Jared Padalecki Explains Canceled Appearances, Says He Needed To “Unplug”

Jared Padalecki opened up about his three-week break from work at the ATX Television Festival’s Gilmore Girls reunion panel, saying he just needed to “unplug.”

Jared Padalecki Attends Gilmore Girls Reunion After Taking Break

In mid-May, Padalecki abruptly canceled his appearances at fan conventions JIBCON and AHBL6, writing on Twitter, “I am in desperate and urgent need of my family. I am sorry to tell you this but I must head home.”

At the Festival, the actor opened up a bit about his time off, telling reporters he disconnected from technology to spend quality time with his family, which includes wife Genevieve Padalecki and their two sons, Shepherd and Thomas.

“This summer, I just got off a couple-week stint where I literally turned my phone off and spent time with my family. Like no e-mail, no text, no phone. It’s amazing and I’ve never done it. Everybody needs to do it,” he told E! News.

Padalecki expanded on his decision to take a break from work in another interview, saying, “I was 17 years old when I moved to Los Angeles, and I just kind of got into a habit…. Everything was like, work, work, work, work, do, do, do, do.”

Padalecki added that he needed to have some time to “unplug,” adding that the experience was “the best thing I’ve ever done.”

“You find out you’re finite. And for a guy like me who’s really Type A, put me to work, give me more, do more! It’s difficult to admit that you’re a finite individual, right? But it was humbling, and I’m very proud I got to do it,” he added.

See Jared In Supernatural: Season 10: