The Vampire Diaries is a very popular show. It ran for eight seasons and delighted, confused, excited, and frustrated fans throughout them all. The cast had a similarly mixed reaction to the show. Although most of them did love it, a couple of them didn’t. Now we’re not suggesting that they hated the show entirely or anything like that. They didn’t. But they still somewhat regretted their role on the show and didn’t like everything about it. And that’s ok. No show can please everyone, including the actors on it. Fans need to remember that actors are not necessarily fans of their own shows. They can be, sometimes. However, most of the time the actors are just doing their job and entertaining us. And that’s all we can ask them to do.
Luckily for the fans, most of the actors on The Vampire Diaries loved it. Some common themes are that the cast was great to work with and that the show became a big part of their lives. Aw, how sweet! We can definitely imagine the cast having loads of fun on set. And as for the show becoming a big part of their lives, many fans would agree. Although the cast probably spent more time on it than the fans. It is their job, after all. Many people tend to spend more time at work than anything else. And this definitely applies to actors as well, especially those on a long-running TV show like The Vampire Diaries.
Welcome to 2 Actors Who Regretted Being On The Vampire Diaries (And 18 Who Adored It!)
Regretted: Nina Dobrev
That’s right. The actress behind Elena, Katherine, and the rest of the Petrova doppelgängers didn’t entirely like the show. Now, we’re not saying she hated it or anything. However, she did make the choice to leave after the sixth season, (though she did return for the season eight finale.) According to Nina Dobrev herself, the reason she left was to take on new challenges. She wanted to “play [more] adult roles and be challenged.” We have to say, we can’t blame her. No one wants to be stuck playing a teenager or even a young adult forever. As actors grow older, they want the roles they play to grow with them. It makes sense.
Adored: Paul Wesley
The actor behind Stefan absolutely adored his role and the show. He mentions that the show became a huge part of his life and will “always… be ingrained in [his] personality.” Sounds good to us. Many fans would likely agree with both points. When you spend a lot of your time with something, it becomes a part of you. It only makes sense. The more time you spend on something, the more it’s going to affect you. And that definitely goes for a show as beloved as The Vampire Diaries. Paul Wesley also states that he is grateful for the show and calls it “amazing.” Fans would definitely agree with that sentiment as well.
Adored: Matt Davis
Our Alaric Saltzman loved the show and his role on it. He described the show as “special.” He also mentions the chemistry with the other cast members. Davis also states that being on the show was a “remarkable experience.” Aw, how sweet. And what’s even sweeter is that the “remarkable experience” isn’t over for him. Matt Davis is reprising his role as Alaric Saltzman in the new spinoff of The Vampire Diaries, known as Legacies. According to Davis, it was “a natural progression” to play the role again. It seems like Alaric is a special part for him. One that he would happily play for a long time. And fans are definitely happy about that.
Adored: Candice (Accola) King
Candice King, aka Caroline Forbes, absolutely loved the show and her role on it. She gushed about her character to The Mary Sue, saying that she “love[s] her” and that she has grown “parallel to [Caroline] in [a] weird way.” Since Caroline is such a beloved character, many fans likely agree with that first part. And some fans may be able to relate to the second part as well. King goes on to state that even though Caroline “may not always be right… she’s trying her best to save the day and that’s what [she] really love[s] about her.” Fans most likely agree. Many fans find Caroline easy to relate to and this is one of the reasons why.
Adored: Michael Trevino
Tyler Lockwood loves the show and his role on it. According to Trevino himself, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the show has “changed [his] life and it will forever be a part of [him].” Many fans likely also feel this way. When you spend so much of your time watching a show— or acting in it— it becomes a part of you. It has a great effect on your life. Trevino also states that he feels “lucky to be a part of this Vampire Diaries family.” Aw, how sweet. This is a common theme among the cast, viewing their cast-mates as close friends or, in this case, family. We are sure they had a great time on set.
