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'Supernatural' star Jensen Ackles on Dean Winchester's post-Purgatory mindset: 'He just spent a year in the trenches'

By Carina Adly MacKenzie October 24, 2012 1:42 PM ET
Follow @cadlymack on Twitter | Google
"Supernatural" has never shied away from taking risks. We've seen the Winchesters on the set of "Supernatural," we've seen them as unwilling participants in a television pilot, we've seen them trapped in a multicam sitcom. This week's episode, "Bitten," is another one that strays outside the box: It's told mostly through "found footage" shot by a handful of college kids who, unbeknownst to the Winchesters, have caught Sam and Dean on tape.

It's one of the lighter episodes for Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, relying more on guest stars Leigh Parker, Brandon W. Jones, and Britni Sheridan for the bulk of the work.

"It was awesome," Jensen Ackles joked when Zap2it visited him on set this week. "We got some time off, got to enjoy our summer, it was brilliant. Make sure everybody writes in and says 'We want more found footage episodes.'"

It's definitely a new storytelling device for the show. "It's a very cool concept, and the way that they shot it, we had actors actually being the camera operators," Jensen says. "For lack of better reference, it's 'Cloverfield.'"

When we asked if it was akin to the "Ghostfacers" episode we saw in Season 3, executive producer Jeremy Carver said, "It feels more like your 'Paranormal Activity' or your 'Blair Witch,' which you could say are close cousins to 'Ghostfacers.'"

"This is from a completely different perspective," adds Jensen. "These are kids that just happened to catch these FBI guys investigating a story. ... It's really from an outsider's perspective as to the way Sam and Dean come into town and take over."

In the midst of major angst going on between the Winchester brothers, it might be refreshing to see things from a new perspective. In last week's episode, which Jensen directed, we saw things grow even more tense as Dean discovered that Sam plans to go back to school after their current hunt is over. There's been some conversation amongst fans as to whether Sam's actions after Dean went to Purgatory were justifiable or even in character, and we were curious to hear Jensen's take on the whole thing.

"Obviously, Dean has issues with him," he says. "We've already seen that. I think that he is almost kind of sloughing it off as 'I don't know why you did that. You're weird. You've always been weird to me; I've never fully understood you, but I'm back, so get your ass in gear. Let's do this s***."

Given the knowledge that Sam has no intention of sticking with him after they find the tablet and banish the demons, Dean is still stubbornly refusing to believe that Sam will follow through on ditching the life they've led for so long. "I think that he doesn't necessarily want to validate what Sam did by acknowledging it. ... Dean's a very healthy guy when it comes to emotions," Jensen jokes. "You've also got to remember that Dean has just spent, basically, a year in the trenches. He was off at war."

In his own way, Dean, too, is struggling to find his own footing in their old life. "There was reference to this a few seasons ago, but I don't think it was as spot on as it is now. In the movie 'The Hurt Locker' when Jeremy Renner's character is back stateside and he's like standing in a cereal aisle with a wall of choices of cereal, and he's standing there going 'This is not normal.' Because what was normal to him was mortar sounds and gunfire and being in the trenches and having to wake up every day wondering if you're going to live to go to sleep that night," Jensen recalls. "Dean has just basically come back from essentially, that. He was at war in Purgatory."

It looks like Dean will deal with the reality of Sam leaving only if Sam actually leaves. "As of right now I think Dean is kind of sweeping it under the rug and not wanting to deal with the fact that his brother was a pansy for a year," Jensen laughs.

"Supernatural" airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. EST on The CW. In the meantime, check out the first part of our video interview with Jensen below. He talks about about his process as an actor and as a director, and whether he's got plans to direct anything other than "Supernatural" in the near future.

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Photo/Video credit: The CW

47 Comments

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anjastokelj14 days ago
Aaaand the secret behind the chin rub is revealed! As confirmed by Misha, it came indeed from the wrestling match!
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Peter Tony Parker16 days ago
Man...he is pretty. And funny. Wow.
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OliaMikha17 days ago
Love and respect Jensen so much. He is one who remembers what Supernatural is about. What about Kim Manners and Kripke tell us. I'm with SPN yet.. only because of Dean. If it turns out that Sam REALLY was not looking for his brother, well thanks, but I pass.
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reaper17 days ago
Jensen Ackles gives wonderful interviews, warm and intelligent and truly interested in the craft of acting and what it takes to make a tv show happen. Great actor, great director and seems like an all around great guy. I'm really liking post Purgatory Dean, I feel like, thus far, the writers have used it as a reason to move Dean forward finally, after a couple of years of having the character tread water.

