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Fans of The CW’s The Vampire Diaries know all about Candice King’s character, Caroline Forbes. Caroline spent all of season 1 trying to date Elena’s ex, Matt, and she eventually turned into a vampire. While fans can’t imagine the series without her, King reflected on how she feared she might lose her role — and it even caused her not to purchase a home.

Candice King reflected on being 1 of the most beloved actors in ‘The Vampire Diaries’

A close-up of Candice King from 'The Vampire Diaries'
Candice King | Valery Hache/AFP via Getty Images

Caroline Forbes is one of the most iconic characters in The Vampire Diaries. But when the show began, Candice King couldn’t have had any idea of how beloved her character would become throughout the show’s eight-season run.

“It’s wonderful to know that so many people love Caroline because I love her,” King told The Mary Sue in 2016 when the show was in its last season. “It’s kind of bizarre to all of a sudden realize you’ve been with a character for eight years and the show’s coming to an end but also realize that wow, I have to say goodbye to the character who inevitably … she is me and I am her.”

Toward the end of the series, King got pregnant — and her pregnancy was written into Caroline’s part. “I was shocked that they wrote it in but I’m glad that … they’d already had a storyline that they were flirting with as far as someone being pregnant,” she noted. “So, then it just kind of merrily fell into my lap, or in my belly.”

The Caroline Forbes actor said she feared she’d lose her role

During a Comic-Con Q&A panel, Candice King reflected on feeling like the most “inexperienced” when she first got her role on The Vampire Diaries. Her inexperience made her fear she’d get written off the show.

“I was told many times that I was the greenest of the bunch, which means, when you’re in a room with someone and they’re telling you, ‘Hey, we’re very aware that you’re the least experienced once out of everyone here,’ it makes you go, ‘Uh oh! Whoops! My imposter syndrome is really showing now,'” she said.

King then noted she thought her role was in trouble when the writers turned Caroline into a vampire. “Every female they had turned into a vampire they had killed off the show,” she added. “It was very scary.”

“I held my breath,” King continued. “I never bought a place in Atlanta — let’s just put it that way. My parents always told me, ‘Honey, you will be killed off at any moment, so don’t invest.'”

How much did Candice King get paid for ‘The Vampire Diaries’?

Candice King and Paul Wesley from 'The Vampire Diaries' sitting next to each other at a panel with another man next to them
Candice King and Paul Wesley from ‘The Vampire Diaries’ | Wendy Redfern/Redferns
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Ultimately, Candice King could’ve bought herself a beautiful place thanks to the money she earned from The Vampire Diaries. So, how much did she get paid?

According to Tuko.co.ke, King earned $40,000 per episode and over $6 million total. Her other highly-paid co-stars included Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder, and Paul Wesley. Jeremy Gilbert actor Steven R. McQueen reportedly made $15,000 per episode, and Tyler Lockwood actor Michael Trevino made about the same.

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