What The Leading Ladies Of The Vampire Diaries Look Like Today

Paranormal movies and shows never get old, and there's something about immortals, and vampires in particular, that captivates viewers. Perhaps it's because despite their inhuman strength and telepathic abilities, they're still just like regular folks with relatable emotions and romantic endeavors. "The Vampire Diaries" very much had all those elements, mixing lustful bloodsuckers with humans in Mystic Falls. High school student Elena Gilbert, played by Nina Dobrev, unwittingly fell in the thick of it with the century-old Salvatore brothers, and who can resist a steamy love triangle?

The other leading ladies of "The Vampire Diaries" included Candice King, Kat Graham, and Sara Canning, who have since moved on to other projects after the series ended in 2017. Many of them appear to be vampires themselves in real life, as they haven't aged a bit. Still, it's been almost 10 years since the show's finale, and the actors are rocking much different looks these days. Here's what the leading ladies of your fave nostalgic supernatural series look like now.

As a small-town girl in 2009, Elena Gilbert wore standard high-school garb of flared jeans and a staple leather jacket. Off-camera, Nina Dobrev experimented more with her sartorial looks, especially on the red carpet with colorful cocktail dresses, which she looks back on and cringes. "I don't know why nobody had an intervention with me," Dobrev told Who What Wear in 2024. These days, she has access to the best designers and was seen in a gorgeous Armani Privé black sequined gown she wore to the premiere of the movie "Ink." No intervention needed here.

Kat Graham played Bonnie Bennett in "The Vampire Diaries" for the show's full eight seasons, during which her character sported different hairstyles. From long, straight locks to a trendy chic bob, Graham could rock them all. While she still plays around with different looks, the mom of one began wearing her natural curls since the COVID-19 pandemic. "It's been really therapeutic for me to just wear my hair really, really big ... I just love having a fro. I don't know, quarantine has completely changed me," Graham shared with Vogue in 2020.

Candice King was around 21 years old when she began filming "The Vampire Diaries," and she looks just as stunning as ever. On the red carpet at the "We Were Liars" premiere in 2025, her flawless face absolutely glowed, with just a hint of peachy makeup to bring out her features. King's youthful appearance wasn't the result of any paranormal activity, but rather a devoted skincare routine. "I'm obsessed with skincare ... I've only gotten Botox like two times, maybe three times in my entire life," she shared on "Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum." We need her product recs, stat.

It's wild that Sara Canning played Nina Dobrev's aunt on the show when she was 22 years old, making her just two years older than the "Love Hard" star. Her character, Jenna Sommers, was a 25-year-old graduate student whose youthful looks included long brunette hair often worn in loose waves. Fast forward 17 years since "The Vampire Diaries" Season 1, and Canning now sports wheat-blond hair with chestnut lowlights. In an Instagram post shared in June, she looked vibrant, with her makeup-free face showing clear skin and her gorgeous blue-green eyes. 

Although "The Vampire Diaries" centered around the teens of Mystic Falls, there had to be some grown-ups thrown into the mix, and that was Sheriff Liz Forbes, played by Marguerite MacIntyre. The actor was usually in uniform, with minimal makeup and a short cut with feathered layers. It seems MacIntyre is a fan of cropped 'dos, as she has maintained the length after all these years. The trendy bixie cut is hot if you know how to style it properly, and instead of the dated feathered look, the 61-year-old keeps her hair sleek, with long, side-swept bangs.

Claire Holt entered "The Vampire Diaries" in Season 3 as Rebekah Mikaelson, an Original vampire with immense powers who was over 1000 years old. Naturally, her character's fashion changed with the times, as did Holt, who has since traded in her 2011 wardrobe for much more updated looks. While at the Tod Spring/Summer 2027 fashion show in Milan, she wore a futuristic, asymmetrical black-leather dress with white and maroon detailing. Combined with a slicked-back 'do and winged eyeliner, Holt embodied the eternal fashionista.

Vicki Donovan, played by Kayla Ewell, was a regular high school girl until she was turned into a vampire, killed, and then returned as a ghost. Thankfully, Ewell doesn't have to wander the earth as a pale specter and is still very much glowing gorgeously. At an event hosted by Clarins in March, the "Disconnected" star looked positively radiant with a healthy sheen on her face. It may have been through the help of makeup, as Ewell shared in an Instagram reel, "When my friends say you don't need more makeup, but my name is Kayla, so I add bronzer."