Tonight's "found footage" episode showed a Dean who is professional and thoughtful, great instincts, and great at his doing his job. He's not cold blooded(he made sure to go back to Betsy/Eleanor in Heartache to let her know it was over in a sympathetic way, he is willing to give the new werewolf girl in Bitten a chance, given she's never killed a human and knows there are other ways to survive) but he's willing to make the hard choices if necessary. He's been instinctive and intelligent and been badass as well. So overall I can't complain much, yet(the show always disappoints me in this regard so am just waiting for the other shoe to drop, still 4 episodes is almost a record for them of late) and appreciate them using Purgatory both for pain AND positive growth.

Dean's a great hunter and there is value in what he does, saving people because he hunts things. Even if it's always going to be a hard road, he deserves to at least be allowed to feel that much after years of feeling he was nothing damaged goods not worthy of being in good company because of it so let's hope the show lets him get there.

There is actually a picture taken by some of the paparazzi who sometimes watch the set that shows the big scrape on Jensen's forehead, closer to his temple. When I saw it I thought it was make up for the show, even though the caption made it sound real. And in a picture taken with a fan a week or two ago, you can still just about make out the mark. Had no idea what it was at the time, but after this know it must have been from this fall he's talking about. It was a nasty looking scrape in that set picture.
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Amanpreet Dhaliwal17 days ago
JENSEN IS SO WONDERFUL hope he gets better that injury looked like it hurt
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fifimom17 days ago
Wonderful responses from Jensen but what happened to our guy, forehead, chin and knuckles that must have been some fall.
Love this.
Thank you.
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Wendy Wesselhoft17 days ago
I like to believe it's a sex injury he got getting kinky at home with Daneel LOL
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Anonymous17 days ago
IN LOVE W/ S8
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LouisaMBH17 days ago
Jensen interviews so well. He's insightful, funny, and intelligent. I love his well thought out answers. I wish a question was posed about why Sam didn't search for Dean or save Kevin, but I'm sure the writers will tell us eventually. I always enjoy hearing what Jensen has to say about directing. Jensen Ackles is a good director and excellent story teller.
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cadlymack17 days ago
That question was posed in the interview with Jared!
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LouisaMBH17 days ago
Hello! Yes, I watched Jared's interview. What a lovely interview. Jared interviews very well! But it would have been interesting to see Jensen's reaction to that question as well since he is playing Dean Winchester. But since Jensen has a very sharp as well as a very circuitous way of thinking, I think he managed to give us fans insight into his mind set as Dean Winchester. Excellent interviews by the way Carina. Thank you.
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Dezajapy17 days ago
Thanks for excellent interview! This new history - the Purgatory is great! xD
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Debleabryant17 days ago
The problem with the new post-purgatory Dean is that he reminds me of future Dean in "The End" and that guy would kill someone without thought, betray someone without thought, or do whatever necessary to achieve a goal (even if it meant sacrificing someone else). That Dean was almost a psychopath, in a way. He had also been 'at war' and so forth. I just don't want the CURRENT Dean turning into that Dean.
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Vanesa Zweedyk16 days ago
You know, I think if you count the years in SPNVerse, they're actually on 2014, coincidence? I hope. I like this Dean, and I don´t think he is like futureDean, that Dean doesn't smile at all. He was nobody's friend, he was just a commander. That's not the Dean we see now. I want to bealive that he is different jeje

Sorry for my English :P
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jessintheimpala18 days ago
Aaaahhh This is getting me sooo excited for tonight episode and I can't watch it because it starts at 3am, and I have law school tomorow morning!! Thank you for this brilliant interview! He did a fantastic job directing last week's episode. I love how he's so involved in the show and passionate about it! So excited for season gr8!!
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Nic Winchester18 days ago
He's so amazing!!! I love his interviews. I REALLY want to know how he injured himself... he seems like it'd be awkward to tell us. That makes me want to know even more!
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Clai Re18 days ago
I LOVE Jensen. He did a damn fantastic job directing the episode while also having a lot of screen time, he's extremely talented. Excited about season gr8!
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Amal Al-Saffar18 days ago
Always thoughtful, smart and generous. LOVE his interviews he makes the people he talks to feel like they are the only ones who matter at the time. I can't wait to see him in other projects and I'd love for his interviews to be about him.
P.S. Jensen we are confident in your performance as a director, so don't you doubt it for a second!
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Derek Baggs18 days ago
Been There Done That.
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Wendy Wesselhoft17 days ago
Been there, done what? What are we referring to?
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L S18 days ago
Thank you for the interview with Jensen. I love listening and watching Jensen, he generally gives such thoughtful responses and he looks at the show from entirety of the show, and what's good for the show, not just his character.

