Jared Padalecki is trading in his Walker sheriff’s badge for turnout gear as he joins season 3 of Fire Country, Us Weekly can confirm.
Padalecki, 42, will appear on Fire Country for a three-episode arc in the upcoming season, which premieres in October. The actor will play SoCal firefighter and maverick Camden, who has a “surfer swagger” and is a “force to be reckoned with,” according to Deadline, which was first to report the news on Monday, August 12.
Camden might be new to the crew, but he “immediately recognizes” Bode Donovan’s (Max Thieriot) “raw talent,” the outlet added.
Padalecki’s casting comes three months after he announced the end of Walker ahead of the season 4 finale.
“Howdy y’all. It is with a heavy heart that I share this news with you. #Walker will not be airing on #CW for a fifth season,” the actor, who played the titular character, shared via Instagram in May. “It’s a tough piece of news to be sure, but we are SO thankful for the #WalkerFamily that has been built, both on set and off.”
Padalecki portrayed Cordell Walker on the reboot of the 1990s western drama Walker, Texas Ranger from 2021 to 2024. He thanked the fans for “love and support” throughout the show’s four-season run.
“Our gratitude and love for the entire #WalkerFamily will live forever. It has been a unique honor to be a part of the cast and crew (and fandom!) that helped #Walker tell the stories that we told,” he concluded. “I will forever smile on the years I got to spend with the cast and crew and studio and network and fandom that made this all possible. Til we ride again.”
While Padalecki has found a home with Fire Country for season 3, his gig is meant to be recurring and not full time. However, his character may eventually headline a Fire Country spinoff.
CBS is not commenting on the possible spinoff at this point, but Deadline reported on Monday that talks about a Padalecki-led show within the universe is “in its nascent stages.”
The rumored spinoff would join Sheriff Country, which will star Morena Baccarin, who played Sharon Leone’s (Diane Farr) sister Mickey on Fire Country during season 2. Sheriff Country isn’t expected to premiere until the 2025-2026 season, but Fire Country will return for its new season in just two months.
“I can’t tease too much. Our show is always going to be about redemption. That’s the heartbeat of our show,” showrunner Tia Napolitano exclusively told Us in May. “So that will continue to be true. And I talk about wish fulfillment. I think there is going to be a little bit of careful for what you wish for in season 3.”
During the season 2 finale, Thieriot’s Bode finally got out of jail after completing his sentence at Three Rock convict camp. While he wants to be a full-fledged firefighter there are a few hurdles he must overcome.
Bode also watched his ex-girlfriend Gabriela Perez (Stephanie Arcila) walk down the aisle during the finale — but viewers didn’t see whether she actually said “I do.”
“I think if you’re a person of integrity and a good-hearted person, the universe somehow finds a way to place you where you’re meant to be — even if you’re not following in those tracks,” Arcila exclusively told Us in May, teasing that even she doesn’t know if Gabriela is married. “But I am excited to read what they’re going to write next season. I feel like one of the audience [members] right now waiting.”
Fire Country returns for season 3 on CBS Friday, October 18, at 9 p.m. ET.
