The Vampire Diaries at PaleyFest 2010

On a rainy Saturday night, the 2010 Paley Festival saluted the CW’s freshman hit, The Vampire Dairies, to a very enthusiastic crowd of fans. In attendance for the panel were executive producers Bob Levy, Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson, as well as cast members Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley.

Paul Wesley, Nina Dobrev & Ian Somerhalder at The Vampire Diaries PaleyFest event / Wireimage

The room was treated to the first episode back from the hiatus, “A Few Good Men”, which starts to answer some of the questions about why Elena looks so much like Katherine as well as sets up the rest of the season’s dramatic twists and turns. The panel was moderated by Craig Tomashoff of TV Guide Magazine.

The cast had yet to see the episode, so during the screening, Dobrev, Somerhalder and Wesley were all watching with us. Somerhalder, when asked by Tomashoff if they wanted to compel anyone, said it would be the executive producers to find out more of what’s in store for their characters.

The next question was when cast and crew all sort of became aware of the show’s success, to which Levy answered the first day Wesley was on set for the pilot. Plec said for her that moment occurred during the Superbowl during the Dodge Charger commercial about men watching “your vampire TV shows” and realizing that there was more than one of those now. Wesley’s moment came when the cast came to a Hot Topic Mall event in a bus (with a stripper pole) and he thought no one would be there and it was filled with thousands of fans screaming and yelling for them all. Williamson was worried about the show killing the vampire craze.

Plec was the first to suggest that they look at the books as a new source for the show, but Williamson said that the first 47 pages seemed it so much like Twilight that he wasn’t willing to give it a shot. Once he found out about the differences and likened it to another series, he found he could bring something new to genre and he wanted to work with Plec again.

Paul Wesley & Ian Somerhalder at The Vampire Diaries PaleyFest event / Wireimage

The cast and creators are aware of some of the similarities between the pilot script and Twilight. But as Somerhalder finished reading the script, he realized it had changed into something different and is just as much about the town, Mystic Falls, as it is about vampires falling in love with a human girl. Dobrev did call and say that one line was exactly like a series of lines from Twilight. Marcos Siega had to comment on a moment in the show that mimicked True Blood, especially because he had directed that one episode (“Burning House of Love”). The Vampire Diaries now uses the same special effects crew as True Blood, which helps to keep the differences between the two intact.

The cast does spend so much time together that they joked about moving in together (Dobrev specified that she’ll need a walk-in closet) and that currently they are only apart when they sleep and on the way to the set.

For the production value, the show uses all of their resources. Siega, who directs plenty of episodes, wanted to make the best looking movie for the show. There’s also a number of other shows that have influenced the way the show looks, from 24 to Knot’s Landing.

Somerhalder and Wesley do have fun on set, though Somerhalder did complain about a bruised rib from a fight scene.

As to how well the cast works together, Plec started by telling a story of the three main members going on press together and how the boys left Dobrev at the airport, waiting for her luggage on her birthday. As the story was told, they each looked mortified. Plec went on to discuss the difference between how men and women pack for a trip.

Nina Dobrev & Paul Wesley at The Vampire Diaries PaleyFest event / Wireimage

Tomashoff asked the cast to psychoanalyze their characters. Somerhalder said it was a bad idea, Wesley said that all Stefan does is psycho-analyze himself so it’s a bad idea anyway, before Wesley went on to tease some of the layers that are coming Stefan’s way in the coming weeks. Dobrev started to talk about the difference between her character’s choices for a love interest, before asking “what’s a girl to do?” Somerhalder said “run” before some audience members filled in with other suggestions.

Williamson started to talk about the flashbacks before the cast was asked their opinions about them. The men each get to take their characters as very different creatures, as does Dobrev, but for different reasons. She has a love-hate relationship with the corsets. Somerhalder described a device she has to lean against to eat because she can’t sit down with it on.

There are differences between the books and the show, but they are the grounding point from which the show has to start from. The book fans have been, to some degree, supportive of the differences in the show. At this point, the books are a good place to explore some different stories (the example Williamson gave was the tomb before dismissing the fog and the animal transformation that are such features in the book).

Kevin Williamson & Ian Somerhalder at The Vampire Diaries PaleyFest event / Wireimage

As stand-out moments, Somerhalder regretted being away from the cast after the pilot finished being filmed in Vancouver as they all drove through town in a party bus. Plec was really impressed with the reaction to first real new episode (“Friday Night Bites”), while Levy talked about how Twitter exploded when the show first aired on the East Coast on the premiere night. He said that now the writers room shuts down as the show airs so they can watch the Twitter reaction on Thursday nights.

Using Twitter a jumping off point, Tomashoff asked about Plec and Williamson in an IHOP. The story involved how the pair had been going to Jerry’s Deli to break stories but decided to go to IHOP the other week.

One fan question Tomashoff asked was about Somerhalder’s similar mannerisms to Cary Grant. Somerhalder used that as the fact that Damon secretly wanted to be the actor, before some of the panel chimed in that Damon and Grant probably hung out together at some point. When Wesley was asked about his inspiration, he came up with an analogy about Stefan being a recovering alcoholic in a very crowded bar with a very busy bartender (Damon). Dobrev’s inspiration for how to play Katherine came down to a moment where Plec had suggested she “be Damon.” Somerhalder thought that was a creative outlook on Katherine.

When discussing the arcs coming up for the remainder of the season, Williamson talked about being fluid with the story, as they have markers for when they want to reveal certain points, but it’s not set in stone. Plec revealed that there are either “seven or nine” cliffhangers in the finale. Good thing the show has already been picked up for a second season!

Ian Somerhalder & Nina Dobrev's arm at The Vampire Diaries PaleyFest event / Wireimage

One final fan question Tomashoff read resulted in the news that Damon will at one point peel an orange. The discussion of food prompted Wesley to ask if his character had ever eaten anything on the show, which the fans quickly (and loudly) answered for him.

The most interesting of the fan questions came from a woman in a “Team Stefan” shirt who loves Wesley and wondered about more shirtless or sex scenes for Stefan. After this, Wesley jumped down to the floor to give her a hug and took a few pictures with her, much to her delight.

The Vampire Diaires returns to The CW on March 25 at 8 PM.