Nina Dobrev says 'The Vampire Diaries' studio paid her less than male co-stars despite double workload

Highlights:

• Actress says she was paid less than male co-stars Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley
• Claims she worked double the hours by playing multiple characters without fair compensation
• Studio resisted giving her pay parity even for the final season return
• Showrunner Julie Plec supported Dobrev’s stance, calling treatment unfair

Nina Dobrev has spoken candidly about her long-running battle for equal pay on hit supernatural drama The Vampire Diaries. In the new book I Was Feeling Epic: An Oral History of The Vampire Diaries by Entertainment Weekly editor Samantha Highfill, the actress revealed she earned significantly less than her male co-stars despite playing the show’s central role and taking on the added workload of portraying a doppelgänger.

Nina Dobrev juggled dual roles on Vampire Diaries while fighting for fair pay behind the scenes Getty Images

Why did Nina Dobrev earn less than her The Vampire Diaries co-stars?

Dobrev played Elena Gilbert from the start of The CW series in 2009 and later took on the role of Elena’s darker double, Katherine Pierce. She told Highfill that her original contract only covered one character, meaning her expanded workload was not matched with higher pay.

“Candice (King), Kat (Graham), and I were the three lowest-paid series regulars in the first two seasons,” Dobrev explained. “It was tricky because I had to be on set for double the amount of time and memorise twice the number of lines, yet I wasn’t compensated fairly.”

While Somerhalder and Wesley received raises earlier, Dobrev remained on a lower salary tier. She said the studio told her “out of principle” they would not match her pay to the men.

Actress opens up about studio refusing equal pay to match Ian Somerhalder and Paul WesleyGetty Images

Did Nina Dobrev ever achieve equal pay?

According to the book, actors were only able to renegotiate from season three onwards. Dobrev did secure a raise but was still not granted parity with her co-leads. Showrunner Julie Plec confirmed that disputes even led to the studio instructing writers not to use Katherine because it meant additional payment for Dobrev.

“It got really heated,” Plec said. “We were told we couldn’t write Katherine at all. We had to beg to keep the character.”

Dobrev recalled the lack of recognition as “hurtful,” adding: “We shot eighteen-hour days, and I was putting my heart, soul, and sweat into it. Yet I was made to feel my work didn’t matter as much.”

Nina Dobrev returned for the series finale after insisting on pay parity for one episodeGetty Images

What happened when Nina Dobrev returned in the final season?

After leaving in 2015 at the end of season six, Dobrev was asked to return for the eighth and final run. The book reveals the studio initially offered her a fee five times lower than her previous season’s rate.

“I needed to be paid parity to the boys,” she said. “It wasn’t about the money, it was the principle. If it didn’t happen, I couldn’t come back.”

She eventually secured her requested rate but only for one episode, the series finale. Plec said: “She should’ve been making what those boys made all along. To her credit, she stuck to her guns.”

During Vampire Diaries, Nina Dobrev had to memorise double lines and endure eighteen-hour shoot daysGetty Images

What does Nina Dobrev say about the fight for equal pay?

Reflecting on the negotiations, Dobrev said: “For me it was about being equal. The artistry of the show suffered because I couldn’t appear in more episodes, but I’m glad I returned for the goodbye.”

Nina Dobrev reveals 'Vampire Diaries' studio denied equal pay while she played multiple rolesGetty Images

Her stance in fact echoes a broader conversation in Hollywood about gender pay disparity, with several high-profile actresses publicly demanding equal contracts in recent years.