The beloved supernatural teen drama The Vampire Diaries was first introduced to TV audiences back on September 10, 2009 and lasted until May 2017, airing 171 episodes over the course of eight successful seasons. Although the series’ ending was a sad moment for fans, the actors who made a huge impression on the show are still at it today. Take a look at how much the stars have changed since they drew blood 11 years ago today!
Nina Dobrev, 31, played Elena Gilbert on the show and was perfect in the role of a young girl who lost her parents in a car accident and ultimately falling into a heated love triangle with a vampire and his brother. She appeared on the series for six of the eight seasons and also played her character Elena’s doppelgänger ancestor Katherine Pierce and Amara, the “original” of the Gilbert women. After returning for the show’s finale, she went on to appear in more successful films and TV series such as the 2019 film Lucky Day and the CBS sitcom Fam. Now, Nina is also piquing fans interest with her new romance with Olympian Shaun White!
Ian Somerhalder, 41, played the oldest of the Salvatore vampire brothers, Damon, on the show and took on storylines that had him acting as a blood-thirsty killer and the moral pillar of his brother, Stefan and his true love, Elena. Ian appeared in all eight seasons of the series and then went on to marry Twilight star Nikki Reed, 31, and welcome their daughter Bodhi, 3, in 2017. He began playing a main role in the series V Wars in 2019.
As fans look back on the teen series, it’s amazing to see how much this cast has transformed! To see more images of The Vampire Diaries cast, check out the gallery above by scrolling through the photos!