Here's Why Paul Wesley Ignored Vampire Diaries Co-Star Nina Dobrev
The beloved couple didn't hit it off at first.
While The CW's The Vampire Diaries is easily one of the most iconic teen series of the last decade, the show certainly has a lot of haters out there who lambaste it for poor writing and terrible plot twists. However, one thing that can't be denied is that the love triangle between Elena, Damon, and Stefan is absolutely one of the best in television history, and the insane chemistry between the actors is the reason for that.
It was just too exciting to watch Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder, and Paul Wesley flex their acting muscles in their scenes together, but it looks like the relationship between the stars wasn't always as great as later in the show. The thing is, Wesley tried a rather unorthodox approach to get prepared for his role during the casting process, which eventually earned him the part but must have upset Dobrev.
Bad Boy Approach
While Nina Dobrev was famously cast almost immediately, the same can't be said for Paul Wesley, who auditioned for the role of Stefan for quite some time. When it came time for a chemistry read with Dobrev, Wesley decided to surprise both the actress and the producers by refusing to even say hello to his future co-star.
Obviously, Dobrev decided that he was being arrogant, but as a matter of fact, Paul thought that not greeting the actress was a great way to prepare for the scene as Stefan, who didn't know anything about Elena before meeting her.
'I had a real specific approach,' Wesley explained. 'Nina, who was already cast as the lead, was there, and everybody in that audition room during that process was kissing her ass because she was in the hallways. Everyone was going up to her and saying hi. And I was like, "I'm not going to look her in the eye, and I'm also not going to introduce myself. I'm just gonna sit in the corner."'
Yep, the actor decided to ambush Nina just like Stefan did on the show, and consequently the chemistry between them went through the roof, ultimately landing Wesley the role he soon became famous for. Talk about method acting!
Source: Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum.