Since I promised, here is the interview Jensen gave to a brazilian magazine. There are a few spoilers, so I put a warning before and the color is white, but if you think it's a problem let me know.  I also apologize for the bad english, I did the best I could. If there's anything you don't understand, let me know, I'll try to find other words.


Away from his dark pass in afternoon soap operas, Jensen Ackles is establishing a career on prime time by giving life to Dean Winchester, the most charming demon hunt on tv. Essential to Supernatural, especially after season 5, delivering great performances, Jensen is one of the reasons the show is a success and that recently reach the 100 episodes milestone. His character has to choose between faith and family, while, personally, the decisions are less apocalyptic, but equally interesting: directing or acting? After a strong handshake, he explains his career, characters and the future, on the show and professionally, in this exclusive interview to Sci-Fi News, at the luxury Hotel S&L at the most famous zip code of television: 90201.

I just talked to Jim Beaver and Misha Colins and they…

I’m so sorry for you! (laughs) Terrible, right? I don’t know why they keep inviting those two (laughs).

They talked about all the changes the show has suffered. How do you feel about the changing from telling “urban legends” to decide the future of mankind?

At first, I hesitate and got a little nervous for dealing with this theme, which can be really difficult. Eric (Kripke, creator of Supernatural) told me: “Look, I’m not trying to recreate the Bible, I’m just using those elements on a fictional story”. So I decided to keep my attention away from that, after all, I come from a very religious family, like myself. I wasn't worry, because I didn’t feel offended by anything on the show. The last thing I want is my grandmother calling to say (imitating grama’s voice): “do you have any idea of what you just said and did on the show, mister?” (laughs) Luckily, they (the family) understood and never complained about it.

It might not be offensive, but it might be a difficult decision, being a religious person, to see the Apocalypse and say no to Michael: which is the “right thing” to do and any Christian wouldn’t think twice.

According to the story, sure. The lack of Dean’s faith is something so interesting to play. He reacts to situations so different than me. A lot of people ask me what are the similarities that I share with Dean, I say that this relation has change during the show. In the beginning, we were very alike, because I didn’t know who Dean really was, so he was me on screen. With time, the writers, Eric and I were defining this guy and, believe me, now he speaks, talks and think so differently, whether comparing the first season or me. He’s tough and funny as well. He’s the guy who every (or almost) time gets the girls. My relationship with him has changed a lot and always surprises me, now everything seams new to me. That’s why I love acting.

And, speaking of development, while most tv shows gets paranoid about renewals, you got an early announcement. How that changes the environment on the set?

The pressure is off and helps us thinking on what’s important, instead of being on backstage wondering about the negotiations and having doubts about next year. Having a job for another year is great, especially in this industry. But, now, the pressure goes to the writers. They need to create a new season. Honestly, season 6 is the one that intrigues me the most, because Eric had this five year plan when he created Supernatural. And he stayed true to that. He never said: “look, they want a sixth year, so, I’ll stretch the fifth and keep dragging on”. Eric is not that kind of writer and nothing indicates that this is going to change. When he presents questions to the audience, he answers those questions, unlike some shows around. There is a lot of confidence on this production and the audience feels that.
 










I’m excited about next season because we’re pushing the “restart” button.

How come? By the way, how is possible to continue after getting the Apocalypse done?

For the creative aspect, we need to understand we just got over a gigantic climax and we’re getting into an unknown territory. The Apocalypse was avoided. That’s why we getting forward a few years and see where the Winchesters are and how it’s their lives. I can’t help, but think of the final scene of “The Hurt Locker” (2009 Oscar winner), when the main character sees himself in front of a shelf with several cereal boxes and doesn’t know what to do. The guy disarms bombs in Iraq, but gets lost on the supermarket! That is not his reality, just like not being a hunter looks like a different world to Dean. All his life was dedicated to one single task, almost like a voluntary slavery, now it’s time to face the monster of real world. That’s totally new to me, through the acting perspective, and I’ll explore a lot more of Dean’s life, that’s why I’m so excited. A kind of introspective tension, like inside monsters.










How do you evaluate the feelings between Sam and Dean on season 5? They lost faith on each other, got back together, got separate again, but they are still together…

It’s a constant approval and disapproval relationship on the trust aspect. They want to believe in each other, but always happen something to destroy that. When it happens, they doubt so intensely, but, in the same way, something always comes up to show there’s still hope. I like this dynamic, this constant battle to define their loyalty at each episode or season. This back and forth is appealing to the audience, because nobody knows where their lives are leading on; it’s a constant doubt: are they a team? Are they planning something behind each others back? Who is going to be the first one to change his mind?

Well, the fact that they can eventually try to kill each other during the Apocalypse helps a lot on that aspect…

Totally, it’s like Cain and Abel. Who is going to give the first punch, it’s the bigger question.

