The Vampire Diaries was packed with drama between the characters, ranging from murder to deceit to some good old-fashioned love triangles. The show has been off the air for a couple of years now, but some new drama emerged back in June when original leading lady Nina Dobrev revealed that she and star Paul Wesley "despised each other" in the early days of the show.
Her full comments proved that she and Paul Wesley warmed up to each other and became great friends, but it still came as a shock to hear that they'd ever "despised each other" considering how closely together they had to work. For a while there, it did look like Stefan and Elena would be endgame.
Now, Paul Wesley, who is soon returning to the small screen in CBS All Access' series Tell Me a Story, weighed in on the reveal that they didn't get along back in the day. Speaking with press at the 2019 TCA Press tour, Wesley said this:
She's someone that...I mean, I text with her at least once a week. We talk all the time, we hang out all the time. So I think it was a little click-baity, to be honest with you, because we're such good friends. So I think the point that Nina was making, and I'll totally back her up on this, was that we totally clashed the first couple years in terms of just getting on each other's nerves, and developed this wonderful friendship. So it's like this nice happy ending. But yeah, I think sometimes when people work together non-stop, with press non-stop, for years and years on end, you don't appreciate the person that's in front of you. You're exhausted and tired. I think now, it's such a nice sort of story, because we're such good friends. I think it was a cool lesson to learn. It's like, the people that maybe you kind of don't get along with in the beginning, later surprise you. I think a lot of my friendships are like that.
All things considered, the issues between Nina Dobrev and Paul Wesley don't sound like they were too dramatic or damaging. Honestly, how many of us haven't gotten a little annoyed with somebody we spend all our time with when exhausted?
Besides, even if their relationship wasn't the best back in the early days when they were getting on each other's nerves, they friendship seems quite solid nowadays, and the lesson Wesley learned by the change in their relationship was "nice," in his book. Does that mean a reunion in the Vampire Diaries spinoff?
Well, Paul Wesley already shot down the possibility of playing Stefan again in no uncertain terms, and Stefan did of course die in the Vampire Diaries series finale. There's every chance for Elena to return, though, maybe with Stefan's niece and namesake in tow. Perhaps Nina Dobrev will return!
And hey, Paul Wesley already directed one episode of Legacies. He's clearly not so unwilling to return to the franchise behind the scenes. Even if Wesley and Nina Dobrev don't reunite for Legacies, though, their friendship is seemingly going strong.
When asked if there was something specific that happened to push him and Nina Dobrev into becoming friends, Paul Wesley gave this response:
No, just growing up. We were both kids. She was, you know, she couldn't even legally drink. I was like 24 or 25. We were both on this big show. And you know, it's just kids. It's like high school. It's like being at summer camp or something.
The Vampire Diaries was Paul Wesley's first big leading role on television, and Nina Dobrev's first big leading role on an American TV show, although she'd made an impression on Canadian audiences with Degrassi: The Next Generation. The pressure had to be significant for two young actors. The third lead was Ian Somerhalder, who had already portrayed a key character on a popular TV show, even if his Lost character did come to an untimely end.
When it was noted that the Vampire Diaries cast was kind of in high school during those early years, Paul Wesley said this:
By the way, that's so funny. I'm now 37 years old. I mean, the show wrapped 2 years ago, and I was sitting in a high school desk on The Vampire Diaries, and I'm like, 'This is creepy.' [Laughs]
While there are undoubtedly some Vampire Diaries fans out there who wish that the show was still going or at least that Legacies would feature some of the Vampire Diaries characters other than Alaric on a regular basis, at least Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder don't have to play characters who are meant to look eternally teenaged anymore! Age may be nothing but a number, but pushing 40 (or being 40, in Somerhalder's case) and playing high school would be a bit much.
Paul Wesley won't be playing a vampire for Tell Me a Story Season 2, but his new character will adapt a Disney princess story. Based on how Tell Me a Story wasn't exactly Once Upon a Time 2.0, viewers probably shouldn't count on the same kind of happily-ever-after that generally happens in Disney princess stories.
For Tell Me a Story Season 2, Paul Wesley plays Tucker, who is a struggling novelist. During his sleepless night, he works and works to prove that he's good enough for the beautiful woman he's intended to marry. Naturally, all of this is happening in a secluded cabin in the woods, and everything is in jeopardy due to a dark secret. Is this Beauty and the Beast with a twist?
Find out when Tell Me a Story returns to CBS All Access for its second season. Season 2 of this show is only one of the big things in the works at CBS' streaming service. Star Trek: Discovery will air a new season that picks up after its crazy Season 2 cliffhanger, and Patrick Stewart will reprise his role as Jean-Luc Picard for Star Trek: Picard. Basically, if you haven't considered a CBS All Access subscription already, now may be the time to start thinking about it!
