‘The Vampire Diaries’: Paul Wesley Felt Stefan Was Like a ‘Recovering Heroin Addict’
Most fans admit that they are completely hooked once they start watching The Vampire Diaries. Viewers love the intriguing plot twists and cliffhangers that are part of so many episodes, and there is just something about the show that makes it so fun to watch.
Actor Paul Wesley, who portrayed the 162-year-old vampire Stefan Salvatore on The Vampire Diaries from 2009 to 2017, has had plenty to say about the role that made him a household name. He connected with his character and tried to relate to everything Stefan went through.
In an interview, Wesley said he felt that his character Stefan was like a “recovering heroin addict.”
What has Wesley said about Stefan’s extensive back story in ‘The Vampire Diaries’?
When Wesley talked about playing the character of Stefan, he definitely did not hold back.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the handsome actor spoke about what the 162-year-old Stefan has experienced and seen in his life, and he even described it as “amazing.”
According to Wesley, “Imagine the experiences he’s had. It’s really nice to have all these options for Stefan’s past.” Because of this, Wesley feels that the The Vampire Diaries was never boring, and most fans would surely agree.
Going into a bit more detail, Wesley talked about how, in real life, he would love to explore some of his character’s eras — especially a revolutionary period. When talking about how Stefan lived through the 1860s, seeing the Civil War, and his experiences 100 years later, he said, “Any time that I haven’t lived in as Paul would be fascinating to explore as Stefan.”
Wesley felt Stefan was like a ‘recovering heroin addict’
Stefan is a fascinating character, and it looks like Wesley feels the same way. In the same interview, he really opened up, saying that Stefan reminded him of a “recovering heroin addict.”
Why does he have that opinion? Well, it all has to do with how the character had an addiction to human blood. Wesley said, “No wonder Damon is so damn chipper. He’s like a junkie with heroin growing in his backyard, with clean needles everywhere! It’s perfect! Damon is always high; he’s having a blast! The moment Stefan lets go of his guilt and consumes that human blood, and indulges, he’s going to be high, and it’s going to be like a split personality.”
Playing Stefan’s more unhinged and less managed side on ‘The Vampire Diaries’
When talking about his character, Wesley spoke a bit about how Stefan didn’t tend to let himself have any fun.
The character had an almost impossible time controlling himself around human blood. When the show was on, Wesley said he looked forward to playing his character’s dark sides because it would have been “unrealistic” not to explore that part of Stefan.
At the time, he also said, “I wouldn’t want to play dark, evil Stefan forever.” He mentioned how the character was noble and said, “You always want what you can’t have when you’re an actor, you want to try something new.”
