Jensen Ackles praises Eric Dane’s ‘leadership’ on Countdown series amid ALS battle

Jensen Ackles recently spilled the tea about collaborating with Eric Dane on their upcoming show Countdown, and he was totally fanboying.

During a chat with PEOPLE that dropped on June 19, Ackles called Dane an absolute “total stud” and praised his commanding yet understated presence.

Both Dane and Ackles attended the premiere’s red carpet. This was Dane’s first appearance on a red carpet since revealing his ALS diagnosis in April.

“[Eric] has such a command of scenes and the set just in his stillness and how just his quiet leadership, and it’s something that he brings from off set too,” Ackles, 47, shared.

“I mean, he does that when the cameras aren’t rolling.”

Ackles couldn’t stop gushing about how Dane’s leadership style left a major impression. “There’s just a quiet leadership to [Eric] that I truly learned from. So to get to mix it up with [him] on screen, I had to bring it,” he added.

Countdown, a fresh Prime Video crime drama, hits screens Wednesday, June 25. The series follows Ackles as LAPD detective Mark Meachum joining forces with Special Agent Nathan Blythe, played by Dane, to head up a task force after a Homeland Security officer’s murder.

The show’s mastermind, Derek Haas, was equally blown away by Dane.

“If you spend five minutes with that guy, he is a leader. He’s very intelligent,” Haas told PEOPLE.

“He also, when he walks into a room, every head turns his way. And when he speaks, you close your mouth and you listen.”

Haas explained how Dane’s natural presence shaped the character.

“That’s really what I was going for with Nathan Blythe … when you do a television show, as opposed to a limited series or a movie, you really start to merge the actor and their own personality with the character that you wrote.”

HOT DEALS

Breville Smart Oven® Pizzaiolo Pizza Oven

Make pizza to wow the most discerning pie aficionados with this indoor pizzaiolo from Breville. The innovative Element IQ® system reaches temperatures of up to 750°F and maintains an ideal baking environment for Neapolitan pizzas, turning out pies with the signature char and leopard spotting on the crust, plus the perfect top melt.

SAXX Underwear Co. Men’s Underwear with Pouch Non-Stop Stretch Cotton Boxer (5-pack)

Made from super soft, moisture-wicking cotton jersey and built with a fly, this men’s boxer brief underwear has a 5” seam and sits comfortably mid-thigh.