Jared Padalecki, one of the stars of The CW’s Supernatural, told reporters that he will begin shooting the upcoming fourth season in July, assuming that there’s no actors’ strike.
“As of right now–yeah, I guess the strike is a huge issue,” Padalecki said in a group interview on the set of his film Friday the 13th in Austin, Texas, on June 6. “But as of right now, we’re supposed to start the first week of July, because they want to have it airing with Smallville, and Smallville starts shooting really early, so they want us to start shooting really early also so they can air new episodes of each together.”
Padalecki added that he hasn’t seen any scripts for the new season yet, nor has he spoken with series creator Eric Kripke. “The only person I’ve really talked to is [co-star] Jensen [Ackles],” who is spending his spring hiatus shooting his own horror movie, My Bloody Valentine 3-D, in Pittsburgh. “He and I have just been keeping in touch, you know? But I haven’t seen scripts or read scripts or heard any ideas. So I’m completely [in the dark].”
As for Ackles’ future on the show (spoilers ahead!), his character, Dean Winchester, was last seen in the season finale writhing in hell after dying as foretold. That has alarmed fans who worry that Ackles won’t return.
“I’m assuming [that's] clearly not [the case],” Padalecki said. “I think his plan is to be in Vancouver when I’m in Vancouver. I pray to God [he is], because [if not,] then that would mean that I, all day, every day, [will have] no one to [share the show with]. I’ll bear the burden [on my own]. But, no, I’m sure Jensen is going to be a huge part of the show, as he always has been. Same as always. Just in hell [laughs].” Supernatural returns in the fall in its regular Thursday 9 p.m. ET/PT timeslot. –Patrick Lee, News Editor
