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Damon’s (Ian Somerhalder) infamous “hello brother” scene wasn’t what made “The Vampire Diaries” pilot tick. Series creator Kevin Williamson interviewed for Entertainment Weekly‘s oral history feature about “The Vampire Diaries,” sharing that Elena (Nina Dobrev) and Stefan’s (Paul Wesley) meet-cute was the series’ selling point. “I love the moment where Stefan and Elena first meet and he picks the leaf out of her hair. I think they have beautiful chemistry when she says, ‘We have history together.’ I saw it in the monitor, and I went, ‘If this show works, it’s going to be because they have chemistry,'” he said.
Williamson wasn’t alone in feeling that Stelena’s first scene was epic. “The Vampire Diaries” showrunner Julie Plec echoed the sentiment in the same oral history: “It just was instant magic. It became very obvious that the right decision had been made [in casting Paul]. When he stepped into the role of Stefan, he just sort of miraculously and immediately made all our hearts go pitter-patter.”
Wesley agreed that the first meet-cute scene is where the magic began. Director Marcos Siega worked with the cinematographer on a practical effect involving a white bounce board that created light under Wesley and Dobrev’s eyes. “It was very subtle and on camera it almost gave off this eery, other-worldly sense that something had happened, some connection had occurred.” He added: “I don’t know what it was about that scene that made everyone go, ‘Oh yeah that’s it’ but to me, I sort of knew that the chemistry would be there and that the show would work for whatever reason.”
The Vampire Diaries co-stars Nina Dobrev and Paul Wesley will reunite for Hulu series
Stefan Salvatore was incredibly difficult to cast, and Paul Wesley had auditioned several times before landing the role. Even Nina Dobrev (who auditioned over a dozen times) wasn’t convinced that he was the right person to play Stefan after they had their first chemistry read. Thankfully, he was chosen for the part, and the chemistry between them was confirmed through the screen. Dobrev and Wesley have remained close since “The Vampire Diaries” wrapped, and recently announced that they will reunite in an upcoming Hulu drama entitled “You Deserve to Know.”
Based on Aggie Blum Thompson’s bestseller and adapted by “Grand Hotel” developer Brian Tanen, the series will follow three suburban couples whose tight-knit friendship is put to the test after one husband is murdered. Different from “The Vampire Diaries,” Dobrev and Wesley’s characters won’t be romantically involved. They will instead play neighbors standing on opposing sides of the murder investigation. In addition to acting in “You Deserve to Know,” the duo will also executive-produce the series.
