Jensen Ackles Wishes ‘Supernatural’ Bro Jared Padalecki A Happy Birthday With Pre-Shutdown Photo

Jared Padalecki is not on the “Supernatural” set on or near his birthday this year, and that’s a big change from the last 15 years. Actor Jensen Ackles reached out to his onscreen brother on Instagram.

Padalecki turned 38 on Sunday, and Ackles shared the last photo they took on the "Supernatural" set together before production was shut down. Padalecki and Ackles, who play brothers Sam and Dean Winchester, respectively, pose with Alexander Calvert (Jack) and Misha Collins (Castiel) with the show’s iconic 1967 Chevy Impala behind them.

“Unfortunately, this is the last pic I have of all of us on set together. Our faces say it all,” Ackles wrote in the caption, before taking a lighthearted turn. “The uncertainty, the emotion, the fear of not knowing how it will all go or more importantly, how @jaredpadalecki will handle a birthday without us.”

Ackles, who lives in Austin, Texas, which is also where Padalecki is typically based, promised his friend that he’d get through this rough birthday. “You’ll be just fine, buck-o. We’ll be back in that beautiful car to celebrate soon enough. (Hopefully). Happy Birthday, brother,” he wrote.

Padalecki wasn’t supposed to be on the Supernatural set for his birthday, and he wasn’t supposed to be looking forward to going back to the Vancouver set either. “Supernatural” Season 15 is set to be the end of the road for The CW’s wayward sons. The global health crisis stopped them from filming the last episodes this spring. The network is planning to bring the final installments to the screen this fall, provided production can continue safely.

Obviously, plans have changed in a big way, but the cast are maintaining their sense of humor during the shutdown. Collins posted his own drool-worthy birthday tribute:

The “Gilmore Girls” alum hasn’t yet said how he is spending his birthday, but his wife Genevieve Padalecki recently revealed they’ve been on the road with their three children. They’ve been camping in Utah, New Mexico and more to get some socially distanced vacation time in several different national parks.

It’s family time that the 38-year-old wasn’t expecting. Though “Supernatural” was supposed to be wrapped, the actor is also set to star in The CW’s “Walker, Texas Ranger” reboot. It isn’t clear when that will start production.