The Vampire Diaries cast helped make the show one of the best supernatural-teen dramas as they portrayed several engaging characters. Beginning in 2009 (and based off of the books by L.J. Smith), The Vampire Diaries was a truly immersing show as it followed the life of 17-year-old Elena Gilbert, who quickly discovers the supernatural world actually exists after meeting two vampire brothers, Stefan and Damon Salvatore. While the show quickly established a love triangle between Stefan, Elena, and Damon, Elena's arc also saw her fighting for her life as a variety of supernatural entities (including werewolves, witches and Travelers) tried to use her for their evil schemes.
Seeing the obstacles Elena had to face and overcome daily was highly entertaining; however, she wasn't the only memorable Vampire Diaries character. Thanks to the talented cast, Mystic Falls was full of dynamic and charismatic personalities that constantly helped to drive the narrative forward and provided plenty of laughs in the darkest of moments. They may not have always been center stage, but a lot of them did grow to become empowering role models and fan favorite characters (with some being given their own spinoffs, titled The Originals and Legacies).
Nina Dobrev as Elena Gilbert
One of The Vampire Diaries important characters, Nina Dobrev's Elena Gilbert was at the heart of the story and action for the first six seasons. Throughout her tenure on the show, Dobrev got to display her acting range as she made Elena a complex and relatable character. While Dobrev had previously received recognition for portraying Mia Jones in Degrassi: The Next Generation, it was The Vampire Diaries that helped propel her into stardom, as she also played Candace in the 2012 coming-of-age drama Perks of Being A Wallflower and mean girl Vicki Summers in the 2015 comedy horror The Final Girls.
Paul Wesley as Stefan Salvatore
Paul Wesley played the selfless and altruistic vampire, Stefan Salvatore. Before joining The Vampire Diaries cast in 2009, Wesley could often be found playing minor characters who were actually quite similar to Stefan in some ways (such as Lucas Luthor on Smallville and the kind and compassionate Stephen Wesley on 24). He has also appeared on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds as James T. Kirk and Tucker Reed/Eddie Longo on Tell Me A Story.
Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore
Playing the sarcastic and blunt Damon Salvatore was Ian Somerhalder. Like many of The Vampire Diaries cast, Somerhalder also appeared on as Smallville as minor antagonist, Adam Knight, before landing his breakout role as Boone Carlyle on the sci-fi mystery TV show, Lost. Like Damon, Boone had very similar personality traits but not as much darkness as he genuinely seemed like he wanted to help everyone (and was very protective of his siblings). However, it does appear that Somerhalder prefers darker projects as he also went on to play Luther Swann in V Wars (another gritty vampire show).
Kat Graham as Bonnie Bennett
One of Elena's best friends and the biggest hero of The Vampire Diaries is Bonnie Bennett, who was played by Kat Graham. After being part of The Vampire Diaries cast for 171 episodes, Graham has since appeared in many great projects. In 2018, she joined the cast of Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, voicing April O'Neil; she also voiced Rhythm and Blues in Trolls:TrollsTopia in 2020. Graham other credentials include playing Rose in 2019's Eye for an Eye and Jada Pinkett in All Eyez On Me.
Candice King as Caroline Forbes
Playing the bubbly vampire and Elena's best friend, Caroline Forbes, is Candice King. Like many of The Vampire Diaries cast, King didn't have the biggest filmography, appearing briefly in movies and shows, such as Juno, How I Met Your Mother, and Supernatural. The Vampire Diaries did seem to be her biggest breakthrough, with the actor also playing the same role in the crossover shows The Originals and Legacies. Since the show ended in 2017, Forbes has also branched out into other genres, starring in the 2020 romantic-drama After We Collided as Kimberley as well as Seth MacFarlene's comedy show, The Orville, as Solana Kitan.
Zach Roerig as Matt Donovan
Played by Zach Roerig, Matt Donovan was Elena's childhood friend and former boyfriend. While Roerig didn't get as many storylines as the rest of The Vampire Diaries cast, he always did his best with the material he was provided, showing great emotional range when it came to exploring Matt's grief and mental health. Before joining The Vampire Diaries, Roerig already had quite an impressive filmography behind him, playing professional bull rider, Cash, on Friday Night Lights, Hunter Atwood on One Life to Live, and Casey Hughes in As The World Turns. He has since made a few appearances in Step Up: High Water.
