Genevieve Padalecki

Born Jennifer Nicole Cortese, Genevieve Nicole Padalecki entered the world on January 8, 1981, in San Francisco. Details about her parents remain largely unknown, as she seldom discusses her father, mother, or other family members publicly. Nonetheless, she has shared that her heritage includes Flemish, Italian, and French roots.

As the oldest sibling, Genevieve grew up with a sister, Sarah, and two brothers, Ben and John. She experienced a typical schooling life. At the age of 10, she relocated with her family from Montana to Idaho, settling in Sun Valley, a picturesque resort town in the western U.S.

Genevieve’s interest in acting sparked early, especially in theater. During her teenage years, she frequently took part in amateur stage productions. Following high school, she joined a local theater group, where she regularly performed, notably in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

Genevieve pursued further education at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Living in New York City, she balanced her studies with ongoing theater work. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drama and a Bachelor of Arts in English. At 21, she chose to go by the name Genevieve.

Genevieve’s cinema debut came in 2004 with the film “Death Valley,” where she played a character named Amber alongside actors Vince Vieluf, Dash Mihok, Eric Christian Olsen, and Rider Strong. During this time, she discovered a growing fondness for film acting over theater. Her television debut happened in 2005 with an appearance in “The Dead Zone,” starring Anthony Michael Hall and Nicole de Boer.

That year, Genevieve also acted in the short film “Unraveled” and the comedy “Kids in America.” She gained international recognition with her leading role as troubled teen Kristine Furillo-Davis, or “Kris,” in the hit series “Wildfire,” which premiered in 2005 on ABC Family and continued until 2008.

In “Wildfire,” she starred alongside Nana Visitor, Nicole Tubiola, Micah Alberti, and Greg Serano, among others. This series remains a significant part of her identity to American audiences, alongside other prominent roles in her career. Genevieve’s film appearances include “Bickford Shmeckler’s Cool Ideas,” “Salted Nuts,” “Life Is Short,” and “Hated.” In 2008, she joined the cast of “Supernatural” and was later seen in “FlashForward” with Joseph Fiennes, Jack Davenport, and John Cho.

Genevieve Padalecki is wed to actor Jared Padalecki, known for “Gilmore Girls” and “Walker.” Their paths crossed in 2008 on the “Supernatural” set, where Genevieve played the demon Ruby. They tied the knot in February 2010. The couple’s first child, Thomas Colton, was born in March 2012, followed by a son, Austin Shepherd, in December 2013, and a daughter, Odette Elliott, in March 2017.

Lately, Genevieve Padalecki has stepped back from frequent acting roles, focusing primarily on her family and home life. Nevertheless, she occasionally returns to the screen in small roles. In 2021, she joined “Walker,” starring her husband Jared in the lead. Invited by Jared, Genevieve portrayed Emily, marking her first TV role in years. She continued this role into the second and third seasons of “Walker,” working alongside actors like Molly Hagan, Keegan Allen, Violet Brinson, Kale Culley, Coby Bell, Jeff Pierre, and Mitch Pileggi.