It’s no secret that Jensen Ackles is one of the most handsome and beloved men on television. The actor is best known for playing the role of Dean Winchester in the hit series “Supernatural,” which ran for 15 seasons. The role earned Ackles plenty of praise and a boatload of diehard fans. However, many fans may not know that the actor actually got his start on “Days of Our Lives.”

In the late 90s, Jensen Ackles portrayed the character of Eric Brady on the soap opera. Eric is a legacy character whose parents are iconic “Days of Our Lives” characters Roman Brady (Josh Taylor) and Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall). During Ackles’ time on the sudser, his character fell head over heels in love with Nicole Walker (Arianne Zucker). However, when Ackles left the show, Eric went with him. 12 years later, Eric returned to Salem with actor Greg Vaughan in the role.

Jensen Ackles played Eric Brady on Days of Our Lives

Following his departure from “Days of Our Lives,” Ackles went on to land a role on “Dawson’s Creek” before moving to “Supernatural.” After that, he was cast as Soldier Boy on the fan-favorite TV series “The Boys” and later appeared on “Big Sky.” However, he hasn’t forgotten about his soap opera days, per Startefacts.

During a past interview, Ackles recalled a time when he failed at a stunt on set. “So… I’m supposed to kick the door in. It’s one of those doors with the three big panels, and they’re like, ‘you’ve gotta kick it hard, it’s not just going to fling open.’ Wham, right through the door…door didn’t open. The crew was not happy, because they had to spend another half an hour redoing the door,” he revealed.

Years later, Jensen Ackles opened up about how enthusiastic fans can get with their favorite soap opera stars. “It’s crazy stuff, but it’s fun – the little gifts, the knickknacks that they send… Very supportive – they’re very cool. I love them all,” he admitted.

Ackles is best known for his work on Supernatural

In addition, Ackles was also nominated for an Emmy for his work on “Days of Our Lives.” On the red carpet at the event, he opened up about the experience (via The Things). “This is still amazing to me, to have this kind of honor in front of so many people, and to be recognized, in such a way, it’s amazing,” He also reflected on his soap opera future. “I’m just going to take it as it goes, and just roll with the punches,” he said. “If I continue to stay on the show, and do more work, I know I’ll have a blast doing it. But, if I decide to go out, and do other things, then I’ll be happy as well.”

After his time on “DOOL,” Jensen Ackles also confessed that he learned a lot about character development. “Doing a character for 8 years can be a challenge for some people, and I learned that early on when I was on Days of Our Lives, because there are characters who have been on for 25 years or something. I remember Alison Sweeney said how they have to constantly reinvent themselves so the character doesn’t get stale. You want to change it up so the audience doesn’t lose interest,” he said.

Although Jensen Ackles’ time on “Days of Our Lives” is over, fans remember him fondly, and can still see the character of Eric Brady in Salem in new episodes.

Image Credits: ABC/YouTube, YouTube.