Adored: Steven R. McQueen
Jeremy Gilbert loves the show and the cast. He describes the cast as “family” in an interview with JustJaredJr. He also describes leaving the show as “going away to college,” further expressing how much he views the cast as his family. Although he is excited for new challenges, he “will of course miss [his] other family.” We are sure that the cast had a great time on the set of The Vampire Diaries and it’s amazing that they were so close. The great camaraderie between the cast definitely played out on the show and in the chemistry between their characters. McQueen also describes a surprise that the cast and crew had for him. He was filming a particularly difficult scene multiple times when the other cast members showed up dressed like superheroes and holding a cake. Sounds like family to us!
Adored: Persia White
Abby Bennett absolutely loved the show and the cast. She was excited about the show from the beginning and describes being cast as Abby as “a little bit of a process, but… really worth it” in an interview with Collider. And we’re sure fans will agree with that. Being on such a beloved show like The Vampire Diaries is definitely worth any difficulty that might come with it. She also goes on to say that “all of the cast members are really quite humble. That’s probably part of the success.” Sounds like a recipe for success to us! This appears to be a common theme, that the cast is great to work with. It definitely shows, as is mentioned before, in the chemistry between the characters.
Adored: Zach Roerig
Matt Donovan was a bit fan of the show. He says, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, that the show has been “a quarter of [his] life” and describes being on the show as “a very healing process.” The show being a big part of the actor’s lives is another common theme among the Vampire Diaries cast. Though this is the first time that the show has been described as a healing process. Still, that sounds great. And shows just how wonderful the cast and crew must be that working with them could be healing. It must be nice for the writers and other crew behind the show to know that working on it is beneficial for the actors.
Adored: Joseph Morgan
Everyone’s favorite Original hybrid, Klaus Mikaelson, also loved the show! He describes the cast as “so welcoming, like a big, happy, dysfunctional family” in an interview with Collider. And he is not the first actor to do so. This is a common theme among the Vampire Diaries cast and fans are glad it is. It’s always nice knowing that the actors that fans love to watch are enjoying themselves while filming. And what’s better than filming with your family? Well, that probably depends on how well you get along with your family. But according to most of the cast so far, they get along great! So that’s no problem. It’s good to hear something so positive about the show.
Adored: Daniel Gillies
Everyone’s other favorite Original, Elijah Mikaelson, also loved the show. Gillies says that he “immediately knew [Elijah] was going to be around for a while” in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Of course, many fans would agree. From the beginning, Elijah intrigued fans and we were always glad to see more of him. Gilles also adds that “Elijah… made [him] a much better writer because [he] started writing ferociously for him.” It’s always nice when a part can improve an actor’s life. Fans are most likely grateful too, because without Daniel Gillies’ writing, Elijah’s character might have been very different. In fact, according to Gillies himself, Elijah was not initially written as Klaus’ brother and was going to be written out a lot sooner if it wasn’t for Gillies’ dedication to the character.
Adored: Michael Malarkey
Enzo absolutely loved the show and the cast! He says, in an interview with Collider, that he’ll “never forget working with this group of people.” He also states that he loves Atlanta as well and got to “[fall] in love with the city” while filming for The Vampire Diaries. Seems like a great experience to us! This shows that the whole cast is having fun and cooperating with each other. Because it isn’t that easy to get this kind of review this often from a cast. Your production has to be something special. Fans would definitely agree that The Vampire Diaries is special. So would most of the cast, we’re sure.
Adored: Claire Holt
Another Original who absolutely loved the show. In an interview with the Associated Press, Claire Holt says that “[the writers] wrote such a great character for [her].” Many fans likely agree. Like the rest of the Mikaelson family, Rebekah is an intriguing character. One that fans always loved to see more of. She also describes her cast-mates Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev as lovely people who “would probably have chemistry with a brick wall.” Sounds like another happy The Vampire Diaries cast member! It’s more than good luck that brought all these talented people together. They seem to relish the fact that they are all in the show, and seem to enjoy each other tremendously.
Regretted: Kat Graham
When asked if she would be appearing on Legacies, the latest spin-off of The Vampire Diaries, Kat Graham says that she is “not interested.” She also states that she feels like “that chapter is closed.” And we can’t blame her. She portrayed the character of Bonnie for a long time. As an actor, it’s important to branch out as much as possible. So Graham’s desire for new challenges—somewhat similar to Nina Dobrev’s actually— is understandable. It somewhat stinks for the fans, though, who would probably love to see her on the spin-off. Yet when they want to see her as Bonnie, they can always re-watch The Vampire Diaries. That’s definitely something to appreciate. Don’t forget, an actor’s job is to entertain. And Kat Graham definitely did that in her role as Bonnie on The Vampire Diaries.