"There was reference to this a few seasons ago, but I don't think it was as spot on as it is now."

Heh. I love politically correct and professional he is when referring to the screw up of Sera Gamble's season 6. This season is already so much better than that was when it comes to showing Dean and PTSD. It also makes more sense now than it did then.

To be shallow for a minute, my goodness, Jensen is gorgeous!
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anjastokelj18 days ago
I bet the injury is from the wrestling match between J2 and Misha (Misha mentioned it at the Edmonton Expo) xD
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Michele MacKay18 days ago
Well, at least the post-Purgatory and Dean flashbacks will be interesting. I think I'll deal with all the inexcusable crap they're writing for Sam's year by stuffing my fingers in my ears and going "LALALALALALALA" really loud.
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Kaya_8218 days ago
Did he told u about the accident? What happend?
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Nicole Blaze18 days ago
I feel bad I was just watching his face in nothing else was processed. lol

One thing I do notice J and J are being very careful about the OOC bit.
Leaves me to believe SPN was reset could be the angels, but something is more to the story.
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padakitty18 days ago
I wish Dean would consider that normal for Sam for nearly 2 centuries was being tortured by Lucifer. Or the writers and producers. I can't take SPN seriously until Sam is taken seriously. Nice interview anyway.
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Wendy Wesselhoft18 days ago
Oh geez, they BOTH have suffered! And for the first 6 seasons, Sam was the ONLY one taken seriously while Dean's main purpose in life was to look after/chase after him. When will you be happy? When all of the focus is on Sam alone? Will it kill you to have the OTHER supposed lead get some focus for once?
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tvholic17 days ago
Oh you mean like Sam considered Dean's suffering and torture for 40 years in Hell, while he was off banging his demon girlfriend?

It amazes me that Dean comes back from a year in purgatory and he's expected to tip toe around Sam's fragile feelings. Again. Some more. Just like you Sam fans trashed him for an entire year in season 4 for not being there for Sam, when Dean came back from Hell. And you were backed up by the show by having Sam blame Dean and Dean apologize repeatedly for his well-earned lack of trust in Sam and their so-called bond.

And yet, Sam is the one who has repeatedly abandoned Dean to pursue his own agenda and only sticks with him if he gets something out of it. Tell me something. When will Sam actually notice that his brother spent a year fighting for his life, while he was off having picnics in the park? When we he realize that he's not the victim here?

Besides, if Sam wants to leave. He should just go. Dean will be pissed, but it's not like that's ever stopped Sam from doing whatever he wants, whenever and however he wants.
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Chelsea_love8717 days ago
You don't have to lash out with your Sam bashing just because someone doesn't bow down to Dean. Grow up.
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Wendy Wesselhoft17 days ago
Um, I don't think I Sam bash
I responded to her Dean bashing. But I forgot, Dean bashing is ok and grown up.
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Wendy Wesselhoft17 days ago
Also Chelsea, she started it. Did she need to use an interview with Jensen to start her Dean bashing? Why don't you tell HER to grow up!

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Chelsea_love8716 days ago
Umm I think you're confused here. I was responding to her not you. I replied to her post not yours.

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Wendy Wesselhoft16 days ago
My mistake, apologies
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Chelsea_love8715 days ago
It's okay no worries.

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Angela Patterson17 days ago
Your Dean-bias is utterly disgusting. Are you incapable of abstract thought? Are you even capable of critically thinking your way through any situation? You can't even properly analyze a television show. My god.

Everything you say is so skewed toward Sam being the "bad guy" and his fans "ganging up on" Dean and Dean's fans. It's very transparent that you don't like Sam. We get that. And guess what? Nobody cares. Why? Because you fail to ever say anything that has any substance to it. The things you say are plainly colored with your content for favorite and contempt for the fact that your twisted understanding of canon isn't what you want to see.

