You know Jared Padalecki is a giant, prank-loving goofball if you’ve seen any of the Supernatural gag reels. If you ask any of his Supernatural co-stars what he did on set, they’ll tell you everything from extreme farting to blow takes to putting fish in Misha Collins’ car. Padalecki is known for having a few tricks up his sleeve.
Fans wait with bated breath whenever a Padalecki project is released on DVD to see what kind of hilarious nonsense he dragged himself into that season. While Jensen Ackles and Misha Collins aren’t participating in Padalecki’s latest antics (at least for the time being), his new show, the CW’s Walker, will hopefully fill the pranking void fans have felt since Supernatural ended.
So, what has the Cordell Walker actor been up to since he switched from ghost-hunting to crime-fighting in his native Texas? Padalecki, it turns out, takes his uniform very seriously. In an exclusive interview with Looper, Matt Barr (who plays Hoyt Rawlins on Walker) discussed Padalecki’s Walker antics and what we can expect from the show’s gag reel.
A happy wife is a happier life
Looper spoke with Molly Hagan about Padalecki’s history with pranking when Walker first debuted. Padalecki hasn’t been up to any of his bizarre tricks on the Walker set, fortunately for Hagan. So we asked Barr if he had a different experience, or if Padalecki had been acting like a Ranger.
“That’s an excellent point. Jared is still having a good time. He’s the most upbeat person on set. You can see how much he loves working on this show, but […] Jared is juggling a lot of balls right now “According to Barr.
That is undeniable. Padalecki would be hard-pressed to find time to sleep between acting and assisting with the production of the series. As described by Barr, “Because he’s a producer [and] the show’s apparent star, he wears a lot of hats. I can only imagine how much work he has to do even when he gets a brief respite. He has three children. His wife, Gen, also appears in the show [as Emily Walker].”
Of course, working so closely with his wife Genevieve has to be a factor in Padalecki’s decision to put his pranks on hold, right? Barr expressed a similar sentiment, saying, “This is something we are all aware of. We all know she’s the coolest girl on the block. As a result, Jared performed admirably.” Yes, he did.
The on-set giggles
When Looper inquired about what might appear in the Walker season 1 gag reel, Barr pondered, “That’s fantastic. What could it be? What’s more, you know what? In [episode 6], there’s a moment where we’re all drunk at Side Step.”
Of course, every wild story — even a scripted one — has to start in a bar. “It’s a flashback episode, and sometimes [it’s hard to stop] when the giggles start, and you’re shooting late at night,” Barr explained. “With this boar head, we’re shooting. Jared also has to make out with Emily, who is his real-life wife. As a result, we’re all joking around with them.”
Keeping a straight face while playing around with a boar head isn’t easy, to say the least. Barr admitted that he and Odette Annable teased each other with lines like, “‘However, it doesn’t appear to be genuine.’ ‘Kiss her better, buddy!’ ‘That’s not how you…’ ‘Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on ‘She didn’t get married to you for this!'”
With a laugh, he added, “No, I’m not joking. It was just a good time. Also, yes. Odette, who plays Geri, and I were having a great time together.”
The series was an instant CW hit, getting an early season 2 renewal and a few extra episodes tacked on to season 1 despite the lack of a gag reel. When Walker airs on Thursday nights, fans can expect more epic Ranger adventures.
