The Vampire Diaries ran for eight seasons on The CW, from September 10, 2009, to March 10, 2017, and during that time, the cast grew up alongside their characters, some of whom were older than others. The supernatural teen drama television show was based on the book series of the same name by L.J. Smith and centered around Elena Gilbert, a teenage girl, and two centuries-old vampire brothers, Stefan and Damon Salvatore. Of course, the love triangle was one of the significant focal points of the show, but the ensemble cast allowed for multiple relationships and dynamics among every character.
Over the seasons, the Vampire Diaries cast frequently changed, but there were a handful of significant players who had a lasting impact on the series. From vampires to werewolves, hybrids, witches, humans, and everything in between, the supernatural teen drama contained a good variety of characters. However, the ten cast members on this list were undoubtedly the most important over the course of The Vampire Diaries.
10 Nina Dobrev (20 Years Old) As Elena Gilbert (17 Years Old)
Aside from the Salvatore brothers, Elena Gilbert, played by Nina Dobrev, is the main protagonist of The Vampire Diaries. When the CW television series began, Elena was 17 years old and starting her junior year of high school shortly following the tragic death of her parents. That’s when she met Stefan, and the rest is history. Elena stopped aging when she turned 18 since that is the year that she died and became a vampire, but she resumed aging once she took the cure. However, in real life, Dobrev was 20 years old when she filmed the pilot for the teen drama show, making her not that much older than her Vampire Diaries counterpart. Related: 7 Main Vampire Diaries Characters Who Left The Show Early (& Why)
9 Paul Wesley (27 Years Old) As Stefan Salvatore (163 Years Old)
On the outside, Stefan Salvatore was 17 years old. However, he was actually born in 1846, making him 163 at the start of The Vampire Diaries. He died and was turned into a vampire when he was 17, so that was his everlasting age until he received the cure in the final season. Meanwhile, Paul Wesley, who played Stefan throughout all eight seasons of the CW supernatural television show, was 27 years old when season 1 premiered, making him ten years older than his Vampire Diaries character.
8 Ian Somerhalder (30 Years Old) As Damon Salvatore (170 Years Old)
Like his brother, Damon was a vampire when The Vampire Diaries season 1 premiered in 2009, so the character’s true age was much different than one would assume just by judging his appearance. Damon was born in 1839, and like Stefan, he was turned into a vampire in 1864. So, while he appeared to be 25 years old on the outside, the complicated character was 170 years old when the series started. Ian Somerhalder, who played Damon in The Vampire Diaries, was 30 years old while shooting the pilot, so he was not much older than his character when the show began.
7 Kat Graham (20 Years Old) As Bonnie Bennett (16 Years Old)
Bonnie Bennett was among the youngest of the Vampire Diaries characters since she had a late birthday and was 16 years old at the start of the teens’ junior year of high school. Unlike the characters above, Bonnie was a powerful witch and never became a vampire, so she never stopped aging throughout all eight seasons of the supernatural drama television show. In real life, Bonnie’s portrayer, Kat Graham, was 20 years old while filming the first season of The Vampire Diaries, making her the same age as Nina Dobrev.
6 Candice Accola (22 Years Old) As Caroline Forbes (17 Years Old)
Caroline Forbes, who was arguably (and surprisingly) the best at being a vampire in The Vampire Diaries, was 17 years old when season 1 started. She was best friends with Elena and Bonnie since they were all similar in age and the same grade. When the show began, Caroline was selfish and insecure, But after she was turned into a vampire in the season 1 finale, she experienced one of the best character development arcs in the series. Caroline never took the cure, so her appearance was always (technically) that of a 17-year-old, but Candice Accola, who played Caroline, was 22 years old when The Vampire Diaries premiered.
5 Steven R. McQueen (21 Years Old) As Jeremy Gilbert (15 Years Old)
Jeremy Gilbert was the youngest of the main characters in The Vampire Diaries, seeing as though he was two years younger than his sister/cousin, Elena. Jeremy was 15 years old during season 1, and like Bonnie, he never became a vampire, so he continued aging until he exited the teen drama series in season 6. Meanwhile, Steven R. McQueen portrayed Jeremy in The Vampire Diaries and was 21 years old while filming the pilot. So, in reality, McQueen was older than Nina Dobrev, who played his character’s older sister in the show.
4 Zach Roerig (24 Years Old) As Matt Donovan (16 Years Old)
Matt Donovan, played by Zach Roerig, is undoubtedly one of the most hated Vampire Diaries characters, but fans have to give him credit for staying a human throughout all eight seasons of the show without dying (permanently, at least). Like some of the other human teens at the beginning of the series, Matt was 16 when he started his junior year at Mystic Falls High School. However, in real life, Roerig was 24 years old when he began working on The Vampire Diaries in 2009.
3 Michael Trevino (24 Years Old) As Tyler Lockwood (16 Years Old)
Tyler Lockwood, Mystic Falls’ resident bad boy and eventual werewolf, was also on the younger side in The Vampire Diaries. He was also in his junior year of high school, but he was only 16 years old at the start of the supernatural television series. In real life, Michael Trevino, who played Tyler, was 24 years old when the show started airing in 2009.
2 Matt Davis (31 Years Old) As Alaric Saltzman (33 Years Old)
Alaric Saltzman was older (in physical appearance) than any other Vampire Diaries character when he first appeared in season 1. The Mystic Falls High School history teacher (and secret vampire hunter) was 33 years old at the beginning of the teen drama show, while Matt Davis, who played Alaric, was 31. However, Alaric jumped between being a human and a vampire, so sometimes he would stop aging in The Vampire Diaries. Related: 10 The Vampire Diaries Moments That Still Make Fans Cry
1 Joseph Morgan (29 Years Old) As Klaus Mikaelson (1,000+ Years Old)
Klaus Mikaelson was not introduced until The Vampire Diaries season 2, but he left a lasting impression on the CW television show. Klaus, one of the original vampires, was more than 1,000 years old at the beginning of the series. Unfortunately, his actual age is unknown since the show never explicitly stated his birthday. But in real life, Joseph Morgan, who played Klaus in The Vampire Diaries, was 29 years old when he started appearing in the teen drama.