Matt Davis as Alaric Saltzman
Alaric Saltzman, the vampire hunter who soon forms a close bond with Damon and Elena, is played Matt Davis. Davis' role in the show wasn't as consistent since his was often killed off and revived frequently. However, during the intervals in between, this gave him the chance to explore other opportunities, playing Sean Yeager in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Jeff Sefton in Cult. Davis was also a well known actor before he joined The Vampire Diaries cast, playing the detestable Warner in Legally Blonde and Private Jim Paxton in 2000's Tigerland.
Steven R. McQueen as Jeremy Gilbert
Although he didn't get as much screen time as the other characters, Steven R. McQueen's Jeremy Gilbert played a vital role on The Vampire Diaries as he became one of the strongest vampire hunters as well as a powerful medium. After McQueen's Jeremy left The Vampire Diaries in season 6, the actor went on to play the heroic but reckless Jimmy Borelli in Chicago Fire, Joseph Vittori in Medal of Honor, and Wayne in the 2018 romance Home By Spring.
Michael Trevino as Tyler Lockwood
Portrayed by Michael Trevino, Tyler was initially introduced as a minor antagonist on the show, often picking on Jeremy and unsuccessfully trying to embarrass Stefan. However, perceptions soon changed once he fell in love with Caroline and got to know the rest of the Mystic Falls gang. After Trevino left The Vampire Diaries cast, he went on to play the kind and compassionate Kyle Valenti in Roswell, New Mexico. He also starred as Jamie Vega in Cane, Brent in The Riches, and Cliff in The Breakup Diet.
The Vampire Diaries Supporting Cast & Characters
Joseph Morgan as Klaus Mikaelson: Known as the most dangerous Original vampire and the hybrid, Klaus Mikaelson was portrayed by Joseph Morgan. While Klaus is his best role, Morgan has also found success playing Lysander in 2011's Immortals and Sebastian Sanger in Titans.
Daniel Gillies as Elijah Mikaelson: Gillies played Elijah Mikaelson, the brother of Klaus and another Original vampire. Before joining The Vampire Diaries cast, he appeared as John Jameson in 2004's Spider-Man 2 and the despicable Johnny Wickham in the 2004 romantic-drama, Bride & Prejudice. Gillies has also appeared in TV shows, Virgin River and Saving Hope.
Claire Holt as Rebekah Mikaelson: Claire Holt may have been known as the charming and sarcastic Rebekah Mikaelson, but she has also been part of several other notable roles projects, including mermaid Emma Gilbert in the Australian drama, H20: Just Add Water, and Kate in the 2017 survival movie, 47 Meters Down.
Nathaniel Buzolic as Kol Mikaelson: Buzolic played the Kol Mikaelson in The Vampire Diaries, another Original vampire who considered himself to be the outsider of the family. Buzolic also starred in 2016 Hacksaw Ridge as Harold 'Hal' Doss and Paul O'Donnell in Out of the Blue.
Casper Zafer as Finn Mikaelson: Klaus' oldest brother, Finn Mikaelson, was played by Casper Zafer. He appeared as Andrei Belanov in the TV series, Dream Team.
Michael Malarkey as Lorenzo 'Enzo' St. John: Enzo, Damon's vampire best friend (who later became Bonnie's boyfriend), was played Michael Malarkey. Malarkey's has also played Emmett in HBO's Westworld, Captain Michael Quinn in Project Blue Book, and Seamus O'Meara in Law & Order: Organized Crime.
Marguerite MacIntyre as Sheriff Elizabeth Forbes: - Caroline's mother and Mystic Falls' the kind-hearted sheriff was played by Marguerite MacIntyre. Before joining The Vampire Diaries cast, she was known for playing Valerie Leeds in the 2002 thriller, Red Dragon, and Nicole Treager on Kyle XY.
Nina Dobrev as Katherine Pierce/Petrova: Alongside Elena Gilbert, Dobrev also went on to play several doppelgängers on The Vampire Diaries, including the ruthless 500-year-old vampire, Katherine Pierce.
