Q: How did you feel when you read the script where Castiel dies?
A: I knew that that ending was coming for a long time because I had been talking to Bob Berens about it. I was really happy with it. It's the ending I wanted for Cas, so when I read the script, I was really happy.

It felt like it was a little risky and a little brave for the show to do, and I was happy to be a part of that, and happy to be able to have that character express love like that. So I was happy with it.

I've seen some people complaining about this is buying into the bury the gays trope, which is an insidious and real trope in film and TV, and I don't think that's what was happening with Castiel's ending. First of all, Cas is not dead, he's in Heaven.

But also, so much good came from that declaration. Because Cas was able to save Dean, he was also absolutely essential to saving the world. So this declaration wasn't, and then fate strikes you down, that declaration ended up wielding the end of the world.

Cas wasn't forced to do that, that was his choice, and I think that's important. Maybe I'm naïve, but I don't think we were playing into that trope, and I'm glad Castiel got to express that and got to have that ending. I'm proud that the show did that, frankly.