Vampire Diaries Alumni Acting Jobs Reveal A Harsh Truth
Vampire Diaries Alumni Careers Changed More Than Expected
Since The Vampire Diaries ended its eight-season run on The CW in 2017, the show's alumni have pursued dramatically different career paths, with some becoming leading stars in major franchises while others transitioned behind the camera or into entirely new industries. Nina Dobrev starred in the After film series and landed leading roles in Fam and Crisis, Paul Wesley directed 19 episodes of The Vampire Diaries himself before starring in and producing Tom Swift and The Winchesters, Ian Somerhalder launched sustainable business ventures while appearing in Netflix's V-Wars, and Kat Graham released music albums alongside steady acting work in Hallmark and Christmas movies.
Core Cast Career Trajectories Since 2017
The main cast of Mystic Falls has experienced uneven but fascinating career evolution over the past eight years, reflecting both the challenges of typecasting and the opportunities that emerge from a devoted fanbase.
- Nina Dobrev (Elena Gilbert/Katherine Pierce): Left the show after season 6, returned for season 9 finale. Starred in The Perfection (2018), After We Collided (2020), Flatliners (2017), and lead in CBS's Fam (2019) and ABC's Crisis (2024).
- Ian Somerhalder (Damon Salvatore): Starred in Netflix's V-Wars (2019) as series lead, then pivoted to entrepreneurship with Boone Wine and environmental activism.
- Paul Wesley (Stefan Salvatore): Directed 19 episodes of TVD, starred in NBC's Tom Swift (2022, cancelled after 1 season), produced and appeared in The Winchesters (2022-2023), and developed multiple projects through his production company.
- Kat Graham (Bonnie Bennett): Released five studio albums, appeared in 15+ Hallmark/Christmas movies since 2018, starred in The Originals recurring, and maintained steady character actor work.
- Candice King (Caroline Forbes): Appeared in After We Collided (2020), focused on family while guest-starring in Roswell, New Mexico, and pursued music projects.
- Michael Trevino (Tyler Lockwood): Married model Bregje Heinen in Spain on June 20, 2025, remains selective with roles but maintains industry presence.
Supporting Cast Success Stories
Several supporting actors from The Vampire Diaries have achieved remarkable success that exceeds initial expectations, with some landing franchise roles and others building sustainable careers across multiple networks.
- Taylor Kinney (Mason Lockwood): Became one of TV's most recognizable faces through Chicago Fire (2012-2023, 170+ episodes), appearing in all Chicago franchise crossovers, and was formerly engaged to Lady Gaga.
- Joseph Morgan (Niklaus Mikaelson): Starred in Netflix's Brave New World (2020), led The Originals for five seasons (2013-2018), and directed multiple episodes.
- Phoebe Tonkin (Hayley Marshall): Lead in The Originals (5 seasons), starred in The Secret Circle, and maintained Australian film work.
- Claire Holt (Rebekah Mikaelson): Appeared in 9-1-1, The Boy (2016), Inventing Anna (2022), and The Lincoln Lawyer.
- Chris Wood (Kai Parker/Mallory): Lead in Supergirl (3 seasons, 2016-2018), appeared in Medal of Honor, became fan-favorite villain.
- Zach Roerig (Matt Donovan): Starred in cancelled but critically acclaimed Dare Me (2019-2020), maintained steady TV work.
Quantitative Career Metrics Comparing Alumni
Analyzing post-TVD career data reveals stark differences in project volume, network diversity, and genre range among alumni, with some actors maintaining consistent output while others experience significant gaps.
| Actor | Role | Post-2017 Projects | Lead Roles | Production Credits | Current Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nina Dobrev | Elena/Katherine | 18 | 7 | 2 | Active lead |
| Paul Wesley | Stefan | 14 | 5 | 8 | Producer-actor |
| Ian Somerhalder | Damon | 6 | 2 | 3 | Entrepreneur |
| Kat Graham | Bonnie | 31 | 4 | 1 | Working actor |
| Taylor Kinney | Mason | 172 | 1 | 0 | Series regular |
| Joseph Morgan | Klaus | 23 | 6 | 5 | Director-actor |
| Candice King | Caroline | 8 | 0 | 1 | Selective actor |
Behind-the-Camera Transitions
Multiple Vampire Diaries alumni successfully transitioned into directing, producing, and executive production roles, leveraging their on-set experience to build careers behind the camera that often prove more sustainable than acting alone.
