Overview

• Samantha Highfill’s I Was Feeling Epic, published this week, details Dobrev’s account that she was consistently paid less than Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley.
• Dobrev says her contract named only Elena Gilbert even as she also played Katherine Pierce, doubling her time on set and line memorization.
• Showrunner Julie Plec and co-creator Kevin Williamson recall being told to stop writing Katherine because paying for both roles increased costs, later negotiating limited use after tense exchanges.
• Renegotiations around season 3 brought Dobrev a raise but not parity, which she says contributed to her decision to depart after season 6.
• In negotiating her 2017 return, Dobrev says the opening offer was five times lower than her previous rate; Plec’s intervention secured parity for one episode only, with broader appearance plans dropped over pay.