Twilight Star Was Gen V's Writers First Choice for a Cameo; Soldier Boy Came Second

Summary

• The hit show featured Soldier Boy in a surprise cameo in episode 5, but the producers had initially wanted to cast someone other than Jensen Ackles.
• Taylor Lautner was approached to play himself in Gen V but promptly declined the offer.

Despite many people's skepticism that The Boys spin-off, Gen V, could emulate the original's success, Amazon Prime pulled it off. The first five episodes of Season 1 got rave reviews from both fans and critics. The series, which follows young superheroes training and residing in a clandestine boarding school, captivated audiences with its dynamic blend of action and teen drama. The recently aired episode 5 is already hailed as one of the best episodes in The Boys' history.

It sees the main protagonists of Gen V find themselves trapped within the mind of the formidable telepath, Cate, and have to rescue themselves and their friend. Navigating Cate's psyche, they encounter her adolescent infatuation, Soldier Boy, reprised by Jensen Ackles. He offers the kids some guidance before being hit by lightning.

Different Vision

While fans were ecstatic to see Ackles return as Soldier Boy, it wasn't the initial concept the writers had envisioned. Another prominent actor was originally intended to depict Chloe's youthful infatuation, as Gen V showrunner Michele Fazekas recently revealed.

'The initial pitch was, we're in Cate's mind, and we want to see something from her when she was a kid — and it's Taylor Lautner! [The characters] are like, "Taylor Lautner, what are you doing here? ",' Fazekas explained.

Indeed, the idea of the Twilight sensation guiding the team through Chloe's memories would align perfectly with The Boys' custom for breaking the fourth wall.

However, Lautner turned down the proposition, leading the writers to opt for Ackles as their second choice for the cameo. Fortunately, Ackles was only too happy to join forces with his buddy, Erick Kripke, and went to Canada to film the scene for just a day.

One can't help but wonder if Lautner now regrets his decision, given Gen V's resounding success. What do you think?

Source: TVLine.