Where is Nina Dobrev (aka Elena Gilbert) from ‘The Vampire Diaries’ Now?

Nina Dobrev is a Canadian actress born in Sofia, Bulgaria. She and her older brother were raised by their parents, Kamen Dobrev and Michaela Dobreva. Kamen is a computer specialist, while Michaela is a painter.

She may have been born in Bulgaria, but she and her family moved to Canada when she was two. Dobrev attended high school at Vradenburg Junior Public School and J.B Tyrrell Senior Public School. She then went to Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts before attending Ryerson University for college.

Most people probably saw Nina Dobrev during her stint with the supernatural series The Vampire Diaries. However, her acting career started with the teen drama Degrassi: The Next Generation. For three seasons since 2006, she played the role of Mia Jones. In the mid-2000s, she appeared in various feature films, including Away from Her and Fugitive Pieces.

Also, Dobrev headlined some television films, including MTV’s The American Mall, Never Cry Werewolf from the Sci-Fi Channel and original movies on Lifetime.

Elena Gilbert on The Vampire Diaries

Elena Gilbert is a fictional name and the protagonist of the novel The Vampire Diaries. In the TV series adaptation, she is played by Nina Dobrev. In the books, Elena was this selfish, popular, mean girl image. However, show producers Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec decided to ‘rebrand’ Elena with a relatable, friendlier, and ‘girl next door image.’

Much of Elena Gilbert’s story in the supernatural world revolves around her relationships with Stefan Salvatore and her older brother, Damon. Elena’s life was flipped upside down when she met the Salvatore brothers.

The series also showed that Elena is a Doppelganger of Petrova, making her identical to Katherine Pierce, her ancestor. Elena finds a woman’s photo named Katherine Pierce, which looks exactly like her. That’s when she learned about Katherine.

Technically, Dobrev played the roles of Elena Gilbert and Katherine Pierce.

Elena’s romances with the brothers Stefan and Damon became a popular craze. This resulted in viewers giving them ‘Stelena’ and ‘Delena’ nicknames. Steve West Cinema Blend revealed that the brothers’ quest over Elena Gilbert would wreak havoc in the entire town. Elena and Stefan’s meeting happened in the show’s pilot episode after they ran into each other. Meanwhile, Elena and Damon met at the Salvatore Boarding House when she was looking for Stefan.

During the fourth season, Elena died and turned into a vampire. After her transition, the relationship between Elena and Stefan ended. Consequently, Elena started to establish a romantic relationship with Damon. Season four ended with Elena loving Damon and leaving Stefan devastated.

The sixth season saw Elena mourning Damon’s death and lurking at the Mystic Falls border. This was after Damon and Bonnie died after failing to pass back to the land of the living.

After being cast in a spell at the season finale, Bonnie saves Elena. Consequently, Elena wakes up after Bonnie breaks the spell on her.

Nina Dobrev’s Work After The Vampire Diaries

Nina Dobrev’s stint with The Vampire Diaries opened more acting opportunities for her. In fact, she even appeared at the Toronto International Film Festival for her movie The Final Girls. She ended her appearance in the hit TV series after the sixth season.

However, she returned and made a cameo on the show’s eighth episode. Dobrev, in The Vampire Diaries, after the transition from being human to vampire and vice-versa, did stay alive until the finale of the sixth season.

Leaving The Vampire Diaries, she played Candace Kelmeckis in the film adaptation of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. She then acted more in films, including Let’s be Cops, 2014, The Final Girls, 2015, XXX: Return of Xander Cage, and Flatliners, both in 2017.

Who Is Nina Dobrev Dating?

Nina Dobrev used to date The Vampire Diaries co-star Ian Somerhalder. Currently, she is in a relationship with professional snowboarder Shaun White. Rumors of their romantic relationship sparked in February 2020 when fans observed they shared similar pictures from a trip to South Africa. A month later, the two were spotted on a bike ride in Malibu.

In April 2020, News reports confirmed that they are indeed a couple. In May of the same year, Dobrev posted on Instagram a photo of her and White.

Two years after they started dating, the couple’s relationship looks strong as ever. During the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, Dobrev showed her support to White by posting photos of him on Instagram. The Canadian actress recently shared some pictures of their beach vacation. While White has yet to propose to Dobrev, it seems like fans are already excited about what’s next for the couple!

Fresh Vine Wines

Best friends Julianne Hough and Nina Dobrev introduced the Fresh Vine Company. It is an exclusive collection of low-carb, low-calorie, vegan and keto-friendly, and gluten-free wines. The two decided to introduce healthy wines after observing the increasing number of consumers making healthy options.

Dobrev added that it had been their dream to venture into the wine industry and create products that reflect who they are. Hough also revealed that they both live a healthy and active lifestyle with a holistic approach. Consequently, they wanted to introduce a product that complements their lifestyle.

Fresh Vine Wines offers various products, including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and California Cabernet Sauvignon.

Nina Dobrev’s Upcoming Projects

Nina Dobrev’s fans should expect more of her from this year onwards. The Reunion movie is now in its post-production. Also, the comedy film The Out-Laws, where Dobrev also appears, is set to premiere in late 2022.

Furthermore, she’s currently filming an action-thriller film called The Bricklayer. Dobrev teased her fans on Instagram with some behind-the-scenes stills of their filming. Fans can expect action-packed scenes from her and co-star Aaron Eckhart.

The film follows someone who blackmails the CIA by killing foreign journalists and making it look like the CIA is responsible. With Dobrev’s and Eckhart’s talent, it sure is worth keeping an eye on this upcoming film!

Featured Photo Credit: Silvia Elizabeth Pangaro