Sebastian Stan turned down Vampire Diaries role
Sebastian Stan revealed he once declined a role in Vampire Diaries before his Marvel career took off. The actor, known for roles in The Apprentice, A Different Man, Fjord, and Captain America: First Avenger, discussed the missed opportunity on the podcast Happy Sad Confused with Josh Horowitz on October 5.Exhaustion after canceled series
He said he was "completely exhausted" after his role in the NBC series Kings, which was canceled after one season, and he did not want to commit to another project that might not last beyond a second season. He also mentioned that his role in the fantasy film Blood Pact had drawn the attention of Vampire Diaries producers.Casting interest in Vampire Diaries
According to I Was Feeling Epic, a book about the behind-the-scenes of Vampire Diaries published in September 2025, casting director Lesli Gelles-Raymond stated that Sebastian Stan had particularly interested the production and had even auditioned for the role of Damon Salvatore, which eventually went to Ian Somerhalder. The book also mentioned that for a while, the casting team had considered Steven Strait for Stefan Salvatore and Sebastian Stan for Damon Salvatore.Stan’s Marvel career began
Despite this missed opportunity, Sebastian Stan went on to appear in Captain America: First Avenger in 2011, marking the beginning of his Marvel career. He will soon reprise his role as Bucky Barnes, also known as the Winter Soldier, in Avengers: Doomsday, expected in cinemas on December 16, 2026. He will also join the DC Comics universe with The Batman: Part II, where he will face Robert Pattinson.Other Vampire Diaries actors’ projects
Paul Wesley, who played Stefan Salvatore in Vampire Diaries, will appear with Nina Dobrev, who played Elena Gilbert in the series, in You Deserve to Know, a thriller currently in development for Hulu. In France, the series will be broadcast on Disney+. The eight seasons of Vampire Diaries are available for streaming on Netflix and HBO Max.
