I always look forward to the Chicago Supernatural convention every year – it was the first Creation con for my favorite show and I still remember the off-the-charts excitement of being there, way back in 2007!
It’s also the con where I met one of my dearest friends when I got stranded there during a hurricane and she came to my rescue and offered me a place to stay during the storm. (We had met once, at the con, but we were SPNFamily so she drove over and rescued me from the dodgiest motel ever, the only one that wasn’t fully booked in the storm. She may have literally saved my life). Another of my dearest friends was also there with some of her besties, so the con was extra special. So were a few other friends who I wish I could see more often. In between being in the vendor room and enjoying panels, there was lots of good food and drink and even better conversation. What more could you ask?
On Friday, I joined the Matt Cohen and Gil McKinney panel already in progress – which sort of explains why they were being feral raccoons at the time…
Matt: Every animal I portray ends up with Jensen’s bowlegs…
These two are a great example of two people who didn’t even work together on the show, but they’re a great onstage duo who are always amusing. What are their favorite made up words?
Gil: Dingleberry
Matt: Fuckery!
A fan asked for their help in naming her eighth (!) ferret.
Matt: Squoose (a combination of Moose and Squirrel). I’m brilliant!
Matt also, for some reason, told Gil all about the “geoduck” (pronounced, for some reason, gooey-duck). Creation helpfully put a photo up on the screen so everyone could … uh, marvel? The geoduck was a thing at cons about a decade ago, so it was amusing to see it make a triumphant return.
Matt to Gil: I’d serve it to you raw…
I also caught some of Sam Smith’s panel. A fan brought the actual nightgown that she wore as Mary burning on the ceiling in the pilot – which is actually not white, but pink!
Complete with blood stain. Hey, it’s Supernatural…
Sam said that when Kripke told her that she’d be back she was skeptical.
Sam to Eric: Ummmm you burned down the house!
She was totally confused when they told her she was coming back for Season 12.
Sam: How???
When Sam auditioned for the part, David Nutter winked at her – and for some reason, she winked back (and got the part!)
Sam said she was afraid to twist Jensen’s arm too hard when she was supposed to be wrenching it back in a scene they had together, but he dismissed her concern.
Jensen to Sam: No offense, but if you twist it too far, I’ll just twist it back…
Friday night was the karaoke pink party, with Sam, host DJ Qualls and Alaina Huffman. One of my friends got to get up and sing, which was absolutely awesome.
Alex Calvert and Jason Manns and a few members of Louden Swain stopped by and joined in the fun for a little while too. Plus we got some Abba!
Fun night!
Saturday Richard Speight, Jr. joined Rob Benedict and Matt Cohen onstage for a panel. A fan tried to introduce a hypothetical, but Rich wasn’t having it.
Fan: So you’re eleven and there’s a bully…
Richard: No we’re not, we’re three grown men on a stage…
We’re all excited to see Matt Cohen on TV again as a detective on The Young and the Restless soon!
Everyone gave him congrats, including Rich and Rob.
Who would they want to defend them from a bully?
Richard: Tahmoh Penikett!
Rob: What he said!
Rob talked about auditioning and said he gets really excited when the writing is really good.
He also told the story about a long time ago when a radio show host dissed Louden Swain and were shocked when the SPN family came to their defense en masse.
Rob and Rich talked about the success of their SPN Then And Now podcast, saying that because they’re friends with the actors, we get to hear some brand new stories.
If you haven’t checked it out, do it!
Rob also told the hilarious story of the time he thought Jensen was going to buy him an expensive Rolex….but he ended up feeling like he had to buy it himself. Reluctantly. Lol
There were some unusual questions. What game would they choose to be stuck in?
Matt: Mousetrap – it’d be fun as long as you don’t die…
At the end of the panel, we got to sing happy birthday to Mr. Speight, and his pink cupcake (helpfully delivered by a singing Gil McKinney)
Next up was the ladies panel with Ruth Connell, Sam Smith, Briana Buckmaster and Kim Rhodes. This combo always has some helpful insights (and also occasionally makes me tear up – mostly Kim’s fault…)
Ruth talked about being bullied when she was in high school, but then finding people to laugh a lot with.
Ruth: Finding a group of guys to laugh with in high school reminds me of the guys on the Supernatural set, feeling safe to laugh with too.