Adored: Nathaniel Buzolic
Another Mikaelson family member who loved the show. When asked by Talk Nerdy With Us what the best thing about being on the cast of The Vampire Diaries is, he responds by mentioning the “great cast, crew, and scripts” and how he has “fallen in love with the city of Atlanta.” The cast and crew being great seems to be a reoccurring theme with the Vampire Diaries actors. And it definitely shows up on screen with the great chemistry between the actors and their characters. Also, like Michael Malarkey, Buzolic fell in love with the city of Atlanta. It must be a great place to work and live! Many fans might want to visit it now, not only to see where their favorite show was filmed, but to see the place that the actors loved so much.
Adored: Kayla Ewell
Vicki Donovan absolutely loved the show. as well. Kayla Ewell mentions, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, how much fun she and Ian Somerhalder had filming a dance scene during season one. She also states that " this [show] definitely took a big chunk of [her heart]… There are parts you love and there are parts you like, and this was definitely one [she] absolutely loved." It’s nice to hear such a glowing review of the show from one of the cast. Fans, of course, would definitely agree. Vicki was such an interesting character and definitely kept fans enthralled throughout her time on the show. It bodes well for the show that most of the cast feel so enthusiastic about it.
Adored: Phoebe Tonkin
Before she was on The Originals, she was on The Vampire Diaries. And she loved TVD, as it’s affectionately known by some fans, as much as the rest of the cast. In an Instagram post, she refers to the cast and crew as “family” and thanks Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson, the creators of the show, for “this incredible opportunity.” It’s good to know that the show was so loved by the cast as well as the fans. Of course, fans love the show. But when the cast loves the show as much, it’s really something special. And this cast definitely loves the show. Most of them have nothing but good things to say about it.
Adored: Malese Jow
Our Anna absolutely loved the show and the cast as well. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Malese Jow states how she “met friends for life in the cast and crew and [she has] so much love for everyone.” She also goes on to say that she’s “happy and honored to be able to say that [she] was a part of [The Vampire Diaries].” It’s great to know that the cast are close to each other. So close that they consider each other close friends or family. It’s also great that the cast see the show as special just like the fans do. Fans always appreciate when those behind the show have the same love for it that we have.
Adored: Arielle Kebbel
Lexi also loved the show. She told TV Line that she “totally fell in love with Lexi.” Of course, she had no idea what the fan reaction to the character would be. Luckily for Kebbel, the fans loved Lexi and her! The writers would “[write her] in because nobody wanted to see Lexi go.” Fans were glad that she reappeared. She’s an interesting character that fans like to see. Lexi is also a very good friend of Stefan’s so he is likely glad as well when she pops up. And Kebbel and Paul Wesley definitely have good on-screen chemistry. We’re sure they had loads of fun on set. And if the other cast’s testimonies are correct, Kebbel most likely made some friends for life on the set of The Vampire Diaries.
Adored: David Anders
John Gilbert loved the show and the cast too. He initially took the part because he was friends with Ian Somerhalder and thought it would be fun to act with his friend. He told Entertainment Weekly that taking the role was “the best choice [he’s] ever made as an actor” and that “they all are my friends for life,” referring of course to the cast. It’s nice to know when actors really love the parts they play. Of course, it is their job to play these parts but it’s so much more fun for the audience when we know they’re having fun too. It’s also great to know that the cast are such good friends.
Adored: Sara Canning
Remember Aunt Jenna? Well, the actress behind that iconic character also loved the show. She describes the cast, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, as “a group who’s so eager to laugh and prank and have a good time.” We’re sure those pranks were amazing and hilarious. Sign us up! According to Canning, she “maintained a lot of really close friendships with a lot of people who worked on the show, both the cast and the crew.” Seems to be a common theme among the Vampire Diaries cast. And fans are glad that the cast and crew got along so well. Canning also states that she feels “lucky to have played [Jenna]” and that she is “very happy to be a part of the family.”
