Actor Gil McKinney has been cast in a major role in the twelfth episode of Supernatural season 8, “As Time Goes By.”
According to the Huffington Post, McKinney, who is an ER and Friday Night Lights alum, will play a role with a deep connection to Sam and Dean: their paternal grandfather.
The episode, as we previously reported, will have a man named Henry (McKinney) being transported from 1958 to the present day after joining an anti-demon cult. Henry is described as “Robert Downey Jr. meets Cary Grant” as well as “dapper, smart, and considerably cocky.” That definitely sounds like he could be related to two demon-hunting brothers we know.
“This is a [man] we knew nothing about, because he was never involved in our lives or the lives of people that were involved directly with us,” Jensen Ackles told the Huffington Post. “It’s kind of getting some insight into the life and the legacy of the Winchesters, which is something that we as characters never really knew.”
“And we found out about the Campbells,” Jared Padalecki added. “We knew their mom, kind of knew her business, and so it’s interesting to see from a Winchester perspective what happened, and learn a little bit more about our father.”
It seems that Sam and Dean belong to a true hunting legacy, with both sides of their family being involved in the life.
Interestingly, we also know that Henry will join the anti-demon cult in order to protect his 7-year-old son; we’re hoping this means we’ll see John Winchester as a child.