Supporting Vampire Diaries Cast Paid How Much?
Supporting cast members of The Vampire Diaries earned between $15,000 and $35,000 per episode, significantly less than the leads' $40,000, according to industry reports from 2021-2025. Actors like Steven R. McQueen and Michael Trevino topped the lower tier at $15,000-$20,000, while Kat Graham reached $35,000 by the series finale on May 10, 2017. These figures reflect negotiations tied to screen time and tenure across the show's eight seasons from 2009 to 2017.
Salary Breakdown
The CW network structured pay based on billing status, with supporting cast receiving 37-87% of lead rates. Data compiled from Screen Rant and BuzzFeed analyses show consistent ranges, adjusted for inflation from 2017 dollars to 2026 equivalents adding about 25% due to entertainment wage growth.
- Steven R. McQueen (Jeremy Gilbert): $15,000 per episode across 87 episodes, totaling roughly $1.3 million.
- Michael Trevino (Tyler Lockwood): $15,000-$20,000 per episode for 108 episodes, estimating $1.8-$2.2 million.
- Kayla Ewell (Vicki Donovan): $30,000 per episode in Season 1 (10 episodes), plus guest spots, totaling near $400,000 from the series.
- Kat Graham (Bonnie Bennett): Rose to $35,000 per episode by Seasons 7-8 (44 episodes at peak), totaling over $3 million.
- Candice King (Caroline Forbes): Estimated $30,000-$40,000 range, undisclosed officially, for 171 episodes exceeding $5 million.
Key Supporting Roles Table
| Actor | Character | Per Episode Salary | Seasons Active | Estimated Total Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steven R. McQueen | Jeremy Gilbert | $15,000 | 1-6 | $1.3 million |
| Michael Trevino | Tyler Lockwood | $15k-$20k | 1-6 | $1.8-$2.2M |
| Kayla Ewell | Vicki Donovan | $30,000 | 1 (main) | $400k |
| Kat Graham | Bonnie Bennett | $35,000 (final) | 1-8 | $3M+ |
| Candice King | Caroline Forbes | $30k-$40k est. | 1-8 | $5M+ |
| Matt Davis | Alaric Saltzman | Undisclosed | Recurring | $2M est. |
| Zach Roerig | Matt Donovan | Undisclosed | 1-8 | $4M est. |
Negotiation Timeline
- Season 1 (2009): Initial supporting pay started low at $10,000-$15,000, per BuzzFeed, as CW tested audience draw.
- Seasons 2-3 (2010-2011): Raises to $20,000 for key recurrings like Trevino amid 4.9 million average viewers.
- Seasons 4-6 (2012-2014): Peak growth to $30,000+ for Graham and Ewell, correlating with 3.5 million live viewers.
- Seasons 7-8 (2015-2017): Final bumps; Graham hit $35,000 as Dobrev exited May 14, 2015.
Pay Disparities Exposed
Supporting actors faced a clear gap versus leads Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder, and Paul Wesley at $40,000 each by finale. In a 2025 Variety interview, Dobrev revealed fighting for parity six seasons, only matching co-stars in her May 13, 2017 return episode-earning "five times less" initially for that spot.
"It didn't matter to them that I played two characters," Dobrev stated in Samantha Highfill's 2025 book I Was Epic, highlighting dual Elena/Katherine demands.
Historical Context
Vampire Diaries premiered September 10, 2009, on The CW, spawning a $1 billion franchise including spinoffs. Supporting cast salaries mirrored 2010s TV norms, where recurrings earned 40-60% of series regulars per SAG-AFTRA data from 2012 negotiations.
By 2017 finale, inflation-adjusted earnings placed Graham's $35,000 at $45,000 in 2026 dollars, competitive with Netflix's Stranger Things ensemble at $30,000-$50,000.
Net Worth Impacts
These salaries propelled careers: Kat Graham's $3 million haul funded music ventures, per 2025 estimates. McQueen and Trevino leveraged roles into directing gigs, boosting net worths to $3-5 million each, far above initial pay suggests.
- Graham: $35k/episode led to $12 million net worth by 2026.
- Trevino: $20k max contributed to $5 million portfolio.
- King: Undisclosed pay aligns with $4 million net worth.
Industry Benchmarks
| Show | Supporting Pay (per ep) | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Vampire Diaries | $15k-$35k | 2009-17 |
| Gossip Girl | $20k-$30k | 2007-12 |
| Riverdale | $25k-$40k | 2017-23 |
| Stranger Things S3 | $30k-$50k | 2019 |
These figures position Vampire Diaries mid-tier for CW dramas, per 2025 Finance Monthly analysis. Supporting pay grew 20% series-over-series, tracking viewership from 4.9M premiere to 1.3M finale.
Quotes from Cast
"We were all in the trenches together," Michael Trevino told CheatSheet in 2022, noting fair bumps post-Season 3.
Kat Graham echoed in 2021 YouTube breakdowns: "Bonnie's arc justified the raise," aligning with $35k finale pay.
Earnings Calculations
Total supporting cast payroll exceeded $25 million across 171 episodes. McQueen's 87 episodes at $15k yielded $1.305 million precisely (87 x 15,000). Trevino's midpoint $17,500 over 108 episodes: $1.89 million. Aggregates use verified episode counts from IMDb.
Modern Relevance
As of May 2026, streamer revivals discuss $60k+ for legacy cast. Supporting salaries remain a benchmark in teen drama negotiations, influencing Netflix's Sex Education finales at comparable scales.
Streaming residuals added 15% to totals post-2020 AMPTP deals, per Variety 2025.
Expert answers to Supporting Vampire Diaries Cast Paid How Much queries
Who earned most among supporting cast?
Kat Graham topped at $35,000 per episode in final seasons, just shy of leads, due to Bonnie's promotion post-Dobrev exit.
Did pay reflect screen time?
Largely yes; full-season recurrings like King matched $30k-$40k estimates, while part-timers like Ewell hit $30k despite brevity.
Were there gender pay gaps in supporting roles?
Data shows parity: Graham ($35k) and King ($30k+) equaled or neared male peers like Trevino ($20k), unlike leads' disputes.
How do salaries compare to spinoffs?
The Originals supporting like Daniel Gillies earned $25k-$35k, similar; Legacies rose to $40k+ by 2019 amid streaming bumps.
Why undisclosed for some?
Actors like Davis and Roerig never publicized via trades; estimates derive from peer brackets and 2017 SAG residuals data.
Post-show earnings boost?
Yes-Graham's salary funded Empire roles at $50k+; Trevino directs at $100k/episode rates by 2026.
Best value role?
Candice King's full-run at $35k average maximized $6 million, outperforming short-term highs.