All those changes also affected, for example, the choice of the songs on the Impala or even the passion for Cheeseburgers? And these are also your personal choices?

A lot of this is my fault, I must admit (laughs). The classic rock’n’roll was always there; Eric insisted: a muscle car and classic rock. I guess he was tired of so much pop invading tv (laughs). Now, the food: I’m guilty! Why would I lie? (laughs) Right in the beginning, they put these sausages next to me on a scene. Then I got one and ate. The director told me: “keep eating, it’s funny!” (laughs). I though it was great, but I didn’t imagine that, from there on, every time Dean got a chance, he’d be eating. I love cheeseburgers!

I got ask: how did that scene of The Eye of the Tiger happen? Was it planned or it was a spur of the moment thing?

(laughs) It was all spontaneous! The music was playing out of the car, so I could follow the rhythm and Jared (Padalecki, co-star) should come near, knock on the car and say something like, “dude, turn off the music; we have better things to do”. He decided not to do that, just so see what I’d do. That’s what I did (laughs).

Playing Dean gives you a lot of opportunities to do drama, comedy and, of course, action. The perfect opportunity to find yourself. Do you know the kind of genre you like better?

The one that gives me a job (laughs). Action and comedy appeal more to me, but my mind is on working with who makes me a better actor. I practiced sports when I was a kid and I notice that I’d get a lot better when I played against someone who had more experience than me or if they were better than me; I’d put more effort and apply more. So, if I could at least have contact with the true talents of this industry and absorb what they have to offer, it'd be terrific. Being a tv actor allows constant evolving. I started to be interested by the camera movements and how directors tell stories by lens positions. There’s a lot more than be a character and entertaining the audience. To be able to see how all this happens and understand its motivations, why a certain angle was chosen, etc, for example, it's very fascinating. I’ve learned a lot along these five years.

You spoke like a real director. Have you ever thought about putting this into action?

Funny you ask. I haven’t mentioned this to anyone yet, but I was offered the direction for one of the next season episodes. You can’t imagine how excited I am.

Can you say the number of the episode or something about the script?

I don’t know yet. They just told me: “you deserve!” I didn’t ask for it, which made the whole thing even better. There wasn’t a negotiation, no agents; it was recognition from the crew to my interesting and ideas. They notice because of my active participation on the scenes, sometimes, even helping to direct when we were given the opportunity. If one of the directors asked me what we would like to do, I’d always suggest something related to positioning, camera’s angle and movements to have intensity on the scenes. That helps to give more speed to the whole process and it works. When I got the invitation, I felt awkward and really surprised! A lot of people want to direct on Supernatural.

Did you discover this desire on Supernatural or you thought about directing before the show?

It was during the show. I didn’t have that desire before.

Beyond the suggestions, this new perception also affects your acting stile, doesn't it?

Very much, because my interesting was beyond the behind the scenes and it got me confidence to pay attention on the other artistic aspects around me, the lighting or the cameras. Now, I read the scripts in a different way, beyond the simple preparation and starting to think about how my actions could improve the scene. Like, if the script says is going to be a movement conversation inside a motel room, I know that I won’t have a lot of space to move, because the camera would be steady, so, if my action is going to be limited to a small area or a table, whatever, I need to be prepared for that reality. It’s the camera and the acting working together.

That situation starts some kind of “familiar” competition, like, Jared is going to direct as well?

(laughs) No. Especially because it’s not something he’s interesting in as much as I am. He respects the things I like and got really excited by the news. When I told him, he said: “That’s awesome, man! You deserve. It’s going to be great!” During the last five years, he’s the person I spent more time with, so we know each other really well.

Being such a focus guy, and young, it is very surprising to see you talking about directing in such a serious and intense way. Especially in a time that almost the majority of “young stars” live in the gossip papers. We never see you there. This is a great thing, isn’t?

It’s really good. Just because it’s not the kind of attention I want. It’s easier since we shoot in Vancouver, I stay away from the Hollywood madness. But even if I was close to it, we shoot 12, 14 hours every day. We don't have time to do anything and to think about doing stupid things like taking off my shirt and run around LA. (laughs)

Your fans would sure love that!

(laughs) I need to remember that I’m 32 years old and I’m not some stupid kid. I want to make a career and I take the whole thing very serious, I respect my job. That doesn’t mean my life is boring, far from that, I have a lot of fun. I can enjoy as everybody else, but I know that doing this on a daily basis, it’d be the same thing as sabotage myself. It’s a delicate career. A lot of good people who made a lot of success vanish just because they didn’t have an opportunity, so stay focus is the main thing to do. I don’t want to end up like Corey Haim. It’s tragic, but it’s also a hard and a good lesson to any young actor.


I have to thank Ly, she's the one who made the scans. I took these from a Supernatural community on Orkut.


 


HUGS TO ALL!!!!
XOXO