The Vampire Diaries continues to be celebrated as a standout fantasy series centered on a captivating love triangle, with fans especially adoring the portrayal of the Salvatore brothers. Paul Wesley’s role as Stefan and Ian Somerhalder’s portrayal of Damon earned widespread praise. However, before Paul Wesley was officially cast as Stefan, another actor was seriously considered: Sebastian Stan. According to Samantha Highfill’s upcoming book, For I Was Feeling Epic: An Oral History of The Vampire Diaries, which is set to release on September 9, 2025, Stan was among the actors eyed for the pivotal role.
Challenges in Finding the Right Actor for Stefan
Julie Plec, the showrunner of The Vampire Diaries, described casting Stefan as one of the most difficult tasks in the production. She highlighted the complexity of the character, saying,
“It’s the kind of role that you can’t just cast the smoldering pretty boy because there’s such depth and layers of loss and loneliness living in that character,”
The creative team sought an actor who combined strong emotional depth with wide appeal. They wanted someone more than just a typical theater actor, who could also ignite passion in audiences. Kevin Williamson shared his frustration about these high expectations, noting,
“The book destroyed us because if you look at the description in the book, that person doesn’t exist,”
referring to the difficult-to-meet qualities described for Stefan’s character.
Sebastian Stan’s Audition and Scheduling Obstacles
Julie Plec further described Stefan as a “good soul” with an undercurrent of danger—a vampire wrestling with his bloodlust. During the casting process, the team met Sebastian Stan and spent time talking with him. Casting director Lesli Gelles recalled,
“It was Sebastian Stan. He came over to meet, so we got to spend some time chatting with him.”
Despite their interest, Stan’s commitment to the 2009 drama series Kings prevented him from taking the role. Gelles explained,
“It was very cool. We were totally interested in him, and he was discussed at the studio the first time we tested Stefan, but we couldn’t do it because he was tied to another show,”
noting that Stan also auditioned for Damon in addition to Stefan. She added,
“But Sebastian was on Kings, so that wasn’t going to work out,”
citing scheduling conflicts as the reason Stan could not join the cast.
The Near Miss and Final Casting Decision
Julie Plec reflected on how the production faced pressure to cast Paul Wesley sooner than ideal, joking that they were pushed into their choice despite initial reservations. She said,
“We were sort of pressured into casting Paul Wesley against our desires, which means everybody knew way better than us and that we almost missed out on the most perfect piece of casting,”
The showrunner had sought an actor able to “live in both worlds,” blending the allure of a heartthrob with serious acting ability. She admitted,
“There was no denial that Paul could act the part; we just didn’t see him lighting up the screen, but we were just dead wrong.”
The casting experience reveals the intricate process behind bringing Stefan Salvatore to life and the fine line producers walked to balance audience expectations with artistic integrity.
Significance of the Casting Story
The revelation that Sebastian Stan almost became Stefan offers fans an intriguing glimpse into the show‘s early production challenges and the casting decisions that shaped its legacy. Given Stan’s later success in the Marvel universe, imagining him as a beloved vampire on The Vampire Diaries highlights how different the series might have been. This story underscores the unpredictable nature of television casting and how close several projects come to taking alternate paths. As Samantha Highfill’s oral history book arrives, further behind-the-scenes details like this will bring fresh appreciation for the beloved series.
