam is finding himself facing a mystery surrounding his and Dean's mother and how the Yellow-eyed Demon came to have plans for Sam in the first place.

All of this angst for his character sets the stage for Sam Winchester to be a very serious and somewhat contemplative young man who radiates quiet intensity. Which makes it all the more evident of the level of sheer talent that Jared Padalecki posses as an actor when you meet him in person to discover that he is a bundle of exuberant, lively energy that is constantly in motion.

Padalecki, who stands an impressive six foot four, presents an easy-going gentleness that immediately puts a person at ease with him. He has the kind of personal amiability and charisma that, whether he is standing on stage in front of you or in the photo line right beside you, sends out a welcoming energy that embraces people as if they were his long lost friends. One thing you discover right off is that it is hard not to laugh and smile around Jared Padalecki. The man seems quite capable of embracing a whole roomful of people with just the warmth of his smile. Once you meet him in person, it's easy to see why so many guest stars have high praise for him, along with co-star Jensen Ackles, in regards to making them feel welcome.

In her recent interview with the CW Source, Supernatural writer/executive producer Sera Gamble makes mention of there being more use of Padalecki's natural talent for physical comedy this season. Episodes such as Bad Day at Black Rock and Red Skies in the Morning all have substantial scenes in which Padalecki uses this talent to full advantage. Seeing him on stage in person, you can see where it comes from and how it comes so naturally to him as an actor.

In motion on stage, Padalecki is both physically fit and possessed of an innate athlete grace that allows him to be aware of his surroundings and most importantly how to use these two attributes to tell a story. Quite simply, when Jared Padalecki as an actor is on stage as himself he seems to not be afraid to put himself out there and put himself into entertaining the audience. Padalecki seems to posses a balance within himself that allows him to share with the audience freely the things he is willing to without leaving his private life unprotected. There is an honesty that radiates off of him that makes you as a member of the audience feel privileged to have gotten the glimpse he has shared.

Jared Padalecki has an endearing kind of geeky quality to him as well. Padalecki freely admits he sweats heavily and will unabashedly show his sweat damp underarms to prove it. He talks about his beloved pets: two dogs name Sadie and Harley. He cares about the people important to him and he shows it....talking openly and with warmth and affection about the beautiful Sandra McCoy who has won his heart since they co-starred together in Cry Wolf. Showing deep, almost brotherly fondness for his co-star Jensen Ackles, who shared the convention stage with him at various points during their Sunday presentations.

Jared Padalecki, who earlier this year filmed the movie Thomas Kinkaid's Home For Christmas opposite legendary star Peter O'Toole in which Padalecki stars as famous painter Thomas Kinkaid and will air around Christmas time 2008, will next be appearing in person at EyeCon in Florida this coming April 4-6,2008. If you are an admirer of this talented young actor's work, I would highly recommend that you take advantage of this opportunity to see him on stage in person.