Why Jared Padalecki Didn't Want His Kids To Watch Supernatural

Most children think their favorite TV characters are real due to their raging imaginations, which can't tell fantasy from reality. While all parents have to deal with explaining the difference between what's real and what's not to their kids, actors most likely have it worse. As people who portray the fictional characters the world sees on its screens, it can be tough convincing their own children that they're not actually them.

For this very reason, Jared Padalecki, the star of the hit show "Supernatural," doesn't allow his kids to watch the work he's best known for. Other than the often vivid displays of violence, Jared's wife and the mother of his three children, Genevieve Padalecki, is also on the show, which would undoubtedly confuse their youngsters even more. The spouses actually met on set, and while that may be a cute story to tell the kids, they're most likely not sharing all the gruesome details of their time spent together at work.

Explaining what one does to their children can be challenging, and Jared Padalecki knows it for a fact. While his children know their dad is an actor, the "Gilmore Girls" heartthrob doesn't want to share every project he ever did with them, and for a good reason. "For 15 years, I worked on a show that I didn't really want my kids to watch because I'd have to explain why Daddy was bleeding, and why Daddy was killing Mommy, or why Uncle Jensen [Ackles] killed Mommy," Jared explained when speaking to People.

In the notorious scene he referred to in the interview, Jared's character, Sam Winchester, and his brother Dean, played by Ackles, kill Ruby, a double-agent demon portrayed by Genevieve Padalecki, Jared's real-life spouse. While Ruby does make a comeback in later seasons, young children would most likely have a hard time grasping the concept of acting to that degree, as well as one coming back to life. On top of that, Jared shared that the young trio was starting to experience nightmares, and the demon hunting, mentions of hell, and overall graphic violence of "Supernatural" certainly wouldn't help that.

With its scary visuals and even scarier supernatural creatures, the beloved CW horror drama is not something to show young kids, especially if their parents are getting murdered in the scene on screen. However, to still expose his children to some of his work, Jared enthusiastically showed them "Walker," his reboot of the 1990s series starring Chuck Norris. "With 'Walker, I feel very comfortable saying to everybody on the planet, 'Hey, you can watch this,'" the actor said in a conversation with Collider, adding, "It's heartwarming. It's a great show for anybody and everybody." When Season 2 premiered, he took to Twitter to share a sweet snapshot while eagerly waiting to tune in alongside his two boys.

Other than their dad's projects, the Padalecki kids do get to enjoy the children's classics as all others do. "Paw Patrol" and "Lion King" are always on the list, as Jared revealed in a heartfelt letter to his children that was shared on his wife's lifestyle blog. Additionally, he admitted to loving the excuse to rewatch his favorite cartoons, so skipping "Supernatural" might not be such a bad thing for the star.