Did you know that Jensen Ackles was once in contention for the role of young Superman in the long-running DC show ‘Smallville‘? Interestingly, the creators of ‘Smallville‘, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, originally intended to pitch a different show to Warner Bros., but the studio instead wanted a series focused on Superman’s formative years.
Thereafter, Gough and Millar, who weren’t deeply embedded in Superman lore, approached the character from a fresh perspective. They also reworked certain aspects of the mythology and conceptualized the show in their own way. While searching for someone to play the leading role, Ackles and actor Tom Welling went head-to-head for the role, with Welling eventually landing the part. Ultimately, it came down to who best matched the version of the character the show intended to portray.
Jensen Ackles Didn’t Fit The Farm Boy Profile Of ‘Smallville’
Before ‘Smallville‘ premiered in 2001, Ackles auditioned for the role of young Clark Kent/Superman. According to multiple sources tied to the show’s production history, he was essentially the runner-up behind Welling. The producers, Gough and Millar, ultimately chose Welling because they felt he embodied the softer, more earnest “farm boy” version of Clark Kent that the series wanted. Ackles reportedly gave off more of a rebellious or “bad boy” vibe, something fans later associated heavily with Dean Winchester on Supernatural.
In an earlier interview, even Ackles acknowledged that his counterpart was a better fit for the role than him. The first three seasons of the show gave him enough evidence to state that Welling’s look and profile aligned well with what the show demanded from the character.
“It got pretty close and actually came down to Tom and me. We had to go back a couple of times to the network, and they ultimately went with Tom, which I thought made sense because he looks more the part than I do. Watching the [first] three seasons, I’d say they made the right choice,” Ackles said, according to KryptonSite.
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In an episode of Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum, Welling remembered auditioning for the same part alongside Ackles. “It was me and Jensen” up for the role of Clark, Welling said. “I remember going in for the actual audition…and I walk in, and there’s this wonderfully handsome guy, who I’m like, ‘I think this guy is a real actor.'” However, Ackles eventually ended up joining the cast of the show. And that’s when he was offered the role of Dean Winchester in ‘Supernatural‘.
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Ackles Later Joined ‘Smallville’ As A Charismatic Football Coach With A Dark Family Past
Although Ackles missed the chance to play young Superman, his connection with the show wasn’t over yet. As per media reports, the creators developed a liking for him from the Clark Kent auditions. So later, they created a role for him. Ackles ended up joining the ‘Smallville‘ cast in Season 4. He played the role of Jason Teague, Lana Lang’s boyfriend and an assistant football coach.
Although he starts off as a charming love interest for Lana, he eventually gets tied up in the show’s darker mythology through his family’s obsession with the Kryptonian stones. He played a pivotal role in the season. But unfortunately, his journey on the show was cut short after landing a role in ‘Supernatural‘.
Ackles reportedly originally had a contract that could have kept him on Smallville longer. But he ultimately moved to Supernatural in 2005. He exited ‘Smallville‘ at the end of Season 4 and moved on to play Dean Winchester. It’s a role that eventually made him a television icon. The show ultimately ran for 15 seasons from 2005 to 2020.
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