Jared Padalecki has walked back his support for controversial gossip blogger Perez Hilton following backlash over a social media post. The Supernatural star initially wished Hilton well and Padalecki later deleted the post after learning more.
Jared Padalecki walks back Perez Hilton support post after learning his history
Jared Padalecki shared the original message on X (formerly Twitter). He reached out after Hilton was hospitalized following an incident. Hilton appeared to harm himself during a TikTok livestream.
Padalecki also referenced his own mental health experiences in the tweet. He wrote, “Hey @PerezHilton. Just wanted to reach out and let you know that you’re in my thoughts. 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” (via Entertainment Weekly).
He continued with another message of support. Padalecki encouraged Hilton to seek support around him. “Please surround yourself with the love and support that all humans deserve. This too shall pass. You got this.” Padalecki deleted the post after backlash.
However, social media users alerted him about Hilton’s controversial history. The actor then explained why he removed his message. He wrote, “I didn’t know. It’s been brought to my attention. I’m sorry.” He later provided more context about his decision.
The actor also explained his approach toward forgiveness. “I had ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA about his past. I had heard of him. Obviously. I had heard that he hadn’t exactly “been kind” to me in the past.”
He continued, “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. That having been said, I TRULY didn’t know ANYTHING about the extent to what he has done. That’s my bad.”
Padalecki then clarified his position further. He said he was unaware of Hilton’s past actions. He then apologized to anyone affected by his comments. “I’m sorry if my words caused any harm. And, I hope you ALL are well out there, and taking care of yourselves.”
Padalecki has previously spoken openly about mental health struggles. He discussed being diagnosed with depression during Supernatural. Meanwhile, Hilton remains hospitalized following the incident. Hilton has also faced criticism throughout his blogging career. His coverage included controversial comments about celebrities.
Originally reported by Ojas Kulkarni on ComingSoon.
