The Vampire Diaries fans were rooting for Delena on the show as Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder were getting close in real life — but the actress actually dated a different version of Damon while auditioning for The CW classic.
Dobrev, now 36, recalled chemistry reading with actor Rob Mayes as Damon, but the show’s production team didn’t know they were actually dating at the time.
“There was a bunch of drama around that [audition] because I was dating Rob Mayes at the time, but they didn’t know that,” Dobrev recalled in the newly released book I Was Feeling Epic: An Oral History of The Vampire Diaries. “We were trying to keep it really secret because we were afraid that if they found out, they wouldn’t cast one or both of us.”
She got cast as Elena Gilbert and Mayes was not Damon. That role went to Somerhalder, 46, who also ended up making a major impact on Dobrev’s love life.
“It got awkward because I did get cast but he didn’t, and then we subsequently broke up,” Dobrev said of Mayes in Entertainment Weekly editor Samantha Highfill’s book, which was published on Tuesday, September 9. “Then, I ended up eventually, years later, dating the actual Damon.”
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The show’s creator Julie Plec recalled it being “really charming and sweet” that the stars were getting together off camera, but the show’s crew warned the stars to err on the side of caution.
“Nina had a boyfriend on the pilot. Ian had a girlfriend,” Plec added. “Somewhere during season 1 they were both single and we were all like, ‘Oh dear.’”
She continued, “You were getting this energy of how much people cared and how passionate they were, but when they were mixing up real life with the fake life is when you’re like, ‘Be careful with yourselves.’”
Dobrevand Somerhalder started dating in 2010. They were together for three years before calling it quits in 2013. While they split in real life, the former couple was still playing love interests on the show.
“It wasn’t very dramatic at the time because they were both working very hard to be respectful with each other and considerate with each other, and I think there was a lot of love there,” Plec added, recalling the time after Dobrev and Somerhalder split.
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Both Dobrev and Somerhalder have discussed remaining friends even after their real-life romance ended.
Dobrev confirmed during a 2019 appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen that there was nothing “weird” between the exes. The actress even said she’s friends with Somerhalder’s now-wife, Nikki Reed.
“I think that’s great,” Dobrev said. “Why can’t everyone be friends?”
I Was Feeling Epic: An Oral History of The Vampire Diaries is out now.
