Jared and Jensen Panel – Chicago Con – Part Two

–          Someone asks about them working with the younger actors that play their characters. Jared did work with the one who plays Sam for “After School Special,” even the running the hand through the hair kind of thing. He calls him a great little actor that’s become a fan of the show. He watches it and he’s picked up on the idiosyncrasies. He thought it was cool he got to do a scene with him in the panic room. Jensen mentioned how the four of them got together in his trailer and talked it out. He gave him some of his ideas, Jared gave him some of his ideas. “Same with Chad Everett.” (applause from crowd). Jared does a hilarious impersonation of Chad Everett’s “Dude.” Jensen goes on. They had him watch a few scenes and they had a sit down talk. “It’s always tough to play a role that is established by another actor but I think he did a great job.” 
 

–          The next person says hi Jensen and Jared. “Why Jensen and Jared? Why not Jared and Jensen?” Jared jokes. Jensen claims it rolls off the tongue better and he’s older. “I’m closer to you,” Jared says to the woman. “Sorry, excuse my friend,” Jensen says getting her to ask the question. How did they prepare playing the very different characters in “The End?” “That was a really odd and usual show for me because I had to really think about what I was gonna do on the other side of the scene and act accordingly to that without having done it or seen it and then remember what I did over here when I go and turn around and react accordingly.” Jared cringes, for it’s all too much for him. 

Jensen continues. “So it was tough and as far as making a change between the two of them I just tried to think about how what five years of life in hard apocalyptic war would do to somebody. There wasn’t any really light or humor in future Dean it was just all tough and anger and hard core basically.” He also got a lot of help with the wardrobe department that dressed him differently and Serge (Ladoucer), the director of photography, actually lit future Dean differently, making him more dark and shadowy.   Jared’s turn! “I think with me for Lucifer it was fun because I obviously got some time off because it was all Dean and Dean, so I got to actually go to Los Angeles and meet with Eric about what he wanted for Lucifer. I mean I already shot with Mark Pelligrino in a scene (thanks Deborah) and Eric was like, ‘Hey we’re not going to try and play this not opposite to what you would imagine but he is angel, he was an angel and he’s suppose to tell them. No one would have sinned if he was ‘do this, its evil.’ He has to be so convincingly kind and genuine and really experience pain and have feelings for these guys.” Jared strangely cuts his answer short and then goes backstage, leaving Jensen to take it from there.

 

–          Jensen tells the next person to go on, he’ll answer for him.  How would they react if Eric Kripke told them they were doing Supernatural: The Musical. Suddenly Jared emerges from backstage and says no.  Jensen would say yes. Jensen and Jared appealed to any aspiring playwrights to get cracking and send it in. Jensen admits the crew and them have actually laughed about that idea a few times before. “We’ve done the sitcom version of Supernatural, the doctor version of Supernatural…” “The book version,” Jared says. Jensen thinks why not do a musical version. He was trying to remember what other shows did it. He mentions Scrubs, the crowd mentions Buffy. Jared brings up That 70’s Show. “So you see, it’s a doable thing,” Jensen says. “Call Joss Whedon. (big crowd cheers). Oh, but then we’d have to hire Eliza.”  Someone in the crowd tells Jensen he’d have to sing. “Yeah, but here’s the great thing. Dean can’t sing well.” Someone else shouts that he can. “Yeah, but I’m not Dean.”
 

–          Someone asks about what they think about the Trickster being Gabriel. Jared asks if Richard was there this weekend. The crowd cheering gives him his yes. “I like it when past characters and past actors come back and reprise the role and it actually evolves into something bigger, and moves the story forward. You know, like with Chuck the Prophet and stuff like that. Rob’s come back a few times and it’s great to work with him now Richard’s been able to come back and he now has more of a stronger role in the whole aspect of the show.” Jared calls Richard a great actor. “I like to see guests come back and get bigger and better stuff so I’m really happy for Richard and then as far as the story goes I think that we’ll see more and more of that aspect of the show so it was nice to have a familiar face with such a big role as Gabriel as opposed to bringing in some other stranger on the street.” 

Jared continues. “He does a great job and he tries to work with the show and it’s also fun because (of) being cocky. Sam and Dean haven’t really failed against people before so they ask ‘Why does this Trickster keep getting the best of them? What’s he got that they don’t?’ So we kind of see the back story in that he’s an angel that’s why we can’t kill him. He has more powers than we do. You see that dynamic between him and Misha too? They know each other in the past and I’m looking forward to seeing or reading or hearing what their past was and how they feel about each other. What we’ll find out about Castiel from this character. I think it’s a cool twist.” 
 

