What The Cast Of The Vampire Diaries Is Doing Now
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The Vampire Diaries was a whirlwind of romance, supernatural forces, epic battles between good and evil, and a lot of teenagers going missing in the small town of Mystic Falls. The fantastical teen soap opera captured the blood-pumping hearts of thousands of fans, in no small part due to its colorful cast. The show that started with just two vampires and a bunch of humans ended up with a whole slew of vampires, werewolves, hybrids, witches, ghosts, and hunters... and Matt Donovan.
The series aired its conclusion on March 10, 2017, but fans could continue their journey into the show's world by following the sequel series Legacies. Still, not every former cast member gets to make an appearance on that series. Thus, fans are left wondering where their favorites have run off to in the years since their final curtain call. Let's play a bit of catch-up. This is what the cast of The Vampire Diaries is doing now.
The Vampire Diaries star Paul Wesley took on more mature material
By the time The Vampire Diaries ended, Paul Wesley was a staple of the show, and not just as the main good-guy love interest Stefan Salvatore. He began directing episodes in Season 5 and became a producer during Season 8. "I spent a year shadowing directors, attending meetings, prepping, sitting in the editing room, etc. Even though I have been working in TV for years, it ended up being such a blessing because I learned invaluable information," he told BuzzFeed. This experience behind the camera would prove useful as he started his own production company, Citizen Media, and began making deals of his own.
In 2019, Citizen Media partnered with Kapital Entertainment to produce Confessions of a Drug-Addicted High School Teacher and Possessed. "I've admired the work that Aaron and Kapital have been doing, and I'm very excited to team up with them to create content we can be proud of," Wesley, who's appeared in Tell Me a Story after starring on The Vampire Diaries, told Deadline. Wesley signed on to star in Confessions of a Drug-Addicted High School Teacher, so fans can watch a more experienced version of the actor they fell in love with.
Ian Somerhalder fought off vampires after starring in The Vampire Diaries
Actor Ian Somerhalder certainly doesn't care to move away from the vampire genre after starring as Damon Salvatore on The Vampire Diaries. Somerhalder signed on to star in the Netflix show V-Wars in 2018. His character, Dr. Luther Swann, races to find a cure for a vampiric disease. "We could not have dreamed of a better choice than Ian Somerhalder to bring his keen understanding of this genre ... and to be a creative force on this series, as well as to serve as a director this season," David Ozer, IDW Entertainment president, told Deadline.
While he's well-cemented in the genre now, Somerhalder had quite a lot of difficulty landing the part of Damon. In September 2019, Somerhalder, who's married to Twilight's Nikki Reed, shared on Instagram, "Who could have ever thought, that incredibly stressful week of waiting for an answer, multiple auditions and ultimately the phone call from my manager and agent (after biting off several fingernails) that I had indeed gotten this role of Damon Salvatore in this little [CW] vampire show called the Vampire Diaries would change the course of my life forever."
Is The Vampire Diaries' Nina Dobrev ready for a baby?
There wouldn't be a Vampire Diaries if there was no secretly adopted doppelgänger for the two hunky vampires to fight over. After starring as Elena Gilbert on The Vampire Diaries (and as Katherine Pierce, too) Nina Dobrev starred in the short-lived CBS comedy Fam in 2019. However, Dobrev still has plenty going on. She's starring in and producing the indie comedy Sick Girl. She's also starred in the political drama film Run This Town and the 2017 remake of Flatliners.
As for anyone expecting a marriage and babies for Dobrev anytime soon, prepare to be disappointed. "I can and will definitely have both [career and family]. I'm still working on me. When I do have a family, I can focus my full energy on that, but I'm not ready for it yet," she told Women's Health in January 2019. The "work" she's been doing on herself has involved a lot of working out and taking care of her mental health. "This is a newfound love for fitness and education about the type of food that I'm putting in my body," she shared with friend Ruby Rose for Byrdie.
Actress Candice King may reprise her Vampire Diaries role in the future
Not everyone has strayed so far from the Vampire Diaries nest. The sequel series Legacies has already had some familiar faces make appearances. While Candice King has yet to play her character Caroline for fans again, all hope may not be lost. In September 2019, King posted a tribute to The Vampire Diaries on her Instagram to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the first season. The Vampire Diaries' co-creator Julie Plec commented, "This is so beautiful, Candice. How far we've traveled together! And so much more to come." Caroline was already mentioned in the show, so perhaps she'll finally appear on screen in the future.
King also produces the podcast Directionally Challenged with fellow Vampire Diaries alum Kayla Ewell. "It's an interesting way to exercise vulnerability ... which I'm not necessarily always good at, and it's a great way to connect with people," King shared with TV Guide, noting, "We were discussing that before we started this of how awesome The Vampire Diaries fans are and they've supported us all these years later. ... It's a different way to connect with your fans essentially."
