Posted in: CW, TV | Tagged: Ian Somerhalder, Nina Dobrev, paul wesley, the vampire diaries

The Vampire Diaries: Paul Wesley Doesn't Really Miss Playing Stefan

Paul Wesley on his interest in returning to his The Vampire Diaries character Stefan Salvatore, his & the show's legacy, and more.

Published Wed, 12 Jul 2023 10:38:10 -0500

by Tom Chang

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Few actors are fortunate to land at least one signature role, let alone two, but actor Paul Wesley's hit that jackpot winning, first as the younger Salvatore brother Stefan on The CW supernatural teen drama The Vampire Diaries in eight seasons across all 171 episodes from 2009-2017. Now he's moved as a heartthrob in another genre: science fiction on the Paramount+ series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds in a recurring role as the legendary future captain of the Enterprise, James T. Kirk. Wesley spoke with Instyle about his life and career and why he's ready to move on from The Vampire Diaries, which also starred Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder.

The Vampire Diaries: Paul Wesley on Closing Chapter on Stefan for Good — Paul Wesley in "The Vampire Diaries." Image courtesy of The CW/Warner Bros/CBS

"I don't really miss anything about playing him, and I don't mean that in a [negative way]. Eight years is a long time, and I'm so glad to put that to rest," Wesley said. "Eight seasons, but I loved how dynamic he was. Because the show ran for such a long time, in order for it to not become monotonous, every season, he sort of had a different arc. At one point, he was pure evil, and he started out as the good guy, and then he ended [up] as the good guy. But I liked the challenge of trying to keep the character fresh." As far as any fan theories about Stefan, "A fan theory? No. A fanfiction about me and Ian Somerhalder being lovers. But other than that, no fan theories," Wesley admitted. As far as collaborating with his TVD family, he's working on a project with creator Julie Plec. He also shares a bourbon brand "Brother's Bond" with Somerhalder and is teasing a potential comedy with Dobrev. For more on Wesley's life, you can check out the interview here. The Vampire Diaries is available to stream on Peacock and Max.

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