–          The next person gives a very enthusiastic “Hi Jensen,” and then a sheepish, afterthoughtish “Hi Jared.” The crowd laughs, and does Jensen and Jared. Jensen tells her nicely done. What role on television would they like to play right now? Jensen ponders, for he doesn’t watch a lot of television (I don’t blame him, I don’t have much time either). Jared chooses John Winchester in Supernatural.  “Because he’s not on anymore?  Jensen asks.  “Because he gets to sleep,” Jared clarifies.  (Thanks elle!)

Jensen figures out his a choice, Mike Rowe in Dirty Jobs. “He is awesome.” Jared would choose Andrew Zimmer. “No, you would be Man vs. Food,” Jensen says. He brings up the 90 lb burger. Jared claims he would finish that. This allows Jensen to bring up a cool story. Whenever they go out to eat together, he’d be eating and after being stuffed he’d pass his not finished plate over to Jared (he demonstrates too and it’s funny). Jared adds to that, saying when they’re out in a group he’ll get plates from the rest of the table. The waitress will walk by and see the empty plates in front of Jared.   Jared demonstrates his nervous laugh when that happens. Yep, the crowd laughs. 

–          The next questioner tells them not to laugh. So they do, in fake hysterical fashion for a long time, and then they both sigh in perfect unison! God, these guys are so funny together. Then they laugh more. The Jared notices she has her hands on her hips while they’re doing that and mocks it. That causes more hysterical laughter. The question is what is it like interacting with characters that are played with multiple actors like Ruby and Meg. Jensen says, “I thought it was going to be ‘Who farts louder?’ He naturally points to Jared. Jared explains, “The characters that have roles played by multiple people usually have exceptional actors that take the craft seriously. From the Megs, to the Rubys, to the Alastairs, to the Sams, to the Deans…And also you’ve got to give the writers some credit for writing a strong character because people just write lines on the page and go to the actor and say ‘make something up’ it doesn’t work too well but if you create really written character its easier for an actor or actress to get into it. It makes it fun.” Jensen agrees the if the character is well written then any talented actor or actress can come in and see how it’s done in the past. “Obviously they bring their own spice to it and this way it gives us a little something different to work off of but it’s not totally out of character for that character.”
 

–          What’s their favorite type of scene to play? Before they answer the question, Jensen brings up that by now Jared is dripping in sweat. He asks for a bucket of ice. “Take it off!” someone shouts and the crowd goes wild. “I’m not taking it off,” Jared yells. This gives Jensen the opportunity to tell a story. It’s somewhere around here that Jared gets a box of Kleenexes and puts them down his shirt. They look pretty weird sitting there. Jared leaves it because it’s allowing some air to get down there and Jensen gives him a funny face over it. Back to Jensen’s story. “He sweats profusely and during a scene or scenes he’ll spring a leak during the beginning of a scene even though he’s powdered and stuff before the scene and if he lines into it all of a sudden he’s dripping. It’s always right here (he points to the forehead) so I just grab the towel from the makeup artist and put it in my back pocket and literally in between our lines I’d be like ‘pause’ (he demonstrates pulling out a towel and dabbing Jared with it). “Continue.” He claims he has to do that two or three times in a scene. 

Back to the question. “I like my non sweating scenes,” Jared says. He likes playing the drama scenes. The comedy ones are too hard for him. The drama between the brothers is why he signed on in the first place. Jensen answers, “I would say I like the comedy stuff. Also, the drama stuffs good, it’s harder than the theater stuff. An emotional scene, give me an action scene any day of the week. I’d rather be sore than emotionally drained.  Your body doesn’t know the difference. Your body really thinks that you’re hurting and sobbing.” Jared goes off on a bit of a tangent, talking about a study where people would either be smiling for ten smiles or frowning for ten minutes and the experts would actually take brain wave readings. The people that were smiling whether they were happy or sad felt better. “It releases, things that make you happy.” Everyone laughs. Finally he gets the word, “Endorphins.” He rambles on a bit more about frowning all day and then Jensen says to the person asking the question, “Does this completely destroy your question?” They both apologize for that.
 

