Jensen Ackles was born in Dallas, Texas to Roger Alan Ackles and Donna Joan Shaffer. After modeling as a young child, he began to concentrate on a acting career in 1996 upon his graduation from Lloyd V. Berkner High School in Richardson, Texas. In 1997 he received a role on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives as Eric Brady, for which he won a 1998 Soap Opera Digest Award for Best Male Newcomer.

After leaving Days in 2000, Ackles went to Vancouver, joining the cast of the James Cameron television series Dark Angel. His first appearance on the show was in 2001 as Max's (played by Jessica Alba) disturbed brother Ben/X5-493. After Ben died, Ackles returned to the series in the second season as Ben's clone, Alec/X5-494, who eventually teamed up with Max and stayed until the show's demise in 2002.

In 2003, he made several guest appearances as C.J. on the hit WB Network show, Dawson's Creek. In 2004, Ackles returned to Vancouver and became a regular on the popular WB Network series, Smallville, which revolves around the life of the teen aged Clark Kent/Superman. His character, Jason Teague, was an assistant coach for the high school football team and a love interest of Clark Kent's ex-girlfriend, Lana Lang, played by Kristin Kreuk.

Ackles returned to television in 2005 in the new WB horror series Supernatural in the role of Dean Winchester, who teams with his brother Sam (Jared Padalecki) to road-trip across the country investigating the paranormal.
Graduated from L. V. Berkner High School, Richardson, Texas in 1996. Has one brother, Joshua, approximately three years older, and one sister, Mackenzie, approximately seven years younger. Was a child model at age 4, then quit, and started again at age 10. Played baseball and lacrosse in high school. Fan of the Dallas Cowboys. Planned to study sports medicine at Texas Tech University and become a physical therapist, before he decided to move to LA to give acting a try. Enjoys horseback riding 1993 graduate of Apollo Junior High School in Richardson, TX. 1990 graduate of Dartmouth Elementary School in Richardson, TX. Was runner up to Tom Welling for role of Clark Kent on Smallville. Was brought onto the show in season 4 as Lana's boyfriend. Also sings and plays guitar Was offered a role as Eliza Dushku's love interest on "Tru Calling," but chose to take a role on "Smallvile" instead. Eric Christian Olsen was eventually given the role and the character's name was changed to Jensen. He is the son of actor Alan Ackles Jensen's parents named him Jensen because they considered other names but found them too common. Ackles, Jensen's last name, is pronounced like 'Cackles' without a 'C.' Good friends with LeAnn Rimes and Christian Kane His career has an ongoing theme of dealing with demonic forces. His character's mother, Marlena on "Days of Our Lives" (1965) was possessed by the Devil. In the movie, Devour (2005) he was the son of Satan. On his television series, "Supernatural" (2005), his character battles the forces of hell. His parents were going to name him Justin but his parents thought it was too common.