(Best. Set. Ever.)
Briana said that she would have loved an actual Supernatural musical – which I think most of us agree with her about!
Ruth: And I could dance! (You can read her moving chapter in Family Don’t End With Blood about how much she wanted to be a dancer, and her journey that culminated in the role of Rowena on Supernatural).
(Kim Rhodes, Briana Buckmaster, Matt Cohen, Gil McKinney, and Rob Benedict also wrote powerful and personal chapters in Family Don’t End With Blood – along with Jared, Jensen and Misha!)
They always have some good advice too.
Sam talked about how scary it is to speak in front of people, and thanked the fans who get up to ask questions.
Briana: The other side of fear is often freedom. Don’t worry about looking foolish.
Ruth: Tell them the queen of Hell still worries about the same thing.
Saturday is always Misha day, and this Saturday we got Misha in a borrowed pink shirt that was a wee bit too small and a wee bit see through, which nobody minded at all.
The shirt held on. Barely. Again, no complaints.
Misha also had some advice.
Misha: Use the hard chapters of your life as a lesson.
He was asked about being politically active and fighting to change the world.
Misha: Civic engagement is about participating in the human family.
He said that all of us can make a difference.
Misha: Find the thing you can do, because doing something gives you hope.
Misha said that he and his brother had a mentor and father figure who was a neighbor, who helped out and taught them things when his family was very poor.
Amusingly, Misha said that the guy in Spain who dubs his voice as Castiel started when he was on Charmed, before his voice changed – so his voice is very high pitched.
Apropos of nothing…
Misha: It’s always wonderful to see my face tattooed on someone’s inner thigh.
(Also, that poor shirt sleeve…)
Misha: I’m writing, but not a lot. There’s a trickle of things coming out of me… oh, oops!
(He was unrepentant)
Misha: Sometimes I write in little spurts… sometimes it’s hard… but satisfying…
He also told the sad story of Rudy the zombie hamster, which I can’t remember, but it looked like this:
What other Supernatural character would he be?
Misha: Baby. Oh wait… both Sam and Dean would always both be trying to get inside me, so maybe not…
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1964401707640860726
When Rob and Rich came out to sing him offstage, Misha’s shirt ended up unbuttoned even more. Somehow.
Misha: You weren’t supposed to see me like this!
(Norton is amused…. or is he??)
The sweater did not cover much….
We also got a Mark Sheppard panel. Mark said he ad libbed the line “this is the king” when Crowley answers his phone.
Well done, Mark!
Mark: I thought having “Not Moose” in Crowley’s phone was so funny I blew snot out of my nose!
He also said he made Crowley’s scream so high pitched solely to amuse director Bob Singer.
Mark had lots of positive things to say about the Supernatural set – like pretty much everyone does.
Mark: Supernatural was a very very safe set.
And I caught a glimpse of another of my favorite actors from Supernatural, Jim Beaver, too. Jim has alot of wisdom to share, but he also has a dry sense of humor that I very much appreciate.
Saturday night was a lovely dinner with friends, and the weather was actually nice enough to dine outside for once – a rarity for Chicago con!
And then it was time for what’s always one of my favorite parts of any Supernatural con – the Saturday Night Special with Louden Swain and friends!
Gil McKinney joined in the fun, singing “Seventeen” with his beautiful voice.
Gil puts so much emotion into whatever he sings, and I so enjoy it.
We were also treated to some Dick Jr. and the Volunteers originals with Richard Speight, Jr. and Kim Rhodes and Briana Buckmaster singing backup.
Mark Sheppard played drums – he’s been playing with Dick Jr. and the Volunteers at other shows too.
I sometimes can’t believe how much musical talent is in the SPN cast!
Billy Moran did a song from his solo album also.
Jason Manns joined Rob and Billy for their traditional beautiful harmonies on Hallelujah, with all of us in the audience singing the chorus, to their satisfied smiles.
We also got both Briana Buckmaster and Kim Rhodes in Rockstar mode and then an exuberant Mama’s Jam.
Rob also sang Fare Thee Well, which always makes me emotional because he sang it on Supernatural. I miss my Show.
And then another favorite of mine, Amazing.
Rob: This Supernatural family is amazing, and saved my life.
(Literally – if you read the chapter he wrote in Family Don’t End With Blood it takes you moment by moment when he had a stroke at a convention, and how the SPN family helped save his life.)
