Vampire Diaries’ Nina Dobrev Almost Turned Down The Show For A Different Role: “No Bad Choice”
The Vampire Diaries star Nina Dobrev reveals she almost passed on the seminal CW series and the drama she could have been a part of instead.
The Vampire Diaries star Nina Dobrev reveals that she almost passed on the seminal CW series. Dobrev is known for playing Elena Gilbert, the lead character of The Vampire Diaries for its first six seasons. But throughout her run with the supernatural teen drama, she also appeared as other Elena doppelgangers. Most notable, perhaps, was her immensely watchable portrayal of the wildly antagonistic Katherine Pierce.
While promoting her new Netflix comedy movie The-Outlaws in an interview on Live with Kelly & Mark, Dobrev mentioned that she had to choose between testing to be part of The Vampire Diaries cast or the HBO period crime drama Boardwalk Empire. Dobrev stated that because Boardwalk Empire had a nudity clause, which might have required her to do a nude scene at some point, it made it easier for her to choose TVD since she wasn’t comfortable with the clause at the age of 19. Read Dobrev’s quote (via The Sun) below:
“I wasn’t allowed to test for both Vampire Diaries and Boardwalk Empire. And I didn’t know, like, how do you make a decision?… I think the thing that ended up being the deciding factor was that, I was 19 or 20, and Boardwalk Empire required me sign a nudity clause. But it wasn’t in the script. It was like, at some point, there might be nudity and you’ll have to do it.”
Dobrev’s Turn In Vampire Diaries Was Excellent
Though it failed to sustain momentum throughout its run, The Vampire Diaries was a big hit right out of the gate. A large part of the appeal was Dobrev’s layered performance as both the hero and villain. An early example occurred in the season 1 finale when Katherine dramatically inserted herself into Elena’s life. Katherine, a vampire and the major doppelgänger of Elena was able to trick her way into Elena’s home and wreak havoc. The chaotic scene underscored the tone for the rest of the supernatural drama, leading viewers to expect the unexpected from then on.
Dobrev’s dual roles did take their toll. Despite looking exactly alike, the two characters were markedly different in their clothing, dialogue, and even in how they moved. Beyond having to master these distinctions, the two characters would occasionally share scenes together, which led to concerns from The CW about overworking the lead star. It also played a part in Katherine being killed off for a few seasons.
Dobrev’s work was significant in elevating The Vampire Diaries, as Katherine’s arrival and use as a foil for Elena did a lot to boost the drama’s reputation. Critics, as well as some general audiences, went from viewing the show as a mere continuation of the Twilight trend to lauding the cast performances and the audacious plot twists that kept viewers tuning in. There was also a lot of discussion that Dobrev deserved major awards recognition, proving that her loss of a critically-acclaimed HBO series led to a career-defining role.
