Cast from TVD and The Originals will make its way to Legacies: Credits: ScreenRant
The Vampire Diaries series has one of the most hardcore fanbases. It was such a pleasant surprise for so many fans when they realized that the cast of the famous vampire series would be making a comeback for CW's Legacies. While many of the OG cast members will make a return, there are still others who will not be making it to the spinoff.
The Legacies will be the second spinoff series based on the teenage vampire romance show, The Vampire Diaries, and follows the life of Hope Mikaelson, played by Danielle Rose Russell, as she makes her way through the Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted. The cast will also include Matt Davis, who will play the role of Alaric Saltzman once again in the show.
The character poses as a mentor for Hope and is the headmaster of the school. Hope is helped by Josie Saltzman and Lizzie Saltzman, played by Kaylee Bryant and Jenny Boyd, respectively. They are the daughters of Alaric Saltzman and Caroline Fobes, portrayed by Candice King. The three friends together undertake the dangerous task of defeating the mystical and mythical beings that attack their high school.
While not many characters from TVD will head to be cast in their reprising roles in Legacies, creator Julie Plec shared that many of the original characters are to take over their roles in the new series.
Plec told Entertainment Tonight in October 2019, "We are going to try and do that as often as we can without making false promises about who we might see. I would love to be able to deliver on that as much as possible." He continued, "I can say that I love being able to bring in characters from the first two shows, The Vampire Diaries, and The Originals. It’s always great to see these actors again in our crew family.”
The cast of Legacies featuring Danielle Rose Russell; Credits: TVLine
The creators gave free reigns to the original characters to themselves decide if they wished to come back. Showman Brett Mattews shared that the former cast could return if they wished to, as talked with TV Insider, earlier this year in July 2021.
Matthews shared, "If any of the actors from our past ever called us and we had the right story, we’d do it in a second." "There’s always a chance, and if any did, I wouldn’t want to spoil those things. If anybody’s dying to come back and dip a toe back into this universe, just tell them to call me," he assured the fans and OG cast.
Now that the actors could come back on will, legacies will feature many familiar TVD and The Originals cast members. Out of them, the fans will get to see Jeremy Gilbert, who was the former male protagonist from The Vampire Diaries, played by Steven R McQueen, Kai Parker, played by Chris Wood, and Jo Loughlin, portrayed by Jodi Lyn O'Keefe.
Still, for many other actors, the thought of reprising a role is a bit too much. Especially for Joseph Morgan, the actor who played Hope's father, Klaus Mikaelson, getting to play Klaus once again was not reasonable at all. The character had first been seen in The Vampire Diaries spinoff series The Originals and had also died in the series.
The spinoff series to TVD, The Originals, Credits: The Teal Mango
The Brave New World alum said that it was the only believable ending for the character, and bringing the character back for the new series does not fit well with how he has started to think of Klaus Mikaelson. When asked if he would play the role again, Morgan told TV Guide, "No, never, never. You’re never going to see it. You can hold your breath as long as you want." Continuing the October 2022 interview, he said, "You know why? I have The Originals box set on my shelf, and it’s a beautiful thing because it’s five DVD sets that are a complete story from beginning to end of this guy, Klaus Michaelson — well, starting back in The Vampire Diaries Season 2.”
Here are all the other TVD stars that will not return to the sets of Legacies.
Kat Graham
Kat Graham played the part of Bonnie Bennett for eight years, from 2009 to 2017. When the series got over, she revealed that she was ready to put the series to rest and move on further. "Anything is possible, but I will say I spent eight years playing this character, and I said to my fans last year when we got the Teen Choice Award that I felt like that chapter is closed."
The actress opened about her role and why she does not want to act the part again at the Television Critics Association press tour back in July 2018. She said, "I say that with absolute gratitude and appreciation, but I don't feel like reprising a character that was almost 10 years of my life. I'm very grateful, but I'm not interested."
Still, the series appreciates the genius of the actress who played the witch for so many years and defers to her whenever they need her guidance.
Some members of the cast of The Originals will reprise their roles in Legacies; Credits: Us Weekly
Paul Wesley
Who doesn't love Stefan Salvatore, the vampire character portrayed by Paul Wesley in TVD? The actor said that he considers the character dead now and would only return for a scene behind the Mystic Falls but not on the screen.
He shared his unwillingness to reprise his role as Stefan on Legacies when he talked at the Television Critics Association panel in August 2019. He revealed, "Unfortunately, that character is dead, so it'd have to happen without me. I have to be honest with you, I never see that happening. I don't think it will ever happen."
The OG Vampire romance drama featuring Nina Dobrev; Credits: Pop Culture Times
He also shared his unwillingness to have his face altered as he said, "Vampires have an eternal youth. That is unfortunately not the case with us. When they need to special effects my face, that's when I know I need to quit." However, Paul Wesley directed a Legacies episode in 2019.
Ian Somerhalder
Damon Salvatore is technically an immortal presence in the TVD universe and is often mentioned in Legacies along with his flame Elene, played by Nina Dobrev. Yet, Ian Somerhalder, the actor who played Damon, said that he would only consider coming to Legacies if he gets to play another character or if he could direct an episode.
"I actually would love to talk to Julie Plec. I would love to go and direct one of the Legacies episodes, he told Entertainment Tonight in November 2019. "Because I know Paul went to do it, and he called me, and he’s like, ‘Bro, this is f--king crazy.’ Because it’s all of our old sets, which is a time warp, 10 years ago. He’s just going, ‘Dude!’ He was actually kind of emotional about it, he goes, ‘This is crazy!’"
Joseph Morgan
The Klaus actor is also not down for reprising his roles and feels that playing the character again as a ghost or a flashback would not do justice to his character's original plot. Morgan told TV Guide, "I just feel like to come back as a ghost or a flashback or something, for me, that journey, that story has ended. That's the complete story, and it just doesn't feel right to me to do that."
The director said that he had a talk with Plec and they agreed that bringing back Klaus would be 'forced.' So he shared, "Like I'm coming back just so we can see something else of him, but when we see it we go, 'Ugh, that was it?' And I don't want his legacy to be, 'Ugh. I don't know what the scene could be that it would be exciting enough and epic enough after the journey that he's had."
Ian Somerhalder wishes to direct a season of Legacies as Paul Wesley had, Credits: hello! Magazine
Phoebe Tonkin
The character of Phoebe Tonkin as Hayley Marshall was just a small guest role at The Vampire Diaries and she hadn't anticipated for it to become a full major series arc. But soon, Tonkin had her own major plotline on The originals in 2018, but the actress later noted that a future debut as the same role was beyond her.
The actress told TV Guide in June 2018, "I think Hayley's story was properly explored both over the course of The Vampire Diaries and over the five seasons of Originals. I think Legacies will have its own new adventures with its own new characters and storylines."
