There were a lot of battles to be had in the Supernatural universe—327 episodes worth, to be exact. Between casting out bloodthirsty ghosts and taking down malevolent monsters, the Winchester brothers kept themselves busy for a whopping 15 seasons, the longest-running sci-fi series in U.S. history. Now, Jensen Ackles — who played Dean Winchester on the show — is putting his demon-fighting skills to use in a whole new way as Beau Arlen on ABC's popular crime drama Big Sky.
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While the villains may be more human than Ackles is used to, Big Sky's bad guys are just as dangerous. Based on the book series by C.J. Box, the show follows private investigator Cassie Dewell (Kylie Bunbury) and ex-cop Jenny Hoyt (Katheryn Winnick) as they navigate a web of mystery and secrets in rural Montana to solve some of the area's grisliest murders.
Ackles' character joined the cast at the end of season 2 as a temporary sheriff. In Big Sky's newest season — titled Deadly Trails — Arlen officially takes over the position and becomes the sheriff of Helena, working with Dewell and Hoyt to investigate a missing backpacker. While fans of Supernatural are very familiar with Ackles' acting chops, those who haven't had the pleasure of watching him on-screen are in for a treat.
Who Is Jensen Ackles?
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Ackles' career has been on a steady climb since the late '90s. After a few appearances on popular throwbacks such as Sweet Valley High and Wishbone, the now-44-year-old actor landed his first iconic role, as Eric Brady on the major soap opera Days of Our Lives. After a few years in the daytime television world, Ackles moved on to more primetime gigs with recurring roles on Dark Angel, Dawson's Creek and Smallville.
But his second big break didn't come until 2005, when he was cast as the elder brother in Supernatural. The show, which saw him fight otherworldly creatures side by side with his younger brother, Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), quickly became a cult classic and ultimately propelled Ackles to fame. His popularity with fans was infectious, as evidenced by the multiple People's Choice nominations and awards he earned during the show's run.
After 15 years and over 300 episodes, Supernatural ended its epic series in 2020, giving Ackles a much-needed break from demons and vampires. He guest-starred in the gritty superhero drama The Boys and even reprised his role as Dean Winchester in the series spin-off The Winchesters. And in between filming all of these hit shows, he's appeared in a couple of movies as well, including My Bloody Valentine, Buddy Games and Ten Inch Hero.
Though the monsters may be gone, Ackles has certainly kept himself plenty busy with his newest role on Big Sky: Deadly Trails. But there's much more to his actor's life beyond fighting supernatural villains and solving crimes.
Beyond The Screen
Acting isn't the only talent Ackles possesses. The Texas native is also a talented musician, having performed at many Supernatural conventions and panels. In 2019, he joined forces with his former roommate and fellow musician Steve Carlson to form Radio Company and released their debut album, Vol. 1. The first song they put out was "Sounds of Someday."
Ackles told EW that the album "checked a lot of boxes" for him by including a wide variety of genres, styles and musical influences. "That was a better representation of us as songwriters and our music tastes because I like to listen to different stuff," he said. "And if I can listen to different stuff on the same album, then that would be great."
Radio Company released their second album, Vol. 2, earlier this year.
Family Man
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When he's not busy entertaining fans and working on his guitar skills, Ackles can be found spending time with his wife and kids. He married actress Danneel Harris (famous for her roles in the soap One Life to Live and the drama One Tree Hill) in 2010 after four years of dating. The couple have three children together: daughters Justice Jay (born in 2013) and Zeppelin Bram (born in 2020), and son Arrow Rhodes (born in 2020). Zeppelin and Arrow are twins.
In addition to raising their growing family, the couple have also partnered on many professional projects. They met while on set for One Tree Hill and have since worked together on Supernatural, Ten Inch Hero and more. They're currently co-producing The Winchesters, and they opened a brewery together near their home in Texas. Its name — Family Business Brewing Co. — is a nod to Supernatural fans.
Who Is Beau Arlen on 'Big Sky'?
Beau Arlen is a very new face in Helena with a very official title. As the acting sheriff of the small Montana town, Ackles' character takes on his first major case at the start of season 3 when a mysterious new excursion company sets up shop. After a backpacker goes missing on one of its glamping trips, Beau must team up with PI duo Cassie Dewell and Jenny Hoyt to uncover the truth.
Viewers can find out what's lurking in the deep Montana forests by binging the new season of Big Sky: Deadly Trails on Hulu and Prime Video today.
READ MORE: Who's Who in Montana: A 'Big Sky' Season 3 Character Guide