And finally, kazoos out for Medicated!
And then it was Sunday – J2 day!
The gold panel was first up. Jared in his trademark black, and Jensen in white sweater and worn jeans showing off those bowlegs. It’s weird, but I am constantly caught off guard by how gorgeous these two are, after all these years of seeing them at cons!
One of the first questions, the fan began by saying “I’m the weird one because I love the last episode.”
Jensen (smiling): Me too, so we can be weird together.
Me three!!!
(Someday there will be a day when the fandom recognizes that Jensen does indeed love the last episode, but this was not that day according to the twitter firestorm after this…)
Jensen thanked the fan who said she loved the finale, and talked about the Supernatural finale being a reason for hope.
Jensen: Thank you. I, it kinda falls in line with the theme of the show which is always keep fighting, and what do we say? Things never really die on Supernatural. So I feel like there was always that element that we got to play, that it wasn’t ever really over. Even now, though the show stopped at Season 15, does that really mean it’s over? Time will tell. But I believe in my heart that the show – I mean it continues with what we’re doing right now. we still get to celebrate it, we still get to talk about it, to discuss… like, his wig… and that keeps the show alive. So it’s a nice analogy for life as well.
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1964788603575574843
Jared had some praise for another of my favorite people, Shoshannah Stern, saying how much he adored her and how dialed in she was when acting. He tried to do the same because of his anxiety.
Jensen talked about the (brilliant) scene he did in ‘Regarding Dean’ in the mirror as Dean was losing his memory of who he was.
Jensen: I did three takes on the mirror scene. I basically terrified myself in that scene.
And all of us! It was so realistic, it really hit hard.
Jared fondly recalled having fun making up additional post it notes for that episode, which I’m sure were hilarious.
More seriously, he said that he learned working on Supernatural that no feeling is final.
Jared: I learned patience…. Which isn’t obvious when you meet me…
(Actually not true, it is obvious when you meet him)
Jensen: I gained confidence playing Dean and being a co-lead on set.
Everyone is excited to see Jared and Jensen onscreen again together on The Boys, along with Misha too!
Jensen: I told Jared, I’m a guest on The Boys and you are too, so mind your manners.
Which, by all accounts, they all did – and had alot of fun doing it!
Jared was asked about his role on The Boys, and tried to answer without giving anything away lol.
Jared: It’s comedic, not intended to be necessarily… ahhh, what can I say?
Jensen (laughing): Be careful!
Jared: I know! It’s a character unlike any I’ve been welcomed to play in 25 years of this wild career. We had a great time – we played. Luckily – it’s a massive show, there are massive fans worldwide – so showing up for a couple weeks to do an episode is daunting even after 500 episodes of television. But this guy (pointing to Jensen) gave Misha and me kinda the seal of approval and we were welcomed with open arms. We’re sitting there chilling with Ant between takes and we were welcomed like family. He wouldn’t say it to my face, but whatever he said made the entire cast welcome us as if we were one of them.
Jensen: It was along the lines of, I’m not responsible…
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1964734344511225970
I love that they will always make a joke after one of them has said something sincere and nice about the other – so Sam and Dean of them!
Jensen said that driving the vintage cars on Vought Rising, however, has been a challenge. And because he’s such a great story teller, he made it hilarious.
Jensen: It was a 1947 Chevy with three on the tree. It had a start pedal and a clutch. I felt like it wanted to take my knee cap off. Then there was the giant hand brake you had to release. This is an old car, the gear box is just trash. They just sprung this on me and they’re ready to shoot. Also we’re in a hurry, running out of a building and jumping into the car and taking off. And I’m like, can I get a push? First take, got everything going, forgot the brake. Second take, reverse is very close to first gear… I went the wrong way.
Never underestimate Ackles, though.
Jensen: Take 3, nailed it. They’re like, we got it, moving on.
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1964779807209861319
Of course he did.
Jared also told a hilarious story, about a guest actor on Supernatural who kept accidentally kneeing him in the nuts.
Jensen: I paid him $100 each time…
They did so much laughing, and honestly I could happily just watch them crack each other up forever. I smiled so much my face ached, to quote Rocky Horror.
