Nina Dobrev and Paul Wesley "despised each other" on The Vampire Diaries

11 June 2019, 12:48

By Katie Louise Smith

Nina revealed the history behind her and Paul Wesley's relationship on the Directionally Challenged podcast with co-stars Kayla Ewell and Candice King.

The Vampire Diaries' Nina Dobrev and Paul Wesley had such incredible chemistry as Elena Gilbert and Stefan Salvatore on the show, you'd expect that it was probably a similar vibe in real life, right? Wrong. It turns out that the two of them actually "despised" each other during the first five months of filming the CW series.

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Speaking on the Directionally Challenged podcast (hosted by TVD co-stars Candice King and Kayla Ewell), Nina detailed how they really did not get along at first, saying “Paul and I didn’t get along at the beginning of the show. I respected Paul Wesley, but I didn’t like Paul Wesley.”

First of all, ouch! And second of all, I will never be able to watch season 1 in the same way ever again. Ever.

Nina Dobrev and Paul Wesley "despised" each other on The Vampire Diaries
Nina Dobrev and Paul Wesley "despised" each other on The Vampire Diaries. Picture: The CW, @nina via Instagram

She went on to say that even thought they had a clear dislike for each other, everyone thought they were dating because they had amazing chemistry on-screen.

"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?' because everyone thought that we had such good chemistry."

"I realise now that there’s a fine line between love and hate, and we despised each other so much that it read as love but...” she said. “We really just didn’t get along the first five months of shooting.”

As any Stelena fan worth their salt will know, that mutual dislike didn't last long because their friendship off-screen and off-set has been well documented on social media. Last year, Paul surprised Nina in the audience at her show, Fam, and the two shared an adorable reunion. Nina has also frequently posted pictures of the two of them, alongside captions that sent the TVD fandom into meltdown.

“We ended up getting to a good place and it was fine. Of everyone, I think I probably see him the most and hang out with him the most," she clarified later in the conversation.

"We’re probably the closest. We hang out a lot. We’re really good friends. I love his wife. It’s so funny how time changes everything because I never thought he would be one of my best friends.”