Perhaps it's time for you to just stop watching Supernatural if your precious bb isn't being treated the way you think he should be. Because for everything you said just now in this comment, there's a crap ton of canon to disprove your theories. And if you can't see that, what are you even doing?

Thumbs down ahoy!
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Wendy Wesselhoft17 days ago
Are you talking to me? I said NOTHING to be so put down and insulted, I merely was rolling my eyes at the fact that padakiity just had to start in with her poor Sam rant in an article about Jensen. And your'e a fine one to talk about bias! Yours is out there blatant! It's so obvious how you hate Dean, and guess what? many people don't care what you think either!
And wanting Dean to actually get some equal treatment after the first 6 seasons of the 'Sam Show" doesn't mean I have contempt for Sam, in fact, I do love him. I never freakin said he was the bad guy! Where are you coming up with this crap?
I can't properly analyze just because I don't see it your way? Who the hell are you?
There's a ton of canon to disprove me? Well, the way I see it, there's a ton of canon to disprove YOU!
I guess if you don't worship at the alter of Sam, you don't have substance, hate Sam, are incapable of critical thinking, etc. By the way, I didn't insult anyone, I just showed my displeasure that she had to start in. You're a jerk. Ok, that's an insult.
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tvholic17 days ago
Wendy, I think Angela was probably talking to me. She's a meangirl hypocrite who takes it upon herself to police all Supernatural-related articles for people who aren't 100% in love with Sam. She probably has a wooden spoon sitting next to he computer.

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Anonymous17 days ago
Between soulless Sam, Sam's wall going up, Sam's wall coming down, and Sam's hallucinations, we've seen the after effects of his time in the Cage for 2 solid seasons. How much more do you want to milk this thing?

But hey, if Dean is supposed to constantly remember Sam being tortured, I'd want the same for Dean. In fact, a good place to start would be Sam remembering Dean has just come back from a war zone in God's armpit the next time he starts rhapsodizing about organic apples or how he can't wait to get back to his shiny, happy new life.
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Latoya Bembry18 days ago
Huh. I just read Carina's article with Jared...it seemed very Sam/Jared heavy (as it should be) and it offered some new insight into Sam's odd behavior. Then I read Jensen's article and it has a healthy dose of Bitten/What's going on with Sam, yet it rehashes what every fan already knows or has already read about Dean and his time in Purgatory... I feel like Jensen/Dean fans got gipped here. I haven't watched the videos yet, I'm hoping for a little more insight than the article provided.
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L S18 days ago
I think that's because Jensen looks at the show as a whole, and not just his character, and also because Carina is primarily a Sam/Jared fan, so her questions tend to focus on him, no matter who she's interviewing.
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Chelsea_love8717 days ago
Jared's questions were about HIS character. What else is he supposed to say?
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Wendy Wesselhoft17 days ago
I think she meant that even when interviewing Jensen Carina focuses on Sam, but I didn't see that here. I thought it was a nice interview.
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Angela Patterson17 days ago
Nothing I've ever seen about Carina makes her Sam or Jared bias. She perhaps things he's beautiful but who doesn't understand that Jared Padalecki is beautiful? You have to be blind or tasteless to not see it. But really, have you ever seen her (here or on Twitter) praise Jared for his tremendous acting ability? Have you ever witness her overly-praise Jared for his job in Supernatural? No. You haven't. It's only ever "Jared is beautiful" or "Jared is so good looking" or "New father swoon" but never anything of substance. Jensen gets all that. So before you start slinging out accusations of bias, inform yourself.
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tvholic17 days ago
Are you Jared's Mom or something?
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cadlymack18 days ago
This is just part 1. Since "Bitten" kind of directs focus AWAY from Dean/Castiel/Benny, I'm holding that stuff for the second article, next week, because it's relevant to that episode. Nobody's getting "gypped." These interviews are intended as a follow up to the previous episode and a lead-in to the upcoming episode. That's all.
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jensenfrackles18 days ago
This man is perfect.
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Angela Patterson18 days ago
He needs to stop with his face and stuff. I profess that I've never been a really big fan of his character, but good god Jensen is perfect. They both are, to be honest. And Jensen is the ever consummate professional.
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