The Vampire Diaries reboot would get a hard pass from Paul Wesley

Back in 2009, Scream screenwriter Kevin Williamson teamed with Julie Plec to develop a series of novels by author L.J. Smith into the television series The Vampire Diaries. After running for eight seasons, The Vampire Diaries wrapped up in 2017 – and if there’s ever an attempt to reboot or revive the show, don’t expect to see Paul Wesley reprise the role of Stefan Salvatore in the new episodes. Speaking with InStyle, Wesley (who played Stefan for the entire 171 episode run) said such a project would get a “hard pass” from him.

Wesley went on to say, “I would never do another vampire anything, period, let alone Vampire Diaries.” When asked if he misses anything about playing Stefan, he answered, “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. 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 as the good guy. But I liked the challenge of trying to keep the character fresh.“

Wesley also said, “When I get recognized, it’s because of Stefan. It’s the biggest thing I’ve ever done, as far as popularity. I’ve done a bunch of roles since The Vampire Diaries, but nothing has been nearly as popular, so I think you have to get that next thing that puts you into a conversation that involves you and not the character that you’re known for playing.” Which is why he gladly signed on to play the iconic character James Tiberius Kirk in the Paramount+ series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

While Wesley is seeking to leave The Vampire Diaries far behind him in his acting career, in his personal life he remains friends with his co-stars Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev.

What do you think of Wesley’s quotes about moving on from The Vampire Diaries? Were you hoping to see him play Stefan again someday? Let us know by leaving a comment below.