Almost ten years after the conclusion of The Vampire Diaries, actors Nina Dobrev and Paul Wesley are set to reunite for an exciting new project.
The beloved former co-stars are slated to both executive produce and star in Hulu’s upcoming series, You Deserve to Know. This show is an adaptation of Aggie Blum Thompson’s forthcoming thriller novel, set to release in 2025. The official summary teases an intriguing tale: “You Deserve to Know centers around three suburban couples, who are best friends and live next door to each other. The murder of one husband triggers the unraveling of shocking secrets, putting their friendship to the ultimate test.”
Dobrev, who is now 37, took to Instagram on Thursday, June 25, to share her enthusiasm about the project. She expressed, “I’ve been eagerly waiting to announce this. We fell in love with this novel, and having the chance to shape its adaptation both in front and behind the camera has been an incredible journey.”
Prior to joining forces on You Deserve to Know, Wesley, 43, and Dobrev captivated audiences with their performances in The Vampire Diaries on The CW. The series spanned from 2009 to 2017 and revolved around a dramatic love triangle involving Elena (Dobrev) and the brothers Stefan (Wesley) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder).
The Vampire Diaries was more than just on-screen romance; the cast’s chemistry often extended beyond the set, with many finding real-life connections within the show’s universe. Since the series’ premiere in 2009, audiences became deeply invested in the supernatural drama unfolding in the fictional town of Mystic Falls, Virginia.
Dobrev and Wesley previously surprised fans by discussing their initial tension on set.
“Paul and I didn’t get along at the beginning of the show. I respected Paul Wesley, I didn’t like Paul Wesley,” Dobrev recalled on a 2019 episode of the “Directionally Challenged” podcast, which was hosted by former costars Candice King and Kayla Ewell. “I remember everyone would walk up to me after the show aired and they’d be like, ‘Are you and Paul dating in real life?’ Everyone thought that we had such good chemistry. I realize now that there’s a fine line between love and hate, and we despised each other so much that it read as love, but … we really just didn’t get along [for] the first five months of shooting.”
Dobrev, who dated Somerhalder, now 47, from 2010 to 2013, eventually developed a close bond with Wesley.
“We ended up getting to a good place and it was fine,” she concluded. “Of everyone, I think I probably see him the most and hang out with him the most. We’re probably the closest. We hang out a lot. We’re really good friends. … It’s so funny how time changes everything because I never thought he would be one of my best friends.”
Wesley, for his part, shared a similar sentiment when he recalled the interesting approach he took for his chemistry read with Dobrev — ignoring her before the audition.
“I had a real specific approach. Nina, who was already cast as the lead, was there and everybody in that audition room during that process was kissing her ass because she was in the hallways. Everyone was going up to her and saying hi. And I was like, ‘F*** that. I’m not going to look her in the eye and I’m also not going to introduce myself. I’m just gonna sit in the corner,’” Wesley recalled during a 2023 episode of Michael Rosenbaum’s “Inside of You” podcast.
The Vampire Diaries’ 2009 premiere introduced fans to one of the most memorable vampire-themed series to date. The CW show, which ran for eight seasons until 2017, took place in the fictional town of Mystic Falls, Virginia, home to mythical creatures and humans alike. In addition to tales of people becoming vampires, or finding out […]
The actor used Stefan and Elena’s backstory in the pilot as inspiration.
“[I didn’t do that] because I was trying to be rude. But because in the scene, we were supposed to not know who one another is,” he noted. “It’s supposed to be a mystery. We were supposed to meet for the first time. We were supposed to meet at that exact moment. And I thought, ‘Well, f*** that. I want our moment to be really special. I want her to get to know me in that moment.’”
Wesley said Dobrev didn’t have the best first impression of him because of his method acting.
“Nina remembers this and I just remember her looking over at me wanting to say hi to me and introduce herself. I just turned away. I think she thought initially, like, ‘Who the f*** does this guy think he is?’” he continued. “But anyway, I went in there and I just remember the audition and the first time we ever met in real life was actually in that audition room. It was just a very magical moment. And I felt it. She felt [it] and I know all those studio executives felt it. And I think that’s what landed me the part.”