Paul Wesley Says He Doesn't Miss Playing Stefan On 'The Vampire Diaries,' Talks Impact It's Had on His Career & Life

Paul Wesley Says He Doesn't Miss Playing Stefan On 'The Vampire Diaries,' Talks Impact It's Had on His Career & Life

Paul Wesley is opening up about The Vampire Diaries in a new interview!

The now 40-year-old actor spent almost 10 years on the The CW series, playing one of the show’s central characters Stefan Salvatore.

Now, he’s dishing on how he doesn’t miss playing him, the impact it’s had on him and moving on without looking back.

Keep reading to see what he said…

“I don’t really miss anything about playing him, and I don’t mean that in a [negative way]. Eight years is a long time, and I’m so glad to put that to rest. Eight seasons,” Paul told InStyle. “But I loved how dynamic he was. Because the show ran for such a long time, in order for it to not become monotonous, every season, he sort of had a different arc. At one point he was pure evil, and he started out as the good guy and then he ended as the good guy. But I liked the challenge of trying to keep the character fresh.”

“When I get recognized, it’s because of Stefan,” he adds about the impact the show has had. “It’s the biggest thing I’ve ever done, as far as popularity. I’ve done a bunch of roles since The Vampire Diaries, but nothing has been nearly as popular, so I think you have to get that next thing that puts you into a conversation that involves you and not the character that you’re known for playing.”

His latest TV role? Captain James Kirk on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds!

“One of the things that excited me about the role of Captain Kirk was the fact that it’s such a popular, arguably one of the most, influential characters in the history of television,” Paul says. “I jumped at this role because it allows me to be something other than Stefan in a big way.”

While he’s moved on from The Vampire Diaries, he wouldn’t go back, nor does he ever want to play a vampire again.

“I would never do another vampire anything, period, let alone Vampire Diaries,” he said.

While TVD and all of it’s spinoffs are over, there is an idea for a fourth series…

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Photos: Getty
Posted to: Paul Wesley, The Vampire Diaries

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