This year, Chuck star Zachary Levi created a Nerd HQ at Comic-Con. The Nerd Machine took over a restaurant in San Diego's Gaslamp District and gave fans a place to play games and watch panels featuring gaming, television and movie celebrities. I had the lucky privilege to attend a small panel featuring Zach's friend Jared Padalecki, who took questions from the audience members for over an hour. Proceeds from the Padalecki panel - as well as the other panels and events at Nerd HQ - went to benefit Operation Smile. The Nerd Machine managed to raise over $40,000 for the charity during Comic-Con.
Having never been to a Supernatural convention before, I wasn't too familiar with seeing Jared in a small panel setting, but he was charming and funny, regaling the audience with on-set antics, his fishing trip over the summer, the story of how he and Zach became friends, and why Sam Winchester's hair has gone through so many transformations over the past 6 seasons.
Jared opened the floor to questions right from the start (after jokingly mumbling that co-star Jensen Ackles should have won the part of Captain America after the movie was mentioned by an audience member). The first question dived right into season 7 of Supernatural, and Jared revealed that while Sam will "remember what's happened currently", he will not be sure of what reality - or even what year - he is actually in now that the Hell wall in his head. Jared is very excited about Sam's storyline in season 7 and called it "very scary". He thinks that the Winchesters generally bear their burdens well (despite how many they have), but Sam will be very scared, not only by what's happening to him, but also because of how Dean is affected by it.
When asked about his favorite season of Supernatural, Jared picked season 4 (which is mine as well). Not only did he marry an actress he met during that season (Genevieve Cortese), but he "felt that was the culmination of the original plan". He also felt like he worked really hard and hoped that came across in season 4. Sam's journey in that season almost bled over into his real life (despite not succumbing to the temptation to drink demon blood in real life).
One fan mentioned the always amusing gag reels on the Supernatural DVDs and asked about on-set pranks. Some of the pranks the boys play on each other are well-known online (such as that time Jared beat Misha in Words With Friends and Misha elected to pay his $1900 bet in coins), but Jared also shared about how easy it is to crack Misha up. So much so that he once had both Jared and Jensen ordered off the set so that he could continue with a dramatic scene.
Next came the big question: what was Jared's favorite Sam Winchester hairstyle? The fan said that he preferred the season 1 hairstyle. Apparently on set they have a joke that Jared has grown a "fivehead" instead of a forehead. Jared liked season 1 as well (since it was so short), but his hairstyles are on purpose. "As my forehead grew into a fivehead, they decided to share it with the world".
When a fan said that her friend sold Jared a fishing license in Texas over the summer, Jared moaned about how he hadn't managed to catch any fish. The boy loves going on his tangents and kept rambling until the fan mentioned Jared being spotted at the TARDIS on the Comic-Con floor and he lamented about the fact that he couldn't fit in it. What followed were a few "I was too big to fit" innuendos and a story about Jared and Mark Sheppard venturing into the TARDIS together.
Then it was back to a Supernatural discussion when one fan mentioned that the brothers seemed to have switched personalities over the years and he wondered whether Jared agreed that the episode "Mystery Spot" was a turning point in that shift. Jared went on to explain that "Mystery Spot" was actually a pivotal episode. It was actually the last episode they filmed before the writers' strike - even though it aired before the mid-season finale "Jus in Bello". "Mystery Spot" was written as a possible series finale if the strike had lasted a long time and the show was not picked up for a fourth season. It was meant to be a possible segue into a potential movie or to act as an ultimate cliffhanger. Jared thinks Sam did change in that episode. But he ultimately feels like Sam's transformation really hit its stride in season 4 when he followed Ruby, became addicted to demon blood and really started making his own divergent choices.
It wasn't until one fan asked Jared about his favorite moment about working on Gilmore Girls that Zach revealed a hidden past: Jared had apparently beaten out Zach for the role on that show (and Jared likes the Jess/Dean fight scene, which Jared had to film despite having hurt his hip while appearing on MacGyver).
One of the audience members also brought up the recent poll Jared won about which TV stars fans wanted to see make it in movies. He reiterated the interview he gave when he won that poll and said "I'm in a great position right now where I'm part of a show doing a lot of great things. I feel so comfortable as Sam Winchester....As a Texan I'm also fiercely loyal, sometimes to the point of cutting off my nose to spite my fact. And I wouldn't in a million years leave Supernatural if Supernatural wanted me because it's done a lot for me."
While Jared's entire was hilarious, perhaps the best part came when a fan asked how Jared and Zach first met. Zach joined Jared on stage to explain that they had originally met during a pick-up basketball game played by some actors. Later, during the writers' strike, the two of them headed to England to do international press for their Warner Bros. shows. There they watched a real English football game (complete with unintelligible chants) where they sat in the Arsenal section that was surrounded by security guards because football games in England are very serious business. They ended up being threatened by the fans in the other section and Zach said "so the short answer is we met playing basketball but we solidified our friendship just trying to stay alive at a football game."
It's clear that Jared really appreciates his fans and loves interacting and joking with them. The panel was great fun and was followed by a signing by Jared which unfortunately I couldn't stay for. Overall, it was a great afternoon that went to benefit a terrific charity. Here's hoping Zach continues with Nerd HQ at the 2012 Comic-Con.
For some Supernatural season 7 spoilers from the Comic-Con press room, click here.
clarissa @ tvovermind.com
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Jared's a sweetie, lovely write up hope you don't mind this englishman pointing out the spelling of Arsenal though we care very much about our footie teams and how they are spelled.
He IS a sweetie. But, oops, sorry about the misspelled team! I googled it beforehand, but I obviously wasn't searching for the right thing :)
Change made. Thanks for pointing it out!
Great recap. Thank you for posting it. I watched the live stream yesterday and just reminds me of why I love Jared so much.