We’ve had a blast at NJCon, and hope some of you enjoyed our mad tweeting! Above is an example of how much fun Jared and Jensen were onstage today – this is Jared pantomiming the snake in Yellow Fever while Jensen looks perplexed. He should be used to this by now!
We’ve got a lot to share here, with some picture posts coming up of all three days of the con. But for now, a few tidbits from the Jared and Jensen meet and greets. Tidbits only, since we didn’t take notes. But the boys are rather memorable.
We ran into a few fans who had just been at Jared’s meet and greet (and were consequently smiling like they’d just won the lottery).
Lynn: Did Jared say anything adorable?
Fans: Yes.
Lynn: Ooh, what?
Fans: Hello.
Lynn: Point taken.
Actually Jared did say a few adorable things, like now that he’s on hiatus, he’s putting in a lot of daddy time. Imagine his surprise when he discovered that parenting is actually harder than his day job. (Fangirl moms in the room: *are not surprised in the least*)
Someone asked Jared for advice about being an actor, and Jared had some words of wisdom — be yourself, and don’t try to fit into a particular role, i.e. the pretty boy or whatever.
Jared: There are better actors out there who could play Sam.
Fans: No way.
Jared: And there are actors out there who are better looking.
Fans. No really. NO WAY.
Jared obviously lost that battle.
Jensen talked about what makes someone a good actor too, saying it came down to being able to make someone believe it. He reads his scripts the night before and makes notes all over it, because he likes to follow his initial instincts in playing the scene. Though he and Jared are always open to the nuances of the scene, and will sometimes change a word or a line because they feel it differently.
He also talked about how much playing Dean over the past eight years has impacted his life. He puts on those boots and those faded jeans, and he’s Dean. He’s a part of Dean, and Dean’s a part of him — one he’ll carry with him even after the show is over. Actor Josh Jackson told him that when a long-running series ends, it’s like you have to reintegrate into society.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I think I’ll feel that way when SPN ends too. This show and this fandom are a wonderful and special world, and it’s been pretty awesome being immersed in both for so many years. We’ve had many fans tell us they can no longer imagine life without Supernatural. I guess we’ll all be reintegrating along with Jared and Jensen!
My question for Jensen was a serious one – what is his psychological take on how Dean is dealing with not being able to be the one to do the trials, and having to watch Sam suffer through them. Jensen said that of course it’s tough on Dean, he’s a stubborn bastard, and he feels like he should be doing them. In that scene where Dean tells Sam that he’s the grunt, he’s the one who should take them on, so Sam can go on and live a long and happy “normal” life, the scene got very emotional. They went with a more stoic version because they felt that fit the scene better, but apparently both actors got caught up in the emotions for some of the takes.
Lynn: (perhaps a little misty eyed) Um, me too. (This is an understatement…)
We had a few laughs with Mr. Ackles in the meet and greet too. He loves working with Felicia Day, and they make each other laugh. A fan asked him about a continuity glitch about the boys never having been to the Grand Canyon and then Sam suddenly remembering being there as a four year old with Dean on a farty mule – Jensen agreed it would be nice to have a continuity bible somewhere on set, and then joked about his favorite episode being the one where they go to the Grand Canyon.
Oh, and we should all be chomping at the bit for the release of the gag reel. The scene in LARP and the Real Girl where Braveheart!Dean gives his inspirational speech and then takes off? Jensen shared at the last con that he slipped in the mud and fell flat on his face. Apparently that outtake — in glorious slow motion — plays like every five minutes on the gag reel. Or at least that’s how it seemed to poor Jensen.
CAN NOT WAIT.
Much more from NJCon coming up – stay tuned!