After successfully casting their leading lady, the creators of The Vampire Diaries faced the challenging task of finding the two male leads essential for the iconic love triangle. This was no simple feat, as the chemistry between the characters was paramount for the show’s success.

Julie Plec, one of the show’s executive producers, shared, “We looked high and low to cast Stefan and Damon.” She highlighted that Nina Dobrev participated in numerous chemistry reads with multiple actors to find the perfect matches for her character’s love interests. This rigorous selection process underscored the importance of chemistry in casting.

Among the actors who auditioned for these coveted roles were Zach Roerig, who would later play Matt Donovan, Michael Trevino, who secured the role of Tyler Lockwood, Nathanial Buzolic, who was eventually cast as Kol, and 7th Heaven star David Gallagher. Julie admitted, “He impressed us so much originally…but the whole 7th Heaven thing, I wonder if he’ll ever be able to get past that.” She later cast him as a werewolf after witnessing his performance in Super 8.

Ultimately, the search concluded successfully when they discovered their ideal actors: Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder. Julie noted, “Paul and Ian kind of came in late in the process. Paul auditioned like 15 times, and Ian kind of appeared out of the blue.” Nina reminisced about her chemistry read experiences, stating that Paul, who initially auditioned for Damon, stood out among the other candidates. “The only one who wasn’t trying too hard, that didn’t speak to me at any point unless we were filming, was Paul Wesley—so it’s funny to think that he did the right thing,” she shared with Entertainment Weekly.