Jared was asked about the new movie he’ll be starring in, The Bodyguard, based on the book by Katherine Center – which is a romcom. Jensen said he’d like to do some comedy too, like a Parks and Rec or Office.
Jared: Why don’t you do that with all your free time? Make it your 101st show to your 100 shows….
Jensen:
Jared (more seriously): That would be amazing. I think he’s amazingly talented at that. I feel very nervous doing things that are supposed to be funny. I feel like when stuff’s not supposed to be funny and I can find the humor, I’m more comfortable than ‘check this shit out’. He’s good at both.
Jensen: You’re shockingly funny when you’re not trying to be funny.
Jared: Your face is funny!
Jensen: I feel like your timing and stuff is so impeccably magical when you’re not trying to land a punchline. If it’s straight off the cuff, he’s very good at that. But if you give him a joke that’s written…
Jared: Terrible.
Jensen: He struggles a bit…
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1965846374135771248
The gold panel is always over WAY too fast, but it’s the best way to start a Sunday morning!
I was able to catch some of the Felicia Day and Ruth Connell panel – in time to have some great laughs as they got R rated (and also got a lot of laughing in)
Felicia: Don’t tell Mark Sheppard that I actually like British accents!
Ruth: In the audition sides, I feel like I already knew who Rowena was. The snark was already there.
Felicia: Robbie Thompson wrote Charlie as a Felicia Day type and then they said well, can we just get actual Felicia?
Ruth confessed that she was nervous about working with Felicia, aww.
Felicia talked about how hard it was to have Charlie die on Supernatural, and how emotional it was to come back to the show.
Felicia: But at the end of the day, what’s important is the story.
Rowena has of course also been killed on the show.
Ruth: When Mark Pellegrino killed me, it wasn’t his fault, but it’s a pile of ashes and he calls it “ginger bits” – and I was offended!
Ruth pitched a spinoff of young Rowena in Scotland.
Ruth: Especially because Jensen loves Scotland!
I’m in!
I also got to see some of Jake Abel’s panel. I always enjoy his panels and his irreverent sense of humor.
Jake, taking the stage: So, did you all get your Jared and Jensen squeezes? I did!
He said he comes with his own warning label. What does it say?
Jake: It starts with hot…
The next fan started with “I asked you this last year.”
Jake: I remember.
Fan: Do you??
Jake: No!
If the boys had gone back for Adam?
Jake: I’d like to think Adam would’ve grown into a better hunter than the boys.
Audience: Ummm…
Jake is a master of innuendo, and I thoroughly enjoy his panels. In response to a body swap question:
Jake: What if I woke up in Jared or Jensen’s body? (pauses….) Nope, can’t say that….nope, can’t say that either…
He said he loved playing Hercules in the new Matt Cohen project, Public Domain (which is awesome!)
He also told one of his most amusing stories from the Supernatural set, which was about the time he was trapped in a diner booth with a flatulent Jared, who let one rip then announced, “I’m Fartacus!”
Lol
What would Michael and Adam do together?
Jake: Play Scrabble.
He also somehow pitched a drag version of Chicago to Rob. As you do.
Jared got delayed catching up with some people he hadn’t seen in a while, so Jensen ended up onstage for the main panel alone, which has never been his favorite thing to do.
Jensen showed his appreciation for Billy Moran’s guitar skills while he waited.
When Jared joined him a few minutes later, Jensen broke into a big smile and Jared grinned back.
The two crashed into each other exuberantly in their happiness to be reunited (after a separation of approximately 3 minutes).
Why do they look like Smurfs? No clue, I guess my phone was exuberant too.
Rob was also very happy to see Jared. These guys, aww….
At some point in this panel, we got a real treat – Jensen reprising his Eye of the Tiger rendition, this time actually singing it.
Nobody was more thrilled than Jared, who watched with so much pride (and played a little air guitar as a call back to that epic gag reel moment)
He got up to join Jensen for the big finish.
And I got the Eye of the Tiger turned my way for a moment.
Talk turned to The Boys again, and Jensen’s character Soldier Boy.
Jensen: Soldier Boy has powers… .and a codpiece…
Jared: And a nice ass…
How would Sam and Dean fare against him?
Jared and Jensen mimed Sam and Dean throwing every weapon in the Impala’s trunk at Soldier Boy, laughing as they did.
They were occasionally serious.
Jared: The first unconditional love you need to give is to yourself.