Phoebe Tonkin as Hayley Marshall: Tyler's childhood friend, Hayley, is played by Phoebe Tonkin. She also played Cleo Sertori in H20: Just Add Water and Jane Thornton in 2022's Babylon.
Jasmine Guy as Sheila Bennett: Sheila Bennett, Bonnie's grandmother and an extremely powerful witch, was played by Jasmine Guy. As well as having a successful career on Broadway, Guy has also appeared in several hit shows, playing Gemma Larson in Grey's Anatomy and Roxy Harvey in Dead Like Me.
Susan Walters as Carol Lockwood: Playing Tyler's mother and the former mayor of Mystic Falls is Susan Walters. She has also appeared in Teen Wolf as Natalie Martin and The Flash as Dr. Carla Tannhauser.
Sara Canning as Jenna Sommers: Jeremy and Elena's aunt, Jenna, is played by Sara Cunning. After leaving The Vampire Diaries cast in season 2, she found success playing Lake in 2017's War for the Planet of the Apes and Jacquelyn in Netflix's A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Arielle Kebbel as Lexi Branson: Along with playing Stefan's best friend, Lexi, in The Vampire Diaries, Kebbel has also appeared in 2006's John Tucker Must Die as Carrie, in 90210 as con-artist Vanessa, and as Olivia Charity in NBC's Midnight, Texas.
Chris Wood as Kai Parker: Playing the terrifying and villainous Kai Parker is Chris Wood. Since his appearance on the show, he had been a staple CW actor, portraying Jake in the drama Containment, as well Mon-El in Supergirl.
Jodi Lyn O'Keefe as Josette Parker: Jo, Kai's twin sister and the biological mother of Josie and Lizzie Saltzman, is played by Jodi Lyn O'Keefe. O'Keefe also starred as Taylor Vaughn in the 2000 cult movie, She's All That, as well as Gretchen Morgan in TV show Prison Break.
Kayla Ewell as Vicki Donovan: Matt's rebellious sister, Vicki, is played by Kayla Ewell. Like many of The Vampire Diaries cast, she has continued to work with head writer Julie Plec, playing Nora Truman in Roswell, New Mexico.
Anna Wersching as Lillian Salvatore: After being cast as Stefan and Damon's mother, Lillian, Wersching made her first appearance in season 6. Wersching was certainly one of the most versatile actors to appear on the show, with her credentials including 24, Runaways, General Hospital, The Rookie, and Star Trek: Picard.
Malese Jow as Annabelle "Anna" Zhu: Malese Jow played the feisty vampire Anna. She has since gone on to star as Linda Park in CW's The Flash and voiced the character Kate Cha in the animated series, Invincible.
Bianca Lawson as Emily Bennett: Playing the talented witch, Emily Bennett, is Bianca Lawson. While many had recognized Lawson for her roles as Kendra Young in Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Megan Jones in Saved By The Bell: New Class, she has now accrued critical acclaim for her portrayal as Darla in Queen Sugar.
Nathalie Kelley as Sybil: The season 8 villain and siren, Sybil, is played by Nathalie Kelley. She first garnered recognition after starring in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift as Neela.
Torrey DeVitto as Meredith Fell: Pretty Little Liars alum Torrey DeVitto played Dr. Meredith Fell in season 3 and 4. After leaving The Vampire Diaries cast, she continued to stick to medical procedural, playing Dr. Natalie Manning in Chicago Med. She also played the villainous Carrie in teen drama, One Tree Hill.
Elizabeth Blackmore as Valerie Tulle: Valerie, a Heretic and Stefan's first love, was played by Elizabeth Blackmore. While Valerie does appear to be her biggest role, her other credits include Natalie in 2013's Evil Dead and Lady Toni Bevell in Supernatural.
Kristen Gutoskie as Seline: Kristen Gutoskie played the siren and Sybil's adoptive sister, Seline. Along with fellow Vampire Diaries cast member star Chris Wood, she also appeared in CW's Containment as Katie Frank, Beth in The Handmaid's Tale, and Chloe Cruz in Chicago Fire.
Wolé Parks as Cade: Known to the Mystic Falls gang as the creator of Hell and the Devil himself, Wolé Parks played the powerful villain Cain. Long after The Vampire Diaries finished, he was cast as the antagonist, John Henry, in Superman & Lois.