Kat Graham is one Vampire Diaries witch who has been strutting the red carpet
Kat Graham, the actress behind everyone's favorite witch Bonnie Bennett, has been poking her head into multiple projects since The Vampire Diaries ended. She's been doing film work, kicking it with some mutant turtles, and expanding her music career. According to her, she's very different from the girl who first stepped onto the set all those years ago. "When I started this show, I didn't really know who I was," she shared with HuffPost, adding, "I would have to say this character definitely helped me come into my own."
Graham has also started to become known for her unbelievable fashions on the red carpets. "I like things that are edgy and tough. I believe that you can be feminine and still have a masculine edge," she told Good Morning America in November 2018. She continued, "I felt for so long that nobody got my style ... I wasn't on the best dressed lists, not that that matters all the time, but I wasn't working with someone who inspired me or made me feel like myself." That certainly seems to have changed if Graham's photographed confidence shows anything.
The Vampire Diaries star Matthew Davis proposed in a mall
Matthew Davis was one of the few familiar faces on The Vampire Diaries prior to its airing, best known for playing Elle Woods' one-time love Warner in Legally Blonde. He's practically a staple of the Vampire Diaries franchise now, as he's also been on both Legacies and Originals, playing the character Alaric Saltzman. "They can't get rid of me," Davis joked to Collider. After The Vampire Diaries ran its course, Davis married his long-time girlfriend Kiley Casciano during the 2018 holiday season... immediately after proposing to her. "When you ask your lover if they want to get married while shopping in the produce section of Erewhon, and 3 hours later you're married on Christmas Eve Eve," he posted on Instagram at the time (via People).
The two announced they were expecting a baby girl a year later in September 2019. Casciano thinks that Davis' time on Legacies actually prepared Davis for his most important role as a father. "I wish I could say that Lizzie and Kaylee are amped up versions of teenage girls," she joked to Entertainment Tonight. "But it's pretty spot on. I think Matt is ready."
Things turned Unfortunate for The Vampire Diaries' Sara Canning
Sara Canning had an untimely exit from The Vampire Diaries when her character, Aunt Jenna, died in the Season 2 finale. She would, however, make guest appearances in later seasons. Canning got a bit of a head start when it came to moving past The Vampire Diaries realm, as she played the mysterious Jacquelyn Scieszka in Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events in 2017. "I've had a lot of joyful projects in my life these last couple of years, but she was so much fun to play," Canning gushed to the Vancouver publication Westender.
Canning had moved to the American South while The Vampire Diaries was filming in Atlanta, Ga., but, since then, she has returned to her homeland of Canada. While she still acts, Canning, who appeared on the CW's Nancy Drew, has taken a shine to writing. "I'm in a place right now where I'm thinking to myself, Okay, I want more. I want to be telling my own stories as well. I've written a feature length script and I'm also working on a couple of other features..." she shared with Terroir in November 2018.
The Vampire Diaries actor Zach Roerig has been raising a kid as a single parent
Zach Roerig is another actor who has portrayed his Vampire Diaries character, Matt Donovan, in both The Originals and Legacies. Even when not in the franchise, Roerig, who can be seen in USA's Dare Me, still has clear ties to the Vampire family. He worked with executive producer of the series Marcos Siega on the television show God Friended Me. He also seems particularly close with past cast member Michael Malarkey, who played Lorenzo "Enzo" St. John.
Since 2013, Roerig has been raising his daughter on his own, while he was still on The Vampire Diaries. Perhaps that is why he still has such a connection to the show. "For me, not only has The Vampire Diaries been the longest job I've ever had, but it's been a quarter of my life. I became a parent doing this job," he shared with Entertainment Weekly in 2017, adding, "We all started this show, almost all of us, in the midst of some sort of life turmoil, whatever it may have been. And somehow through these eight years we've patched ourselves up and are now ready to face the world again."
The Vampire Diaries star Steven R. McQueen shifted his focus
Steven R. McQueen, who played Jeremy Gilbert, left The Vampire Diaries in 2014 as a series regular. Executive producer Julie Plec explained to Entertainment Weekly at the time, "It's time for him to go out and live his life and we're actually going to say goodbye to Steven R. McQueen as a series regular. He's growing up and moving on. He will be out living a real life."
Outside of the Vampire franchise, Steven R. McQueen is best known for playing Jimmy Borrelli on the television drama Chicago Fire. In 2018, he starred in the Hallmark made-for-TV film Home By Spring and appeared in the series Medal of Honor. Other than that, though, McQueen hasn't been seen very often on our screens. It's possible that he's simply been busy in his personal life. He proposed to longtime girlfriend Allie Silva in January 2018, but, by that May, the two had called off their engagement. Notably, McQueen seems to be taking up philanthropy, as he's posted a lot about the Thirst project on his Instagram.
Whatever it is that McQueen is doing in his private life, there will always be fans waiting for Jeremy to return.
