‘I didn’t know’: Actor once targeted by Perez Hilton withdraws his support after backlash

An actor who was previously targeted by Perez Hilton has withdrawn his public support for the controversial gossip blogger after being reminded of his history.

Via YouTube

Jared Padalecki, best known for starring in Supernatural, initially reached out to Perez over the weekend after the blogger was hospitalised on Tuesday following an apparent self-harm incident during a TikTok livestream.

“Hey @PerezHilton. Just wanted to reach out and let you know that you’re in my thoughts,” Padalecki wrote on X on Saturday.

“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.”

He continued: “Please surround yourself with the love and support that all humans deserve. This too shall pass. You got this.”

However, the actor deleted the message the following day after people began pointing out Perez’s history as a celebrity gossip blogger, including his past coverage of Padalecki himself.

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A post shared by Jared Padalecki (@jaredpadalecki)

Perez, whose real name is Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr., became one of the internet’s most infamous celebrity gossip bloggers after founding PerezHilton.com.

He was known for his particularly brutal approach to covering celebrities, including giving stars insulting nicknames, publicly speculating about pregnancies and health problems and making jokes about celebrities experiencing mental health struggles.

“I didn’t know,” Padalecki wrote. “It’s been brought to my attention. I’m sorry.”

Around half an hour later, he followed up with a longer explanation, saying he had “absolutely no idea” about the extent of Perez’s past behaviour when he originally posted his message.

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“I had heard of him. Obviously. I had heard that he hadn’t exactly ‘been kind’ to me in the past,” the actor wrote.

“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.”

Padalecki then made it clear that, while he still stands by his belief in showing compassion to people who are struggling, he did not support Perez’s past actions.

“That having been said, I TRULY didn’t know ANYTHING about the extent to what he has done. That’s my bad,” he wrote.

“On my life, I have never in my life, not once, looked him up or gone to one of his sites. I simply thought he was a ‘tabloid’ type of sensationalist journalist.”

To give more detail re: my post wishing someone well…
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.
So, my thought is always to give grace and forgiveness to those who may have tried…

— Jared Padalecki (@jarpad) August 9, 2026

He added: “I DO NOT stand for, or support, ANY of the actions I just now found out that he has committed. Full stop. I’m sorry if my words caused any harm. And, I hope you ALL are well out there, and taking care of yourselves.”

The latest update from Perez’s family and team said he remains in “[serious but stable]” condition after experiencing “significant blood loss”. He also suffered injuries that “will require surgery in the coming days”.

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is out there. Speak with somebody today, in confidence, by calling Samaritans on 116 123 or visit the website. Calls are taken 24-hours a day. 

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Featured image credit via YouTube