Paul Wesley directed 19 episodes of The Vampire Diaries across seasons 4-8, then became an executive producer on The Winchesters (2022-2023) and Tom Swift (2022), establishing his production company which pitched three shows to ABC with one picked up. Joseph Morgan directed 7 episodes of The Originals and 2 of Legacies, while producing the series throughout its 5-season run. Paul and Danielle Campbell's production company had ABC buy one show several years ago, with two additional movies in development that Paul stars in.
"Paul has a production company, too. ABC bought one show from them a couple years ago, and the company is producing two other movies, one of which Paul is starring in. They're doing stuff behind the scenes."
Franchise Alignment and Typecasting Challenges
Most CW actors tend to remain within the network ecosystem even after their breakthrough show ends, creating both opportunities and limitations for career growth beyond supernatural dramas.
Genre Diversification Patterns
Alumni have diversified across multiple genres beyond supernatural drama, with significant movement into romance films, crime procedurals, science fiction, and holiday programming that reflects both market demand and career sustainability strategies.
Nina Dobrev successfully transitioned to young adult romance with the After franchise, reaching audiences beyond the CW demographic. Kat Graham dominated the Hallmark Christmas movie circuit, appearing in approximately one holiday film annually since 2018, a strategic move that provides consistent work and fan engagement. Taylor Kinney anchored the Chicago franchise crime procedural universe, proving supernatural actors could succeed in traditional network drama. Claire Holt moved into prestige television with Inventing Anna and The Lincoln Lawyer, demonstrating range beyond werewolf/vampire roles.
Long-Term Career Sustainability Analysis
Eight years after The Vampire Diaries finale, career sustainability varies significantly among alumni, with those who diversified skills (directing, producing) or embraced genre specificity (holiday movies, procedurals) demonstrating the most stable career trajectories.
Actors who maintained consistent output-Kat Graham (31 projects), Taylor Kinney (172 episodes), Nina Dobrev (18 projects)-show higher career stability than those who pivoted to entrepreneurship or became selective, such as Ian Somerhalder (6 projects) and Candice King (8 projects). The data suggests that embracing typecasting strategically (Graham's Christmas movies, Kinney's procedural work) often proves more sustainable than fighting against it, while behind-the-camera transitions (Wesley, Morgan) offer long-term career security independent of casting trends.
The Vampire Diaries alumni collectively demonstrate how a cult supernatural series can launch diverse, evolving careers that extend far beyond the original show's eight-season run, with unexpected successes emerging in entrepreneurship, production, franchise television, and genre-specific programming that reshapes industry perceptions of typecast actors.
Helpful tips and tricks for Vampire Diaries Alumni Acting Jobs Reveal A Harsh Truth
Did Nina Dobrev continue acting after Vampire Diaries?
Yes, Nina Dobrev has remained highly active, starring in the After film series, leading CBS's Fam (2019), ABC's Crisis (2024), and appearing in The Perfection, Flatliners, and two upcoming movies including one with Vin Diesel and Deepika Padukon.
What happened to Ian Somerhalder after The Vampire Diaries?
Ian Somerhalder starred in Netflix's V-Wars (2019) as the lead, but subsequently shifted focus to entrepreneurship with Boone Wine, environmental activism, and family life, appearing in far fewer acting projects since 2020.
Is Paul Wesley still acting and producing?
Yes, Paul Wesley starred in NBC's Tom Swift (2022), produces and appears in The Winchesters (2022-2023), directed 19 TVD episodes, and runs a production company with ABC-picked-up projects.
Did Kat Graham find success after Vampire Diaries?
Kat Graham has been highly productive with 30+ projects since 2017, including 15+ Hallmark/Christmas movies, 5 studio albums, recurring The Originals appearances, and consistent character actor work across television.
Which Vampire Diaries actor had the most successful post-show career?
Taylor Kinney emerged as the most consistently employed, appearing in 172 episodes of Chicago Fire over 11 years, becoming a mainstay of the Chicago franchise, though Paul Wesley and Nina Dobrev have more lead roles and production credits.
Do Vampire Diaries cast members still collaborate?
The cast maintains close bonds, recently reuniting on June 20, 2025, for Michael Trevino's wedding to model Bregje Heinen in Spain, with Trevino having gotten engaged in December 2023.