–          Pranks on friends. “I actually ran over my buddy with a car,” Jared says. Jensen talks about doing the water above the door bit on his brother. It backfired. Jared mentions the salt and pepper shakers gag, but he goes one step further. He actually unscrews them, puts a napkin over the top and then puts salt or pepper on the napkin so the opposite comes out of the shaker. Jensen says he just unscrews them.
 

–          After Supernatural, what are they planning on doing? Jared pretends to go to sleep. “He’ll be hibernating,” Jensen says and then gives his answer. “Continue to work. This is my career, this is what I do, this is what I want to continue doing, so wherever it leads, I don’t know. At our level as far as actors go we can’t necessarily pick and choose like the big A-list stars. We have to be a little bit more on the hunt.” Jared gives his answer. “I’d like to do movies. Unless I have a gig like Misha I would not like to do a TV show anymore. Because I’ve told this story before and in June I see my friends and then say ‘alright guys, see you in April.’ It’s tough. And your family’s having a tough time in Texas because they can’t fly in for a couple of nights.” If someone comes to visit they’ll see him for like 3 hours a day while he sleeps. He’d like to calm down a little. Jensen pouts over that answer and again the crowd eats it up. Jared isn’t buying it. He accuses Jensen of pranking his story so not to show how insecure he is. Jared tries to finish the question but Jensen is playing with the microphone now. So Jared does too. They’re unscrewing the cap off. Everyone is rolling by this time.
 

–          Someone from Kansas asks if they’ll ever come to Kansas. Sadly, the answer is no. They let her down easy though. “Next,” Jensen says.
 

–          Which Disney characters are they? At first Jared answers Jasmine. Jensen says, “I would say grumpy and dopey.” I’ll leave it up to everyone to guess which one of them he was pointing to for dopey.
 

–          If they have to write each other’s profiles on match.com, what would it be? Jensen scoffs over the idea. Jared tackles the question first. “I’d say single, willing to take anything.” Jensen has a better answer. “Three words. Single, white, female.” Then he adds, “and oddly tall.” “Likes to eat,” Jared adds.
 

–          Personality wise, how are they different from their characters. Jensen says Dean’s a lot more angry than he is. He mentions how Jared is a goofball and that fits Dean more than himself. Jared thinks Sam tries to do the right thing and he tries to do the right thing, but it doesn’t always work out for the best. Yes, I very much summarized there. You want the real answer, don’t you? Okay, here goes. 

“I think Sam, and I’m giving myself more credit than I deserve, Sam tries to do the right thing. You know, he went the wrong way about it last year, for season four, but always from day one ‘whoa, whoa, whoa, let’s not shoot first and ask questions later, let’s try and do this without killing somebody.’ Even in the beginning of drinking demon blood he was doing it because he’d had to kill somebody and he was hoping he free somebody but it was the only way of stopping the apocalypse and I think I can also make some huge mistakes in doing what I need to help but I think he tries to do the right things and I try to do the right things.” For whatever reason, Jensen holds back his comments about that. Maybe because he knows they’re running short of time. 
 

–          Out of the four and a half seasons, what is the moment they’re most proud of? Jensen can’t target a single moment, but he’s most proud of working with Kim Manners. (Big applause). “I think in the last four and a half years people from like Kim Manners and Bob Singer who respect the work and respect the people around you and work hard and sort of find joys in the day and Kim would always say, ‘If I didn’t like what I was doing I wouldn’t be doing it. I see more of you guys than my wife, my kids, my dogs and home. So really try to find happiness in whatever you’re doing.’ The search for happiness is the root of all happiness. And I know this getting off tangent talking about work but just try to enjoy life more, ride the ride.” 

Jensen recalled the moment that stands out for him the most, and this story made me weepy.  “It was in “All Hell Breaks Loose Part 2″ and it was when Sam was lying dead on the bed and that scene of Dean talking to him. I knew it was going to be really tough so I went and talked with Kim about it and he was so good. Through that whole scene he blocked off the set. You know there’s normally 30 guys staring at us grips and electricians and camera guys and sound guys and they’re all like right there. So Kim cleared all of those guys out and literally put a black tarp around the set and had a camera in the corner where I could not even notice it and just let me play the scene by myself with him. I just remember being so proud with the way that turned out. I was like ‘wow, he’s such a great director.'”
 

