San Antonio-born ‘Supernatural’ star Jared Padalecki walked back his support of tabloid blogger Perez Hilton after fans highlighted Hilton’s controversial past.
Getty Images North America / Associated Press
San Antonio-born “Supernatural” star Jared Padalecki, 44, has withdrawn his support of celebrity blogger Perez Hilton after fans drew his attention to Hilton’s past coverage of celebrities — including on Padalecki’s own life.
Padalecki initially posted a message of support for Hilton as the blogger publicly appeared to be in distress. After fans drew attention to Hilton’s past coverage, Padalecki said he had been unaware of it and deleted his original post.
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He later addressed the criticism again, explaining his decision to offer support and his reaction to what fans had shared.
Hilton’s Incident and Padalecki’s Response
“Hey @PerezHilton. Just wanted to reach out and let you know that you’re in my thoughts,” Padalecki wrote in his now-deleted Saturday X post. “This ‘being human’ is a strange thing. Exhilarating. Exhausting. Fast. Slow. Wonderful…. And… at times… awful. I hope you are trying as best as you can to be kind to yourself right now.”
Padalecki’s message was in response to a livestream video posted by Hilton, in which he appeared naked and covered in blood while dragging a knife across his skin and grunting. The clips, which began circulating on social media Tuesday, stemmed from a TikTok livestream that was later pulled from the platform.
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The distressing video prompted multiple calls to local authorities, and Miami-Dade County deputies arrived at Perez Hilton’s South Florida home that same night. Hilton was ultimately transported to a local hospital to receive medical attention, where he remains in “serious but stable” condition after “significant blood loss and … additional injuries that will require surgery.”
Padalecki Walks Back Support
Padalecki deleted his supportive message Sunday after social media users drew his attention to Hilton’s history of tabloid coverage, including posts that gave celebrities insulting nicknames, speculated publicly about pregnancies and health issues, and mocked public figures who were struggling with their mental health.
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Hilton also faced repeated criticism for his coverage of LGBTQ+ celebrities, including publicly identifying some as gay without their consent.
“I didn’t know. It’s been brought to my attention. I’m sorry ❤️,” Padalecki wrote in a Sunday X post. “I had heard of him. Obviously. I had heard that he hadn’t exactly ‘been kind’ to me in the past,” he later added in an update. “So, my thought is always to give grace and forgiveness to those who may have tried to ‘harm’ you… in my experience, it usually works out better than holding a grudge or wishing punishment on someone else.”
In the past, Padalecki has admitted to struggling with his own mental health issues. On the set of “Supernatural” in 2024, the actor revealed he’d once checked into a mental health clinic to help him overcome thoughts of “dramatic suicidal ideation.” The revelation was in support of his “Always Keep Fighting” campaign, which he launched in 2015 to support people struggling with depression, addiction and self-harm.
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However, Padalecki later clarified that his support for Hilton’s well-being did not extend to the conduct he had learned about.
“That having been said, I TRULY didn’t know ANYTHING about the extent to what he has done,” Padalecki wrote in his Sunday post. “That’s my bad. On my life, I have never in my life, not once, looked him up or gone to one of his sites. I simply thought he was a ‘tabloid’ type of sensationalist journalist. I DO NOT stand for, or support, ANY of the actions I just now found out that he has committed. Full stop.”
“I’m sorry if my words caused any harm,” Padalecki added. “And, I hope you ALL are well out there, and taking care of yourselves.”
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If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, help is available. Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential support 24/7. In Bexar County, the Center for Health Care Services operates a 24-hour crisis hotline at 1-800-316-9241 or 210-223-7233.