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  1. Home
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  3. Behind the Scenes of EW's Supernatural Cover Shoot

Behind the Scenes of EW's Supernatural Cover Shoot

Samantha Highfill
By Samantha Highfill October 16, 2017 at 10:00 AM EDT
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Misha Collins, Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

In this cover shot outtake, Ackles was the one holding Negan's bat — a nod to former Supernatural star Jeffrey Dean Morgan — while Castiel had an angel blade as opposed to the angel sword he'd get later.

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Misha Collins, Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

This shot is a bit closer to what would eventually land on the cover.

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Misha Collins, Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

The cemetery set was built on one of Supernatural's stages. In this spot, there's typically a very large green screen for all of those on-the-road shots with Baby.

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Misha Collins, Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

The stars were given zero direction when it came to the skeletons. These poses were their idea.

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Misha Collins, Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

Yes, the song playing during this portion of the shoot was Michael Jackson's "Thriller."

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Misha Collins, Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

Fun fact: Ackles knew more of the "Thriller" dance than either of his costars.

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Jared Padalecki

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

Here's a game: Pick your favorite dead character on the show and pretend Sam is saying hello.

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Jensen Ackles

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

Ackles was the first to arrive on the shoot. This is one of the very first shots.

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Jensen Ackles

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

After the brass knuckles, Ackles went straight for the chainsaw.

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Jensen Ackles, Misha Collins, Jared Padalecki

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

Believe it or not, there were a few prop-free shots in the mix.

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Jensen Ackles

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

Maybe Dean needs a chainsaw on the show...

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Jared Padalecki

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

Sam wasn't the one who ended up in purgatory, but that doesn't mean he can't hold a purgatory blade or two.

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Jared Padalecki

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

On a Halloween-themed photo shoot, there are plenty of pumpkins, both real and fake. This one is real.

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Misha Collins

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

There are also many, many skulls.

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Misha Collins

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

You can't put on cat ears without getting fully into character.

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Jensen Ackles

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

The kittens came from a local shelter. There were four in total.

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Misha Collins, Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

The kittens weren't exactly easy to deal with, but thankfully they were cute enough that it didn't matter.

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Misha Collins, Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

Padalecki and Collins had the same idea: Cover Ackles in kittens.

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Jensen Ackles

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

If you look closely, you can see Padalecki getting ready to join the fun.

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Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, Misha Collins

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

Let's be honest: There's not much you can do with a pumpkin.

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Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, Misha Collins

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

Here, Ackles and Collins were instructed to try and hold Padalecki back. It sort of worked.

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The Cemetery Set

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

The skeletons were incredibly professional throughout the entire shoot.

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Props Table

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

More than half the props never even made it into any photos.

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Severed Heads

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Credit: Samantha Highfill for EW

Padalecki did juggle these at one point. (They were soft.)

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    1 of 24 Misha Collins, Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki
    2 of 24 Misha Collins, Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki
    3 of 24 Misha Collins, Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki
    4 of 24 Misha Collins, Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki
    5 of 24 Misha Collins, Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki
    6 of 24 Misha Collins, Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki
    7 of 24 Jared Padalecki
    8 of 24 Jensen Ackles
    9 of 24 Jensen Ackles
    10 of 24 Jensen Ackles, Misha Collins, Jared Padalecki
    11 of 24 Jensen Ackles
    12 of 24 Jared Padalecki
    13 of 24 Jared Padalecki
    14 of 24 Misha Collins
    15 of 24 Misha Collins
    16 of 24 Jensen Ackles
    17 of 24 Misha Collins, Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki
    18 of 24 Misha Collins, Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki
    19 of 24 Jensen Ackles
    20 of 24 Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, Misha Collins
    21 of 24 Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, Misha Collins
    22 of 24 The Cemetery Set
    23 of 24 Props Table
    24 of 24 Severed Heads

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    Behind the Scenes of EW's Supernatural Cover Shoot
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