Jensen Ackles Performs His Own Stunts Despite Crew’s Concerns

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Caution: Mild spoilers for the opening episode of Countdown lie ahead. Proceed with caution if you haven’t seen it yet.

Although I’m particularly excited about Jensen Ackles reprising his role as Soldier Boy in the upcoming spinoff of “The Boys” titled Vought Uprising, it appears that he has another intense series, named Countdown, to keep his fans entertained during the summer months. This dramatic thriller is now available with an Amazon Prime subscription for its first three episodes, with the remaining episodes scheduled to air weekly starting in 2025 on TV.

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In this tense period, Jensen Ackles portrays LAPD detective Mark Meachum. The investigator finds himself drawn into a specialized unit whose mission is twofold: to apprehend a murderer and thwart a looming danger that poses a significant risk to Los Angeles. To complicate matters further, Mark is grappling with a personal health challenge – he has been diagnosed with a brain tumor, adding an urgent countdown to his already demanding duties.

Regardless of his poor health, Mark is determined not to avoid working with his hands and Jensen Ackles didn’t hesitate to perform stunts for the series whenever he could, even though there were doubts from some on set about his capabilities. Talking to Collider, Ackles mentioned that there were initially some skeptics who failed to understand the sincerity of his enthusiasm for the physical aspects of the role. In his own words:

As a film enthusiast, I can’t help but appreciate when the characters I portray are physically demanding. I thrive on testing limits with stunts, making each action scene as authentic and raw as possible. It’s not that I want to get hurt, but if it adds to the realism of the role, then I’m all for it!

Currently, no verdict has been issued on the stunt coordinators or producers who might have been cautious about granting Ackles complete authorization for performing any stunts he desired. It would be detrimental for the actor to sustain an injury during the first episode’s filming, as his character is expected to maintain a heroic action image throughout the season. This worst-case situation should be avoided at all costs.

Ackles humorously noted that people’s reactions are interesting when he’s keeping up with stunts, commenting on this observation.

What might potentially not work out? At the moment, everyone seems to be holding their breath, fearing I might sprain an ankle or worse. However, with age, I’ve started considering the consequences and making more cautious decisions. In a way, I can control the situation better these days.

It’s reasonable that Ackles, being in his mid-40s, knows well what action scenes he can manage comfortably and which ones might be risky for him. Moreover, he’s at a stage in his career where he has enough influence to potentially suggest modifications or adjustments to a scene or stunt, should he have an idea that could make it more advantageous for him.

My bond with my stand-in has grown stronger, let me share that much. In terms of safety, I’d say I’ve become slightly less daring compared to before, but considering how risky I used to be during stunts, it’s not a significant change.

Actors frequently form special, friendly bonds with their stand-ins in stunts, and it happens quite often that certain duos keep working together from one project to the next. This kind of collaboration is essentially based on trust, as both parties’ safety is paramount. It’s beneficial for everyone that Ackles has become more cautious now than during the peak of Supernatural.

In addition to being a regular drama featuring Sam Ackles as Soldier Boy, the series “Countdown” may also mark Eric Dane’s potential last leading television role following his ALS diagnosis. Ackles spoke highly of Dane at the premiere event. The future of the show, whether it will continue for another season or not, is uncertain and only Amazon executives can decide that.

Countdown drops new episodes on Prime Video every Wednesday morning.

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2025-06-30 00:38