Goodbye, Salvatores.
Paul Wesley currently has no plans to reunite on screen with his “Vampire Diaries” brother, Damon (Ian Somerhalder), although he remains open to the idea in the future.
“We haven’t [talked about it]. Nina Dobrev and I talked about working together again. Perhaps in a comedy or something,” shared Wesley, 41, with The Post.
“That was a while ago. We hadn’t discussed it recently. But, I have a lot of love for Ian. I interact with him daily, whether it’s through Zoom or in person.”
Wesley played Stefan Salvatore on the CW series alongside Somerhalder, 45, and Dobrev, 35, for eight years from 2009 to 2017. He has since ventured into business with Somerhalder, co-founding “Brothers Bond Bourbon,” and finds satisfaction in their partnership.
“We have a full company that we are running and we have to get on work Zooms all the time, and we’re doing tastings. We share an office in Malibu. I see that guy more than I see my own girlfriend,” shared Wesley, who is currently dating model Natalie Kuckenburg, 23, following his split from his ex-wife, Ines de Ramon, in 2022.
“So I’m content with not pursuing an on-screen reunion,” he mentioned about Somerhalder. “I think we’re in a good place.”
Stefan, Wesley’s character, met his demise in the series finale, a decision that he had requested.
“I adore the show, and I was incredibly grateful for it. It was more about me wanting to die in the finale. I felt that Damon and I should have met our end in the finale. Both of us were characters that caused a lot of chaos,” he reflected. “And even Stefan had moments where he was quite vicious. I thought, ‘They’ve had a good run…at this point, they’ve been around for 160 years.’ … And they listened to me.”
Wesley is currently starring in the movie “History of Evil,” available for streaming on Shudder. The film is set in a dystopian police state version of America and follows the story of Ron (Wesley), a member of the resistance, and his wife, Alegre (Jackie Cruz), and daughter Daria (Murphee Bloom).
His wife is a wanted fugitive, leading them to seek refuge in an abandoned house where they encounter supernatural occurrences.
“Ron is a character who I believe is grappling with deep-rooted, suppressed issues and vulnerabilities related to his masculinity,” shared Wesley.
“I think Ron is in a marriage with a powerful woman who speaks for many. In a way, he feels threatened by that. He may not initially express it, but it gradually surfaces throughout the movie.”
“I aimed to humanize him,” he explained to The Post. “I wanted to give him a character arc, where he starts off somewhat likable and ends up in a different place by the conclusion.”
This movie also marks Wesley’s first portrayal of a father on screen.
“I’m 41. So I’m not exactly young, but I don’t have children in real life,” he noted.
“I do consider my dog as a son to me. But I don’t have kids. It was interesting because Murphee, who plays my daughter, is around seven years old. I had to really win her over, make her laugh… And I think that’s something fathers do. I often observe dads trying to charm their kids to prevent misbehavior.”
Since his days in Mystic Falls, Wesley has kept himself occupied, although he acknowledges that the intense spotlight from the show wasn’t always easy to handle.
“The fame aspect really overwhelmed me during its peak. I didn’t enjoy it. I know it might sound like a complaint, but it’s a strange, indescribable feeling to be unable to walk down the street or have people curious about your personal life. I often found myself wanting to retreat into my own little world,” he shared. “Now, I find it amusing and I’m indifferent. But in my mid-twenties, I struggled to cope with it.”
Despite his success, Wesley has never felt a sense of “I’ve made it” in the industry.
“I often think, ‘I could do better. Why am I not achieving this?’ … But that’s how I’ve always been,” he explained. “Whether it’s academics or sports. I rarely celebrate any accomplishments. I’m not sure if that’s a positive or negative trait.”
“I consider myself fortunate. I believe I’ve worked hard, and hopefully, I possess some talent,” he continued. “It is what it is. Humility is essential.”
“History of Evil” is now available for streaming on Shudder.
