Overview

• Casting director Lesli Gelles-Raymond says Sebastian Stan met on the role, read for both Salvatore brothers, and was sidelined by his NBC’s Kings schedule.
• Nathaniel Buzolic was also considered for Stefan before later joining the franchise as Kol Mikaelson in The Originals.
• Julie Plec recalls that Stefan was the hardest part to fill because the character required both heartthrob appeal and deep emotional complexity.
• Plec notes the team felt pushed to choose Paul Wesley despite early doubts about his screen magnetism, later calling it the most fitting casting.
• The disclosures come from Samantha Highfill’s For I Was Feeling Epic, excerpted by Entertainment Weekly, with publication set for September 9, 2025.