What Jensen Ackles Took Home From The Supernatural Set
Stealing may be frowned upon and, you know, illegal, but in the entertainment world, it's common for actors to "borrow" little (or big) souvenirs from the sets they've worked on. Think of it as a rite of passage, if you will. Over the years, countless stars have shamelessly bragged about the various knick-knacks they've laid claimed to. For example, acting legend Julie Andrews once appeared on "The Graham Norton Show" and shared that she took home a pair of shoes from the "Mary Poppins" set (via Bustle). Kristen Stewart, on the other hand, took home Bella Swan's prop engagement ring from "Twilight," per People.
Jensen Ackles, who wrapped up a 15-year stint as Dean Winchester (one half of the demon-hunting Winchester brothers) on "Supernatural" in 2020, also belongs to the elite club of actors who've departed from their sets with more than they came. Ackles' score, however, is definitely worth more than shoes and rings.
Jensen Ackles kept Dean Winchester's Impala
In 2020, while wrapping up filming for Season 15 of "Supernatural" Jensen Ackles confidently proclaimed that, once all was said and done, he'd be taking something from the set. "As far as taking something on the final day, I will definitely be taking something that I've had my eye on since day one of 'Supernatural,'" Ackles shared with Digital Spy. The actor added, "But it's okay, I'm not stealing it. I got permission. I begged and begged and pleaded for years, but I finally got it this year." So just what was Ackles so excited to part with? Dean Winchester's legendary 1967 Chevy Impala, of course. "They're going to let me drive home the Impala," Ackles added.
Fans of the long-running drama know that Winchester's Impala, which he affectionately refers to as "Baby," was as important to the show as the bond between the brothers. From the pilot all the way until the finale, the famed Impala carried the brothers as they encountered all the things that go bump in the night — often suffering damage along the way — and also held their demon-hunting supplies. Therefore, it makes sense that Ackles would want to keep the car close, post-filming.
In fact, the actor was so adamant about keeping the beloved car that he had it written into his contract. While appearing on Michael Rosenbaum's podcast, "Inside You With Michael Rosenbaum," Ackles shared. "I've been talking about [the Impala] for two years now and they finally added that to my contract this last season."
Jared Padalecki also took home an impala
Jared Padalecki, who played Sam Winchester, also went home with a parting gift from "Supernatural." During his own sit-down interview with Michael Rosenbaum, the other half of the Winchester bros shared that he, too, was walking away with his own car. "We both get a car, yeah," shared Padalecki. However, unlike Ackles, Padalecki claimed it wasn't in their contracts. "It was a gift from [the studio]. The actor added, "The funny thing is, I'm actually the car guy. My first car ever was a '69 Camaro. I still have it. I also have a '66 Mustang. [Jensen] had Broncos and stuff, but I'm the car guy."
Padalecki and Jensen Ackles aren't the only "Supernatural" alum who have close ties with the Impala. "Supernatural" creator Erik Kripke, while during a Reddit AMA for his Amazon show, "The Boys," also shared a cool anecdote about the famous car, after one user asked about a "standout" memory from filming "Supernatural.'" Nothing crazy, but here's a factoid," wrote Kripke. "In the pilot, we explored adding James Bond style switches to the Impala dash — to release oil, or salt. We might have even shot it. But then we realized that was stupid."