$14 Million
What is Jared Padalecki’s Net Worth and Salary?
Jared Padalecki is an American actor who has a net worth of $14 million. Padalecki first gained attention thanks to his role on the television show “Gilmore Girls,” but he is best known for playing Sam Winchester on 15 seasons of “Supernatural.”
As of this writing, Jared has starred in more than 300 episodes of the show. His salary is $125,000 per episode which works out to around $2.5 million season.
Biography
Jared Tristan Padalecki, an American actor born on July 19, 1982, is renowned for his portrayal of Sam Winchester in the TV series “Supernatural.” His rise to fame began with his appearances in the early 2000s on the television series “Gilmore Girls” and movies like “New York Minute” (2004) and “House of Wax” (2005). Padalecki has also starred in the 2009 horror film “Friday the 13th.”
Early Life and Background
Born in San Antonio, Texas, to Gerald and Sherri Padalecki, Jared holds a diverse heritage with Polish, German, Scottish, French, and English ancestry. He displayed academic prowess as a candidate for the Presidential Scholars Program in 2000 and showed a talent for public speaking by winning the National Forensic League national championship in Duo Interpretation with his partner in 1998. Although Padalecki originally planned to attend the University of Texas, he shifted gears post-high school graduation in 2000, opting to move to Los Angeles County, California to pursue an acting career instead.
Career Beginnings and Breakthrough
Padalecki’s first step into the spotlight was winning Fox Broadcasting’s “Claim to Fame Contest” in 1999, leading to an appearance at the Teen Choice Awards where he connected with an agent. His early acting work included a minor role in the 1999 film “A Little Inside” and a more significant role as Dean Forester on the television series “Gilmore Girls” which he played until 2005. During this time, he also acted in various made-for-television films and had an uncredited role in “Cheaper by the Dozen” in 2003. His audition for the role of Charlie Baker, which ultimately went to Tom Welling, led to a different role in the movie.
Rise to Prominence
Padalecki’s role in the 2004 film “New York Minute” and the action-packed “Flight of the Phoenix” in the same year added to his growing filmography. The following year, he co-starred in “House of Wax” and took on another horror role in “Cry Wolf.” His breakthrough came with his casting as Sam Winchester in the WB series “Supernatural” in 2005, a role that he would embody for fifteen seasons until the show’s conclusion in 2020.
Diverse Roles and Ventures
In 2007, Padalecki hosted MTV’s “Room 401,” but the show was short-lived. He portrayed Thomas Kinkade in “Christmas Cottage” in 2008 and took the lead in “Friday the 13th” in 2009. His most recent television work includes playing the title character in the reboot of “Walker, Texas Ranger,” now simply called “Walker,” which premiered on The CW in January 2021.
Personal Life and Advocacy
Padalecki’s personal life came to the public eye with his engagement and subsequent marriage to Genevieve Cortese, whom he met on the set of “Supernatural.” The couple has three children and tied the knot in Cortese’s hometown of Sun Valley, Idaho. In 2018, Padalecki, along with his “Supernatural” co-stars, publicly supported Beto O’Rourke in the Texas Senate election.
Mental Health Advocacy
His off-screen endeavors include launching the “Always Keep Fighting” campaign in 2015, aimed at supporting those struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide, causes personal to Padalecki’s own experiences. The campaign has had multiple iterations and has sold tens of thousands of shirts to benefit charitable causes. In a heartfelt moment at San Diego Comic-Con 2015, fans showed solidarity with Padalecki’s mental health battle by holding up candles during a “Supernatural” panel.
