Actor Jared Padalecki Says He Once Struggled With ‘Dramatic Suicidal Ideation’

Jared Padalecki attends the 2018 PaleyFest screening of CW's "Supernatural" in Hollywood, Calif., on March 20, 2018. (Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images)

Jared Padalecki, an actor best known for his roles on “Supernatural” and “Gilmore Girls,” has opened up about his past mental health struggles, revealing he once battled with suicidal thoughts nearly a decade ago.

“It was 2015, I had a really low moment,” the 41-year-old shared during a recent interview on the “I’ve Never Said This Before With Tommy DiDario“ podcast.

Mr. Padalecki attributed the difficult time in his life to pressures stemming from his acting career.

“I was letting my thoughts kind of take over and go into a place of, like, dramatic suicidal ideation,” he explained, noting that he immediately called his wife, Genevieve Padalecki. The 43-year-old actress, who wed the actor in 2010, was also present during the podcast interview.

“She said, ‘Get home.’ And so, [I] got home, went to a clinic for a couple [of] weeks ... and haven’t been suicidal since—not for a moment,” he said.

‘Highs and Lows’

Mr. Padalecki started his acting career in 1999, appearing in the film “A Little Inside,” before going on to play parts in “ER,” “Young MacGyver,” “New York Minute,” and “Flight of the Phoenix,” among others, per his IMDb.

In 2000, the Texas native landed his breakout role in “Gilmore Girls,” appearing on the show until 2005. That same year, Mr. Padalecki started his 15-year run on “Supernatural,” portraying the character Sam Winchester up until the show’s conclusion in 2020.

Regarding his decision to check into a mental health clinic in 2015, Mr. Padalecki said he had gotten to a place in his life where he “needed it.”

“I needed a full reset,” he explained. “I had spent, you know, 15 years in this industry.”

However, despite overcoming his past suicidal thoughts, Mr. Padalecki acknowledged that he continues to experience fluctuations in his mental well-being to this day.

“There are highs and lows,” he admitted, sharing that he was currently feeling disheartened about the recent cancelation of ‘Walker,’ a show in which he played the lead role and served as an executive producer.

“Today’s a low,” he said. “I’m fine, nothing to worry about, but I have a lot of sadness about ‘Walker.’”

The CW’s crime drama, a reboot of the popular CBS television series “Walker, Texas Ranger,” starring Chuck Norris, premiered in January 2021. However, in May 2024, the network revealed the show would not be renewed for a fifth season.

“We want to thank the entire cast, crew, writers, directors and producers of Walker for their hard work and dedication over four incredible seasons,” The CW shared in a statement at the time, per The Hollywood Reporter. “We also want to give a special thanks to star and executive producer Jared Padalecki, who has been a member of The CW family for over 20 years and was integral to some of the biggest hits on the network.”

Mr. Padalecki subsequently took to Instagram to issue his own statement, writing: “We are SO thankful for the #WalkerFamily that has been built, both on set and off. After four seasons together, we have felt the love and support from the entire #WalkerFamily, and we will be forever grateful.”

“It has been a unique honor to be a part of the cast and crew (and fandom!) that helped #Walker tell the stories that we told,” he continued, in part. “I will forever smile on the years I got to spend with the cast and crew and studio and network and fandom that made this all possible. Til we ride again.”

‘Speak Your Truth’

During his interview with Mr. DiDario, Mr. Padalecki encouraged others who are struggling with their mental health to seek help, sharing that he “proudly” tells people he sought out therapy and treatment at a clinic.

“I know I'll be fine because I’m talking to you about it. I talked to Gen about it; I talked to my friends about it. And so just to please, please be open, please share, please find somebody, whether, uh, it’s a friend or professional, and speak and speak your truth,” he implored.

“And just ‘cause you’re low now, you know, meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two impostors just the same,” he added, sharing how the phrase “we’ll see” has helped him to navigate any negative feelings that arise.

“You know, something seems great, might not, we‘ll see. Something seems terrible, we’ll see. Like, keeping an open mind and looking to tomorrow, looking to next week, next month, next year has helped a lot,” he offered.

“Like I said, today’s a hard day. It’s been a hard month since we found out [about Walker], but I’m in a great place with my wife, our children, my friends, my family,” Mr. Padalecki said. “So just learning to look, seek help, open up—even if you don’t think you need it.”