Nina Dobrev Reveals “hurtful” ‘The Vampire Diaries’ Story About Unfair Pay Gap on The CW Show, Addresses Her Fabled Return

As viewers adored her portrayal of Elena Gilbert on The
Vampire Diaries, Nina Dobrev’s on-screen persona was one of a beloved
heroine, but behind the scenes, a different story unfolded. A new book, I Was
Feeling Epic: An Oral History of The Vampire Diaries by Samantha Highfill,
reveals the actress’s struggle for fair compensation, shedding light on a
persistent pay gap that defined her experience on the show and even impacted
her fabled return for the series finale.

Nina Dobrev’s battle for equitable pay on the hit show was
not what viewers must have imagined.

Nina Dobrev’s fight for pay parity on The Vampire Diaries

Nina Dobrev, the lead actress in The Vampire Diaries,
faced a significant pay disparity compared to her male costars, Ian Somerhalder
and Paul Wesley. Despite her dual role as both Elena Gilbert and Katherine
Pierce, which doubled her workload, she was one of the lowest-paid series
regulars in the first two seasons. She played multiple characters, including
Elena Gilbert and Katherine Pierce, which doubled her workload, but her
contract only accounted for playing Elena. She said in the book it was “the
most hurtful because it felt like I was really working hard”. It was not
until the series finale that Dobrev earned the same amount as Somerhalder and
Wesley.

The pay disparity issues continued throughout her time on
the show. Although Nina Dobrev received a raise in Season 3, it was never on
par with her male costars. The studio allegedly paid her for playing Katherine
but then instructed the creators to limit the character’s appearances. Dobrev
fought for equal pay, but the studio refused, citing principle as the reason. The
studio only agreed to pay Dobrev her requested equal salary for a single
episode. According to showrunner Julie Plec said in the book, this financial limitation was the
sole reason they could not have her return for more of the final season.

This conflict over compensation is directly reflected in her
per-episode salary throughout the series.

How much was Nina Dobrev Paid, finally?

As the central figure of The Vampire Diaries, Nina
Dobrev’s compensation for her roles as Elena Gilbert and Katherine Pierce has
been a topic of much discussion. According to Celebrity Net Worth and
various reports, Dobrev reportedly made around $40,000 per episode by the end
of her run on the show. She reportedly only achieved equal pay for her guest
appearance in the series finale. Some reports suggest her salary was closer to
$30,000 per episode for much of her tenure.

While Nina Dobrev may have fought for equal pay, the primary
cast members of The Vampire Diaries all amassed significant wealth from
their time on the hit CW show. Ian Somerhalder, who played Damon Salvatore,
reportedly earned $40,000 per episode by the series’ conclusion, contributing
to his estimated net worth of $12 million. Paul Wesley, who portrayed Stefan
Salvatore, also reportedly earned $40,000 per episode, with an estimated net
worth of $6 million. While The Vampire Diaries may have disappointed her, she has a significant net worth from her other contributions to the world of stories.

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