Michael Trevino stuck around at the CW after The Vampire Diaries
Michael Trevino seems like he's trying to rack up the most points for supernatural acting roles. After playing the werewolf-hybrid (then ghost, then human... then ghost again) Tyler Lockwood in The Vampire Diaries, he's moved on to star in the CW sci-fi alien series and Roswell reboot Roswell, New Mexico as Kyle Valenti, a human... for now. It seems like the perfect transition for Trevino. "We had [TVD co-creator] Julie Plec directing the pilot and [TVD spinoff The Originals writer] Carina MacKenzie was our showrunner and fearless leader here in our first season, so there was just a friendship already," Trevino told Bustle. "Knowing that I was coming on board a project with friends, I knew I was going to take advantage of these relationships."
Trevino is also looking to grow from this experience, as he started shadowing the directors behind the scenes of Roswell to learn more about production. "I just wanted to be there and be present and be involved; where this leads, I don't know," he noted. "But I'd like to direct at some point, whether it's Roswell or something else. I'm just a sponge right now, just learning."
Joseph Morgan entered a Brave New World after The Vampire Diaries
Klaus Mikaelson didn't appear in person until the end of the second season of The Vampire Diaries, but his affect on the series can't be overstated. He and the rest of the Originals were so popular that they started the Vampire Diaries spin-off, aptly named The Originals. Actor Joseph Morgan, the man behind Klaus, has appeared in both series extensively, and Klaus' daughter is the star of Legacies, though Morgan has yet to make an appearance. That might be because he's going to be busy starring in Brave New World for USA Network. It looks like he'll still have some personal ties to the Vampire franchise for years to come, though.
Morgan met wife Persia White while he was on set for The Vampire Diaries (White played Abby Bennett Wilson), and they married in 2014. At that time, White told People that the plan was to soon make "little cute mini Josephs!" However, at the time of this writing, there has been no news of a pregnancy. But the couple produced the short film Carousel with their production company, Night Owl Productions, in 2017.
The Vampire Diaries' Michael Malarkey discovered alien life... kind of
Michael Malarkey joined The Vampire Diaries late, recurring in Season 5 and becoming a staple in Season 6. His character, Lorenzo "Enzo" St. John, made quite the impression on fans and became another beloved, brooding member of the family. Since the series ended, Malarkey has taken small television roles here and there, but his focus seems to mostly be on the History Channel's Project Blue Book.
The series is based on the real-life Project Blue Book, an investigative project set up by the U.S. Air Force in the '50s and '60s to research UFO reports. "I hope that it will stimulate a new found interest especially in people who just kind of sweep these things under the rug," Malarkey shared with Den of Geek!. He's also been fostering his music career. "My acting feeds into my music, my music feeds into my acting," he told Billboard in May 2018. "I have a very, very strong sense of the kind of thing I want to put out. I'm not someone else's product. I'm not trying to make money necessarily – I'm trying to give the exact thing that I'm imagining."
Kayla Ewell became a mother following her time on The Vampire Diaries
Kayla Ewell's Vicki was more of a guest star for most of The Vampire Diaries' run. Her plotline and subsequent death in the first season, though, was important to the story and continued to impact characters like Jeremy and Matt. Since the show's end, Ewell has been hosting the podcast Directionally Challenged with The Vampire Diaries' Candice King. She's also been in an episode of Roswell, New Mexico, crossing paths with former on-screen boyfriend Michael Trevino.
In July 2019, Ewell gave birth to daughter Poppy Marie with husband Tanner Novlan. "And just like that, our whole world has changed," Ewell posted on Instagram at the time. Pregnancy seems to have impacted Ewell in an intense way. She told TVGuide, "Claire Holt came on for a pregnancy episode [of Directionally Challenged] and I was pregnant at the time as well, and that's a very personal experience... So to be able to discuss that on-air was extremely personal because it is your own body you're discussing." Ewell and King have used their podcast to support the charity Harvest Home, an organization focused on helping homeless pregnant women and their children.
The Vampire Diaries star Daniel Gillies endured a heartbreaking split
Daniel Gillies might be the Vampire Diaries cast member that's traveled farthest to star in television. Gillies was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, but he grew up in New Zealand. After living in Australia and Canada again, he moved to Los Angeles in the early 2000s due to a lack of acting opportunities. "I just felt like in the United States there was no ceiling. It was kind of the obvious progression," Gillies told magazine Stay Famous.
Gillies is best known for playing Elijah Mikaelson in both The Vampire Diaries and The Originals. Discussing Vampire fans on the New Zealand show The Project, he said, "They're a very specific kind of demographic actually. They're ardent fans."
In June 2019, Gillies, who appeared in Virgin River after The Vampire Diaries, separated from his wife of 14 years, Rachel Leigh Cook of She's All That fame. "With deep gratitude for every year we have spent together and the thousands of beautiful memories shared, we have mutually decided to separate as a couple," the two posted on Instagram, adding, "Your discretion in this matter is kindly requested for the sake of our children during this time of transition."