Jensen Ackles is embracing his inner '80s action hero in Amazon Prime Video’s new crime thriller Countdown.
Known for playing Dean Winchester on Supernatural, Ackles stars as LAPD cop Mark Meachum, a terminally ill undercover officer on a covert task force trying to stop a terrorist threat. Meachum’s gritty, unpredictable nature draws on Ackles’ childhood inspirations—like Kurt Russell, Bruce Willis, and Mel Gibson.
Ackles admits he modeled Meachum after iconic characters from Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, and Airwolf, saying, “Those were the guys I wanted to be growing up.” That retro energy also shaped his character Soldier Boy in The Boys, who returns in Season 5 after a shocking post-credits cameo in the Season 4 finale. “Think Lee Marvin and Sean Connery if they time-traveled to 2025,” Ackles says.
In Countdown, Ackles shares the screen with Jessica Camacho, who plays DEA agent Amber Oliveras. Their tense dynamic adds fresh energy to the usual buddy-cop formula. “She came in and played it like a tough guy,” he notes. “She brought the heat.”
Ackles will also reunite with Supernatural co-stars Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins in The Boys’ final season. “We had a blast on Supernatural, but I told them this is someone else’s house—respect it.”
Countdown is streaming now on Prime Video. The Boys Season 5 begins production soon, with spinoff Vought Rising following in August.
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