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The Vampire Diaries is the CW’s attempt to capitalize on the enduring popularity of the vampire fiction genre. The dark teen fantasy series debuted in 2009 and aired for eight seasons before wrapping up in 2017. The show’s end may have come and gone, but its devoted fan base, like those of other popular and long-running fantasy programs, is still hungry for information about what happened behind the scenes.

Zach Roerig smiling
Zach Roerig | Paul Archuleta/Getty Images

Six years ago, at a Comic-Con in San Diego, TVD cast members took the stage to address questions from fans about life on set. During his discussion, Zach Roerig revealed that the police belt he wore in The Vampire Diaries could be super uncomfortable.

Zach Roerig portrayed Matt Donovan on ‘The Vampire Diaries’

Zach Roerig portrayed Matt Donovan, the charming human who, against all odds, survives all eight seasons of The Vampire Diaries without dying (permanently) or becoming a vampire. Matt is close with his childhood pals Jeremy Gilbert, Bonnie Bennett, Elena Gilbert, Caroline Forbes, and Tyler Lockwood, who all grew up in the same town of Mystic Falls as he did.

Once he discovers the presence of mystical beings in his hometown, Matt begins to separate himself from the Mystic Falls gang. However, after a while, he begins to aid his friends in their fight against their foes and in defense of his hometown.

Subsequently, Matt chooses to join the Mystic Falls Police Department as a deputy and starts hunting vampires. And after Kai Parker ties Elena to Bonnie and she goes into a magical coma, Matt steps up and becomes the sheriff of Mystic Falls.

Zach Roerig said the police belt he wore in ‘The Vampire Diaries’ could be super uncomfortable

In TVD, Roerig played a deputy in Mystic Falls Police Department, and in several episodes, he was required to wear a police belt. Speaking at a Comic-Con in San Diego in 2016 before the Season 8 premiere, the actor revealed that he was excited he eventually got to do a season without his police belt as it was uncomfortable to sit in a car with it. He said:

“It’s going to be very exciting. I’m driving a rad truck. I don’t have a cop belt this time, so I can sit in the seat comfortably.”

However, Matt eventually went back to Mystic Falls and reunited with the spirits of his mother and sister. He reclaimed the role of sheriff and earned widespread respect, eventually becoming mayor himself, Digital Spy recaps.

What other uncomfortable costume details have ‘TVD’ cast members mentioned?

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Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley Looked For Apartments Next to Each Other to Make Rehearsing For ‘The Vampire Diaries’ Easier

Talk to anyone in Hollywood, and you will learn some things about film and television production that go beyond your wildest imagination. And one of the biggest challenges in TVD had to do with makeup and special effects.

Over the years, there have been a lot of stories about how things on the set of TVD weren’t as easy as they were supposed to be. For one, everyone in the cast said they couldn’t talk normally with their vampire fangs in their mouths as they were uncomfortable.

And aside from the fangs, one part of the signature look of the vampires in TVD was that of the eyes and the veins that would emerge when they went into a rage. To create the red eyes, cast members had to wear red contact lenses which covered the whole eye. 

Ian Somerhalder admitted he cried like a baby whenever the lens got in. On her part, Nina Dobrev compared wearing the contact lenses to having 20 eyelashes in your eye that you can’t get out. For Kat Graham, wearing a lace front wig for many years for her role as Bonnie damaged her hair.

The struggles the cast members overcame to bring TVD to life make it all the more important for fans to appreciate the show.

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