Sebastian Stan explains why he turned down role in The Vampire Diaries

Sebastian Stan has explained why he turned down a lead role in The Vampire Diaries.

Sebastian Stan has explained why he turned down a lead role in The Vampire Diaries.

The actor recently appeared on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, where he said he had been offered the role of Stefan Salvatore but decided not to take it.

“They offered me Paul Wesley’s role,” Stan recalled. “And I had just come off Kings and I sort of felt really burnt out from that not working out and just sort of the idea of thinking, ‘Oh, I’m just going to sign up again for something that probably is not going to get to the second season.’”

Stan said he did not expect The Vampire Diaries to become a hit.

“I didn’t do it, and then the show went on to be super, super successful,” Stan said.

Stan said he does not regret turning down the role.

“Now looking back, I feel grateful in a way ’cause I don’t know if I was really ready for that kind of exposure when I was younger, to be honest,” he said.

“Emotionally and mentally, I know what I went through in those years and my focus was all over the place,” Stan added. “Maybe that’s just ’cause it worked out the way it did and this is my story, but I’m definitely in a place right now where I wouldn’t change anything.”