This Supernatural Star Nearly Played Smallville’s Superman Instead of Tom Welling

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Both shows ran for over ten years on television, even after switching networks. Jensen Ackles, who now voices Batman in DC animation, was a key actor in both. Interestingly, David Nutter directed the first episode of each series and specifically chose Ackles to play the older Winchester brother.

The challenge was that Jared Padalecki was starring in Smallville as Jason Teague, a character known for causing trouble. Interestingly, Padalecki was actually considered for the role of young Superman on Smallville before Tom Welling got the part. It’s quite a story how he went from almost being DC’s biggest hero to becoming a legendary character – Dean Winchester on Supernatural.

How Jensen Ackles and Tom Welling Went Head-to-Head for Smallville’s Superman

You know, it’s funny how things turn out in Hollywood. Before Smallville took off, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar actually pitched a TV series based on the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie Eraser! They even shot a pilot episode, which got them in the door with Warner Bros. Television – though ultimately, it wasn’t that project that became their big break.

Instead of the story they originally planned, the studio decided they wanted a series focusing on Superman’s beginnings. Since Gough and Millar weren’t familiar with comic books, they decided to avoid the typical superhero tropes – no costumes, no flying. As they researched the characters and their history, they took inspiration from the comics, but also put their own spin on familiar ideas.

The most significant alteration to the story was the idea that Clark Kent and Lex Luthor had been friends since childhood. The success of Smallville largely depended on finding the right actor to play Clark Kent, and many auditioned for the role of the Man of Steel.

It came down to me and Tom, and we had to go back to the network a few times. Ultimately, they chose Tom, which I understood – he just looked the part better than I did. Looking back at the first three seasons, I think they made the right decision, according to an interview with KryptonSite, one of the earliest websites dedicated to Smallville.

During a podcast interview with Michael Rosenbaum (who played Lex Luthor), Tom Welling recalled his initial auditions for the role of Clark Kent. He explained that it came down to him and Jensen Ackles. Welling remembers walking into the audition room and immediately thinking his competition was a truly talented actor – a very handsome one, at that.

However, this wasn’t the end of Ackles’s relationship with Smallville.

How Jensen Ackles Joined Smallville and Left for Supernatural

Smallville was a huge hit and stands out as a rare success among DC Comics adaptations. The show ran for ten years, and while it honored the characters, it wasn’t afraid to completely reinvent their established backstories.

The show was among the first to appeal to the demographic that would become known as The CW’s core audience: young teens, teenagers, and young adults. Similar to other shows, the creators chose to keep the main romantic couple – Clark and Lana Lang, played by Kristin Kreuk – separated for several seasons. Although Jensen Ackles wasn’t cast as Clark Kent, he ultimately found success with a romantic interest of his own.

During the fourth season of Smallville, Lana Lang went to Paris, France, where she met a man named Jason. He came from a rich family fascinated with what they thought was magic, but which was actually connected to the show’s developing Kryptonian storyline. When Lana returned to Smallville, Jason followed her, attending Central Kansas A&M and becoming an assistant coach for the local high school football team.

Although Lana was a legal adult at 18, the power imbalance created by their employer-employee relationship was a significant issue, particularly when viewed today. When the relationship came to light, he lost his job. This event later drove his transformation into a villain focused on the season’s main storyline.

Jason was absent from the show for a while, but he returned near the end with his mother, Genevieve (played by Jane Seymour). They kidnapped Lex and Lionel Luthor, and Lionel shot Jason. However, Genevieve was killed by Lana, although Lana wasn’t fully in control – she was possessed by the spirit of Countess Isobel Thoreaux, who held a grudge against the Teague family.

Jason unknowingly lived through being shot and then kidnapped Jonathan (John Schneider). He ultimately joined his mother in death during the season four finale of Smallville, which featured a dramatic meteor shower.

Supernatural Pulled Jensen Ackles Out of Smallville, But Not Kansas

Not getting the role of Clark Kent on Smallville might have actually been a blessing for Jensen Ackles. While he later joined the show as Jason Teague, his character was only meant to be there for a single season—though it’s possible the role could have lasted longer.

Initially, the actress was only scheduled to appear in two episodes of Season 4. However, Warner Bros. Television liked her performance and increased her role to four episodes, eventually making her a regular cast member until the series ended. A similar situation could have happened with Jared Padalecki’s character, but David Nutter was then chosen to direct the Supernatural pilot.

During a May 2024 appearance on the Talkville podcast, Smallville co-creator Al Gough discussed what happened with the character Jason Teague. He was responding to a question from host Michael Rosenbaum about whether the writers had mishandled the character, and Gough confessed he wasn’t satisfied with the direction of Season 4, specifically how the show blended magic and science fiction.

During filming of the season, Nutter contacted the show and asked if Ackles could shoot a pilot episode for a show about two brothers. This meant Jason had to be temporarily written off the show while Jensen filmed Supernatural.

You know, it’s funny how things work out. Apparently, if that pilot he auditioned for hadn’t gone anywhere, Jensen Ackles might have actually ended up back on Smallville! They told him they had a year-long role planned for his character, and were open to extending it if things went well. But then Supernatural came along, and as they say, the rest is history. I always wonder what could have been, but honestly, I’m so glad he got his chance with Dean Winchester!

So, as Season 4 concluded, the writers created a dramatic and impactful ending for the character. Jason Teague’s death paved the way for Dean Winchester’s story to continue for an impressive 15 seasons, a spin-off series, and potentially more.

How Jensen Ackles Got Superman Into His Supernatural Universe

The CW network has gone through big changes since the long-running series Supernatural finished. It now has new owners and is airing different types of shows. One of these new shows focuses on the younger versions of Sam and Dean Winchester’s parents.

Mary Winchester (born Campbell) was a character on the show, but her on-screen father, Samuel, was played by a different actor than the one originally cast. This change may have been due to the actor’s existing relationship with the actor who played Clark Kent on Smallville.

The show was canceled after just 13 episodes, mainly due to a change in ownership at The CW. Despite this, Michael Rosenbaum (Welling) made a few appearances, even sharing a scene with Jensen Ackles, who played Dean. The series ultimately ended five seasons before Supernatural concluded its run.

Had Tom Welling not been chosen as Clark Kent, Jensen Ackles—who later became famous as Dean Winchester on Supernatural—might not have gotten his big break. Fortunately, the producers of Smallville remembered Ackles and later cast him as Jason Teague, ultimately leading to the role that made him a star.

You can buy all ten seasons of Smallville on DVD, Blu-ray, or digitally, and watch it on Hulu. All fifteen seasons of Supernatural are also available to purchase on DVD, Blu-ray, or digitally, and you can stream it on Netflix.

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From Almost Superman to Dean Winchester: The Jensen Ackles Story
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2026-05-10 19:46