Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles & Misha Collins on Supernatural's Legacy

CBR

Supernatural Stars Hope the Show Creates an Inclusive, Enduring Legacy

By Meagan Damore

Published Feb 8, 2019

Supernatural stars Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles and Misha Collins shared what they hope the show will be remembered for.

With more than 300 episodes under its belt, Supernatural has already made a lasting impression on the pop culture landscape. As the series continues with no end in sight, it further cements its legacy as one of the longest-running scripted televisions shows in the country, particularly in its genre. At the red carpet for the 300th episode, Sam Winchester actor Jared Padalecki shared his hopes for the show will be remembered for bringing people together through dedication and charity.

"I guess, if I could create it, and I've never tried to put this into words, I'd like it to be about a group of people who -- against all odds -- built a family of inclusion and loyalty and dedication and charity and hard work and sacrifice and tried to build everybody up," Padalecki told CBR. "It seems like, especially in today's world, we're in a world where people kind of break people down because they want to win, and I hate that. I hate that as Jared, so luckily I get to be involved with a show like this, but I love to be a part of anything, anytime, where we build people up and support people, whether you're on this side of the rope or that side of the rope, because I've been on that side of the rope."

"I never was important enough to be able to talk to people I was a fan of, by any means, but I've certainly been to my movies and concerts and all that as a fandom and I think, by and large, the reason I was a fan was because of the people I was fans with, more than maybe what the content was of what I was watching or reading or listening to, so I guess I'd like the legacy of Supernatural to be the SPN family," he added.

Recently, Padalecki has spoken out about his struggle with depression. He has used his platform to support charitable causes like St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, To Write Love on Her Arms and more over the years. This year, he and his wife Genevieve Padalecki will run the Boston Marathon for Dream Big! and have launched a Crowdrise campaign to benefit the organization.

Misha Collins, who plays Castiel, also hopes that the fans' charity will be part of the show's lasting legacy. "I have this weird fantasy that our fandom will go down in history as being the most charitable and magnanimous fandom of all time," he shared with CBR.

Not coincidentally, Collins co-founded Random Acts. This non-profit organization is dedicated to inspiring random acts of kindness, from fighting food insecurity in Kansas to building schools in Nicaragua. He also partners with charities for his annual event GISHWHES, or Greatest International Scavenger Hunt the World Has Ever Seen, in which legions of Supernatural fans participate.

On the legacy he hopes Supernatural leaves behind, Dean Winchester actor Jensen Ackles said, "That we did it, and we did it the best we could, and that it's left a positive message on everybody that's watched it."

Airing Thursdays at 8 pm ET/PT on The CW, Supernatural stars Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, Misha Collins and Alexander Calvert.