Jared Padalecki thought he was simply extending some kindness to Perez Hilton during a frightening moment-but the gesture quickly blew up online.
The Supernatural alum found himself apologizing to fans after posting a heartfelt message of support for the controversial celebrity blogger following Hilton's recent hospitalization.
"Hey @PerezHilton. Just wanted to reach out and let you know that you're in my thoughts," Padalecki initially wrote.
The actor encouraged Hilton to be kind to himself and suggested that everyone deserves compassion during difficult moments.
But Padalecki's message did not receive quite the response he apparently expected.
Fans quickly flooded social media with reminders of Hilton's controversial history as one of Hollywood's most notorious gossip bloggers, including his treatment of celebrities, comments surrounding mental health and sexuality, and even past coverage involving Padalecki himself.
Padalecki soon deleted his original message.
"I didn't know. It's been brought to my attention. I'm sorry," the actor wrote in response to the backlash.
He later offered a lengthier explanation, making clear that his initial post was motivated by compassion for someone experiencing an apparent mental health crisis rather than an endorsement of Hilton's past behavior.
Padalecki acknowledged that he knew Hilton had not always been kind but said he had not understood the full extent of the controversies surrounding him. The actor nevertheless emphasized his belief in grace and forgiveness while making clear that he does not condone Hilton's past actions.
"I'm sorry if my words caused any harm," Padalecki said.
The situation carries an especially personal dimension for Padalecki. The actor has spoken publicly about his own struggles with depression and previously launched the "Always Keep Fighting" campaign to encourage people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide.
His instinct to reach out to Hilton therefore appears to have come from a deeply personal place-even if the resulting social media firestorm forced him to reconsider how his message could be interpreted.
Hilton, whose real name is Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr., was hospitalized last week following a serious mental health crisis that unfolded publicly online.
His family has since said that he remains hospitalized in serious but stable condition and will require surgery as well as an extended recovery after suffering significant injuries.
Padalecki's quickly deleted post has now added another unexpected chapter to the story: what began as a celebrity offering another celebrity some encouragement became a heated debate about whether compassion for someone in crisis can-or should-be separated from accountability for their past.
For Padalecki, the answer appears to be that both can matter. He may have withdrawn the original post, but his underlying message about showing grace to people during their darkest moments remains at the heart of his explanatio