–           In the five seasons what episode was the most fun to shoot? Jared has an easy answer. “Changing Channels was pretty awesome.” Jensen agrees. “It was so outside the box. We got the opportunity to do a half dozen television shows in one episode.  It’s cool because it was really unique to play Dean in a sitcom. Or, on a Japanese game show…that episode was quite entertaining for us. I mean we’re playing basketball and throwing the football. Whenever do you see Sam and Dean doing that?” Jared brings up making fun of CSI:Miami. He also answers, “You know, “Changing Channels” and “The Real Ghostbusters” were really fun episodes. It’s fun to poke fun and get fun poked back at. You know, with Ernie going ‘cemetery.’ We go ‘we really do act weird.’ So both of those episodes were kind of a breath of fresh air.”
 

–          Where would they like to see themselves in season six? “I don’t know,” Jensen says. “Hawaii.” Jared brings up a good point.  “It would be really hard to go I’m Lucifer, he’s Michael whatever happens happens, we both look up and it’s like, ‘I hear something’s happening in Topeka, Kansas.’ Or I hear there’s a big storm in Toledo.'” “And it’s also why we’re not writers,” Jensen adds. Jared asks the crowd where we’d like to see it go. Various answers are thrown out including the idea of a Western. Jensen likes that. “Like Back To The Future 3.“
 

–          Someone asks what they recommend seeing and doing in Vancouver. I’m just going to skip this one and recommend YouTube if you’re interested.  My eyes are crossed and I’m getting a little recap weary. Jensen did recommend to contact Cliff (their bodyguard). He’ll hook them up.
 

–          The last question goes to a convention newbie. The question is about quotes. Jensen asks what her favorites are. “I hope your apple pie is freaking worth it,” and “Driver picks the music, passenger shuts his cakehole.” Mine is “Planes crash, and apparently clowns kill,” but they didn’t ask me. Are there any TV shows or movies they constantly quote. Jensen says that guys must quote movies all the time and they’re usually stupid movies. They start rattling off some names. Dumb and Dumber, Anchorman, Team America, The Cable Guy, There Will Be Blood? Yeah, Jared said that one. Then Jensen goes and quotes a line in perfect voice. Okay. “Devour,” Jared jokes. That gets the crowd going. Then he goes, “and of course my favorite,” and the crowd shouts “New York Minute!”  Lots of laughs and the boys sign off.  (Thanks elle for finding that). 
 

Jared and Jensen go to sign the banners and it looks like they’re done, but a few minutes later Jared takes the mike. His mother is a teacher in San Antonio and he grew up competing at UIL. They do plays and drama events and literary events and his mother is the sponsor next year so she’s raising money for the kids so they can have supplies and stuff. It’s really important to him. He has a watch from every season of Supernatural that Sam wears. He’s wearing the watch from season three of  Supernatural. “This is the season three Sam Winchester watch and I’m auctioning it and all the proceeds will go to my mother’s kids in the district in San Antonio.” Jared holds the watch and Jensen looks at it. “It smells like him.” It will be auctioned today right there. 

 

Jensen sees that it doesn’t even work. Jared confesses, the battery is dead. “Be sure to get your bid in on a time piece that does not tell time,” Jensen jokes. Jared talks to Adam from Creation and learns they’re auctioning it right now. He doesn’t know how to. What’s the brand? Nixon. Jared starts the bidding at $500 and is told by Adam he’s not doing it right. So he asks for help. That’s when Jensen takes over. He starts talking in the fast auctioneer’s voice and Jared happily lets him take over. Jared parades around the stage showing off the watch. Then he starts getting floored by the rapid number of bids and the bid price rising. The bidding start goings higher and Jared starts sweating. Jensen looks like he’s having a blast. The watch eventually goes for $3500. The winning bidder is in the front row so one very gracious Jared goes over and gives her a couple of hugs and several huge thank yous.  I could see his face in plain view from where I was sitting and he was very very touched. 

 

There’s also one other quick surprise. After the autograph session both Jensen and Jared before Julie McNiven comes on get on stage for one final farewell. Jensen apologizes for rushing autographs but they have to be at work at 6:30 am tomorrow. They’re leaving on a jet plane. They both say their goodbyes to the cheering crowd. 

Thank you Jensen and Jared for taking time out or your busy busy schedules to come to these things. The fans really do appreciate it.  Please keep coming back.  We’ll even take Jared’s long winded answers.