Born:
July 19, 1982
in
San Antonio, Texas
Best Known For:
His paranormal crime-fighting skills in fantasy drama Supernatural.
Early-life:
Born Jared Tristan Padalecki on July 19, 1982, in San Antonio, Texas, to a teacher and a tax accountant. He has an older brother called Jeff and a younger sister called Megan and is of Polish decent. In 1999, he won Fox TV's Claim to Fame contest. He had planned to attend the University of Texas, but caught the acting bug and moved to Los Angeles to pursue his dream of making it as a star instead.
Career:
He hit the big time in the US in 2000, when he was cast as Dean Forester in the successful series, The Gilmore Girls. He kept the role until 2005, and also starred in several made-for-TV films and the remake of 1953 film, the House of Wax, opposite best friend Chad Michael Murray. Shortly after his role in The Gilmore Girls came to an end, he was cast as Sam Winchester, who, with his brother Dean, fights all manner of ghouls and demons in paranormal series Supernatural.
Quote:
When asked about his superstitions: 'Whenever I drive under a yellow light, I always kiss my finger and tap it on the roof of the car. And I do that when I get onto a plane as well.'
Trivia:
He married actress Genevieve Cortese in 2010.