NEW ORLEANS — After arriving with much fanfare Thursday, Jensen Ackles - now also known as Bacchus LI - visited with patients at Children's Hospital New Orleans Friday.
Ackles, the star of the horror fantasy series "Supernatural," arrived in New Orleans with a motorcycle escort Thursday and greeted fans and the Warren Easton Band at the downtown Hilton Hotel.
"I've come to this city many times (but never for Mardi Gras)," Ackles said. "I love this town. My wife is from Louisiana. My in-laws are all Louisiana, so I love coming to this town and when this opportunity arose, you can't say no to that."
At around 9:30 a.m. Friday, a live band and roaring fans welcomed Ackles to the hospital. As soon as he arrived he immediately began greeting children and tossing doubloons.
"Getting an opportunity to come here and see these kids who are obviously dealing with things that they shouldn't have to, it's powerful," Ackles said.
Ackles, 40, has starred since 2005 as Dean Winchester in the "Supernatural" series on the CW network, which is currently in its 14th season.
Ackles has also had roles on the TV series “Dark Angel,” “Smallville” and “Dawson’s Creek” and starred in the 2009 remake of the cult film “My Bloody Valentine 3D” and the animated film “Batman: Under the Red Hood.”
He also starred as Eric Brady on the daytime soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” earning three Daytime Emmy Award nominations.
Bacchus' 51st parade will roll on March 3. The theme, “Starring Louisiana,” will celebrate films and TV series shot or set in Louisiana, including “Streetcar Named Desire,” “King Creole,” “Easy Rider,” “American Horror Story,” “Treme,” and “NCIS: New Orleans.” The new super floats for the Kong family and Bacchaneer, which debuted in 2018, will also return along with other Bacchus signature floats.
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Ackles will join the ranks of past Bacchus kings including last year’s monarch, Academy Award winner J.K. Simmons; Danny Kaye, the first Bacchus; and Bob Hope, Will Ferrell, Anthony Mackie, Harry Connick Jr., Perry Como, Andy Garcia, Ron Howard, Henry Winkler, Raymond Burr and many more.
Bacchus was founded in 1968 by restaurateur Owen "Pip" Brennan, Jr. and is now celebrated as one of the most important and popular krewes in Carnival history. The parade, which started out with just 250 members, has now grown to more than 1,600 members. Its first parade rolled in 1969.
Bacchus is once again partnering with WWL-TV for exclusive coverage of the parade from the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center where the Bacchus Rendezvous is held each year. The parade will air March 3 on Channel 4, WWLTV.com, WWL-TV's mobile app and Facebook page.