Vampire Academy's Julie Plec Says 'Nothing Can Soften The Blow' Of Legacies Cancellation - Exclusive
Cancellation season is always brutal, but The CW's extensive recent cancellations cut deep. After helming three shows in "The Vampire Diaries" universe, Julie Plec witnessed "Legacies" meet its surprising demise in 2022 after four seasons. Plec even likened the brutal CW cancellations to the "Game of Thrones" Red Wedding on Twitter.
Plec and Marguerite MacIntyre initially worked together when MacIntyre played Sheriff Forbes in "The Vampire Diaries." She later signed onto both spin-offs in a producing capacity, and their partnership is continuing even after the unfortunate demise of "Legacies." The duo isn't straying far from the genre, as they're showrunning the Peacock series "Vampire Academy" — another vampire-centric book-turned-TV adaptation.
During an exclusive interview with The List, Julie Plec said that "nothing could soften the blow" of the "Legacies" cancellation. However, she explained how her work on "The Vampire Diaries" franchise helped inform her and MacIntyre's work on "Vampire Academy."
Farewell, Legacies; hello, Vampire Academy
We asked Julie Plec whether or not "Vampire Academy" softened the abrupt "Legacies" cancellation for her, and she gave us a gut-punch answer. "Nothing could soften the blow of 'Legacies,' meaning its untimely demise," she said. "That is something I will take with me for quite some time." Given how long Plec was a part of that world, it's completely understandable that a surprise cancellation would have a deep impact, even with another vampire project in the pipes.
"It is always nice to have your next job before you lose your first one," Plec shared. "What was so great about having spent the last 13 years in that franchise is feeling like, 'I've done so much of this. So, now, how can I challenge myself to do it differently?' Not just relying on my old tricks."
Plec even has Marguerite MacIntyre by her side for their fourth vampire show together. "Marguerite was so good at that because she was coming in also having lived through the last 13 years of vampire life, but with a really clear point of view about what she wanted this story to say about the world that we live in," Plec explained. "That's what made it feel so fresh and so unique, not to mention the fact that we shot in Europe, and we have castles, ballgowns, and tiaras and all these amazing things that if there's a little love of 'Bridgerton' in your soul, you'll certainly feel some delight at the way the show looks as well."
From actor to producer
Marguerite MacIntyre also opened up about what prompted her to shift to the production side for her new vampire journey with Julie Plec. "I'd always written as well as acted, but I'm one of those people who follows the flow," MacIntyre said. "When certain opportunities came to me through [Plec] and another friend of mine as a writer, I took the opportunity and loved it. I really loved it."
MacIntyre isn't ready to fully close the door on acting, but now that their "Legacies" journey is over, MacIntyre and Plec are focused on showrunning "Vampire Academy." "This particular story appealed to me, as Julie said, because I loved in the books. This class system that is really not cool. It's falling apart," MacIntyre explained. "It's stressing everyone, and it's so relevant right now. [It's] a better time [now] that even if you'd been able to tell [this story] 15 years ago, it wouldn't be the same story."
While the interview took place before September 8, the story is more relevant now than ever. MacIntyre added, "This feels like the best time. We get to say something really relevant while having castles and all the things. It was a pretty perfect opportunity."
The first four episodes of "Vampire Academy" are now streaming on Peacock, with subsequent episodes releasing Thursdays.