Jared Padalecki’s New Netflix Movie Is A Twist On Supernatural’s Best Episode

Jared Padalecki has a new movie coming to Netflix, and it happens to be a spin on the Supernatural episode that redefined the show. Starting his acting career in 1999, Padalecki rose to fame after an appearance on Gilmore Girls as Dean Forester. The actor has since then acquired an interesting filmography and TV resume. He has taken on various roles, including Friday the 13th, ER, and the titular character in the reboot of Walker.

However, the role that put him firmly on the map is Erick Kripke’s Supernatural, where he played Sam Winchester for 15 seasons. Padelecki might be famous for his portrayal of the younger Winchester brother, but he has proven he has an incredible range, as Jared Padalecki’s best TV roles span different genres.

Guarding Stars Has Jared Padalecki Playing A Superstar Actor (& I Can’t Help But Think Of “The French Mistake”)

Jared Padalecki Will Be Echoing His “French Mistake” Storyline In Guarding Stars

On January 9, 2026, Netflix confirmed that Jared Padalecki and Leighton Meester will be starring in a holiday romance movie called Guarding Stars as the lead characters. The film, which is adapted from The Bodyguard by Katherine Center, will be directed by Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum, who was at the helm for titles such as Purple Hearts, Aquamarine, and Ginny & Georgia.

Netflix hasn’t yet provided detailed information about what Guarding Stars will be about, but they have let slip that Padalecki will be playing a famous actor and Meester will be a bodyguard assigned to his security detail. With the rise of books on BookTok and Bookstagram, it’s fitting that Netflix is adapting one of the most beloved novels in the genre.

As a fan of Supernatural, I couldn’t help but notice that there are some similarities between Padalecki’s new role and season 6’s “The French Mistake.” He played an actor in the episode, and is set to wear the same career hat in the movie adaptation of Center’s bestselling novel. There are, however, some big differences between the Supernatural episode and Guarding Stars.

In “The French Mistake,” Padalecki was essentially playing himself, whereas in Guarding Stars he is just going to be an actor, at least as far as we know. Given the few details we have about the upcoming Netflix film, it’s hard to determine how faithful it will be to its source material, but there’s no denying that having Padalecki playing an actor again will be a treat.

Why “The French Mistake” Is Still Considered Supernatural’s Best Episode

“The French Mistake” Broke The Fourth Wall

Supernatural ran for 15 seasons from 2005 to 2020, so it’s natural that the show had some episodes that couldn’t be replicated. With installments like “Swan Song” and “Lazarus Rising” revolutionizing storytelling, it’s clear that Supernatural was more than just a typical fantasy series.

Although the aforementioned episodes were perfect from start to finish, nothing in the Supernatural universe compares to how great “The French Mistake” was. “The French Mistake” saw Sam and Dean being transported to an alternate reality after a run-in with Balthazar. In that alternate universe, the two brothers were actors on a TV show called Supernatural.

What made “The French Mistake” such an incredible Supernatural episode was that the cast and crew of the TV show were in front of the camera lens as opposed to being behind it. Even Eric Kripke and Robert Singer could be seen taking their parts in the episode seriously. “The French Mistake” broke the Supernatural formula we are all used to, yet it doesn’t get convoluted at any point.

Misha Collins’ depiction of a Twitter-obsessed actor was absolutely hilarious, but it was Padalecki and Ackles’ portrayal of bad actors that truly made the episode a standout. “The French Mistake” aired at a time when Supernatural had amassed a loyal fanbase, so, in a way, this episode was for the fans.

Watching the level of work that goes into making Supernatural was and remains an absolute delight. The commitment that the cast and crew displayed in the episode serves as a testament to why Supernatural is considered one of the best fantasy TV shows of all time. “The French Mistake” will now be even more special, thanks to Padalecki’s upcoming movie.