Jensen: Well said.
Dream roles?
Jensen: Anything I get to do.
Jared: Sam Winchester. I got to play so many parts.
Awww, Jared. That warmed my heart.
Jensen then said that Batman would be a dream role for him.
Jared: (overheats)
Everyone: Understandable.
It’s an ongoing (hilarious) thing that Jared tries to get a rim shot and Jensen gets them effortlessly, so we get lots of Jared trying to get one like this.
And failing.
They got the body swap question too.
Jared: I’d have to find a magnifying glass to shower…
Jensen: I could’ve set my watch by that. In 3 – 2 – 1 yep there it is…
Jared: Actually Swap Meet was initially written like that, the first scene we were in each other’s bodies…
Jensen: Ummm…
Jared (when he finally realizes what he said): Impenetrable, my ass!
Norton: gives Jared that long overdue rim shot!
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1965251831313117583
Jensen: If Dean woke up and saw Sam’s body in the mirror with Sam’s hair?
Jensen: If Dean’s looking at Sam in the mirror, I would do this (mimes shaving his head)
If Sam woke up in Dean’s body?
Jared: if Sam were looking at Dean in the mirror… (straightens out his bowlegs)
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1965251818163962082
They were asked how they created the fun atmosphere that Supernatural had on set.
Jared: People were tired, we’d be running up against the proverbial brick wall. Proverbially. Sometimes actually. He and I could sense, oh shit everyone’s tired, someone’s grumpy, someone got a bad phone call, someone’s barking at each other because we’re all tired adults trying to co exist on a set and it’s 30 degrees and raining. So we’d kick it up a notch to really bring a smile to somebody’s face or even for each other, if we’re sensing they’re pretty beat or they’re worried about something at home or at their apartment in Vancouver. So you kinda ride the wave.
He turned to Jensen and asked, does that sound accurate?
Jensen: Yeah, we weren’t just goofing around to goof around. I mean, there was a lot of that, but it’s because we were able to get the work done but have fun doing it. And if we were having fun, the crew was having fun and everyone was able to do it and they enjoyed coming to work. If you have people who can help create an environment of fun and laughter and excitement, it gets you through those tough hours.
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1965251937546457464
No (once again), they wouldn’t change any episode – including the last one. A fan asked about what they would change, and they joked about Sam’s wig in the finale.
Jared: It wasn’t my real hair….
Jensen then answered seriously.
Jensen: No, not even the last episode. If the show was just absolute perfection from tip to stern, I don’t think it would have given us (us and them) something to rally around as much as the way this show had to fight its way, and had to take the trip and had to continue to fall down and had to continue to get back up again.
Jared: With y’all’s help.
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1965251765223522660
All too soon, it was time for the last question. She asked about a scene that was a difficult scene to do, and Jensen had an emotional answer – it was clear that he was telling Jared as much as us.
Jensen: I was supposed to wait for a cue from the assistant director to run in and grab him (Jared). I did not wait for that cue. I wasn’t even looking at the AD, I was watching the flames and I could feel the heat…
Jared: I got burnt…
Jensen: I basically waited as long as I could for you – and this is the first time we had worked together, this is the first episode – and he’s [the AD] over here supposed to give me a cue like okay now go and I’m like screw you, I’m gonna try to make sure this guy is safe! The flames burned much quicker than they anticipated. It got so hot in there so quickly, I just ran in and grabbed you.
Audience: cheers
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1965251767303860292
No wonder they became so close so fast!
At the end of every J2 panel, the boys thank the fans and thank each other, showing so much gratitude and pride in the work they did on the show and their continuing relationship with the fans. It never fails to warm my heart.
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1965251763604533517
I had to fly out at 4 am the next morning to go to work (alas) but we made time for one more dinner with friends at the hotel bar restaurant. Then it was a few (very few) hours of sleep and off to the airport.
Thank you, Chicon, you never disappoint!
Stay tuned for more from the last few cons of 2025!
-Lynn
You can read the chapters from all the Supernatural
actors including Jared, Jensen, Misha and many
more, in Family Don’t End With Blood and There’ll
Be Peace When You Are Done, all about what this
20 year journey (and the fandom) means to them!
Lynn Zubernis, PhD is an expert on all things “Supernatural,” and has published numerous bestselling books on the subject. You can check them out here.