Interview: Julie Plec From ‘The Vampire Diaries’

I visited the set of The Vampire Diaries a few weeks back, and I had the opportunity to speak with writer Julie Plec about what we can expect for the rest of the season as far as relationships, game-changers, and casting. We got lucky that Julie was in the production office, and that she agreed to swing by and chat with us as it wasn’t originally on the schedule. I have such admiration for this woman, so getting to chat with her in a *calmer* setting than a Comic Con press room with a 100 press people was something I felt very blessed to be able to do. And Julie didn’t disappoint either.

All the questions that I had in my notebook to ask were fan questions, and a lot of those questions were from Bonnie fans, or Bamon fans. So I started out asking Julie if we were going to be seeing anymore about Bonnie’s family or their family history. “Yes, that’s a source we haven’t even tapped yet,” Julie replied, “I don’t know if it will be this year. We’ve talked about it. Certainly it will happen in the life of her character, because it’s very enigmatic in episode 3 of last year when she and Stefan sit down and meet each other for the first time and she says ‘No mom. Live with my dad.’ Alright well what’s that story? No mom? What do you mean no mom? Who is she? Where is she? Why don’t you like to talk about her? Why have we never met her dad? Why does she seem to not have a relationship with her dad? Why did your dad hate your Grams? There are so many great questions, and really it’s just a matter of time before we answer them.”

One of the questions I received the most from Twitter before visiting the set was about the future of Bonnie and Damon. Fans of the books know that they have a much “closer” relationship than they do on the show, so is there any hope that fans will see that relationship play out on the small screen? “That’s a relationship that is really important to book fans, and they make their importance very clear to us in fan feedback. I think the fun that we have with them right now is to go from two people who absolutely have no respect, admiration, or love for one another what so ever… and watching them… because they share common goals and common loves, that they’re willing to put their differences aside and work together. This year was very much about taking Bonnie from own team separated from what Damon is up to and brining the two of them together, so that’s what we can promise for now. As for the future, you never know.” Julie teases.

And of course, I had to ask about big relationship moments that would be upcoming, would there be any moments for the Damon/Elena fans? Julie described a bit about their relationship and how it’s all built upon the “yet”.

“As he said to Elena in that episode: ‘I don’t deserve you.’ And he doesn’t… yet. Their relationship, in my opinion, is all about the yet, and the when. Because when he deserves her, which he’s working really hard to do, then there’s a conversation to be had about what the two of them can be together.” Julie explained.

As a huge Damon/Elena fan, I found this answer somewhat satisfying. The writers know they have us right where they want us. And in all honesty, once they start giving us what we want – will we still want it as badly? Maybe. But the buildup is what we really love isn’t it?

Any news on the casting for Klaus? Matt Davis had told us that us he’d love to see Justin Bieber… or Samuel L. Jackson, but what did Julie have to say on the topic? “Matt, Paul, and Ian have this joke that ‘whoever this Klaus is, he’s in for a world of it.’ They walk around outside and say ‘hello my name is Klaus (in Asian accent).’ They’ve made it such a fun little game in their heads.” Julie smiles, “We’ve just started casting. We have the big list of names that we look at and dream about or dismiss, and we have our secret desire to discover someone new. It’ll be very interesting to see who we end up with.”

The transformation of Caroline was a huge game-changer for the show. Any chance of another game-changer before the end of the season? Julie tells us yes, “We try not to do it just to do it. With Caroline it was a very strategic choice, because we really wanted to mine that character and that actress for all that she was worth. And it has paid off for us in spades creatively. We’re really proud of it and her.”Julie paused, “We have all kinds of things plotted out for the finale, and if even half of it ends up in there…”

What about the bigger picture for the show? Is there an ending (not that we want to think of that!) that they’re working towards? “We don’t have a timeline,” Julie states, “But we have a moment. We have the moment that we want to get to.”

I have my own theories as to what that moment might possibly be. I’m personally a huge Damon and Elena fan, so I want to think that it’s going to be Damon turning Elena. But I don’t think we can expect the writers to ever give that information away before the final episode airs. So until then, break out your theories and post them below in our comment section! I’d love to know what you guys are hoping for after the series has run for 900 episodes (we’re hoping!).

Article By: Emma Loggins

Responses

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  1. Awesome interview Emma, can’t wait for the rest of the interviews 🙂 I didn’t know you were a Delena fan, I knew there was a reason I liked you so much, hehe. 🙂

  2. haha yeah I’m getting a little bit of hate on Twitter for that, but thankfully way more support. 🙂 TVD shippers mean business! 🙂

  3. Yes, I wanna know so much more about Bonnie. I had a crazy thought in my head but I’d lvoe to see it – if Tia and Tamera Mowry were cast as some of her extended family [being as how twins generate more power naturally]. Wouldn’t it be interesting if her mother traveled down the vampire path? As for Klaus, not Justin Bieber or Samuel L Jackson please! I’d love to see Wesley Snipes, but being he’s in federal prison at the moment….not likely. As for the ending, I have a feeling it will be Elena turning and/or dying. Hopefully like the book they won’t try to pull a spirit Elena!

  4. Love Julie’s line about how Damon doesn’t deserve Elena “yet”; so enticing, to see what’s in that “yet”! Long-term: would like to see more depth to Damon’s character, more dimension to Stefan’s. Always tough to keep the “good guy” from seeming too vanilla. I’d like to see something get between Stefan and his conscience, where it isn’t so clear what “right” and “wrong” would be. In the long run, Damon-Elena seems like great chemistry, but it’s difficult to see her either leaving Stefan for him, or the two of them having a successful long-term relationship. Her conflict is playing out differently than in the books, where her passion for him is more clear, and where their relationship is more complex. The series has done, imo, a better job than the books in developing the supporting cast–Caroline is more interesting than in the books, Rick’s relationships with Damon and with Jenna are a subtle addition, and I was glad for the substitution of Jeremy (who made a great troubled teen, but I’m glad to see his character maturing). In the books and in the series, Damon is the most mesmerizing character, and casting Ian, imo, was such a coup. The series has done a good job of balancing the characters’ internal conflict against the external fight against good and evil. Can’t wait for the new episodes!

  5. Yeah I agree. I can’t see Elena leaving Stefan either. And I don’t think I could see a successful long-term relationship between Elena and Damon either – which is part of what I love so much about them. It’s the tormented love story that continually builds tension. We hate that they’re not together, but we also love the moments they share because they’re not together – which is what makes us love them. It’s a Catch 22. Personally, I don’t feel like they gave viewers enough time to really fall for Stefan, they were together so early that there wasn’t enough time to develop a romantic tension between them – which is why I fell for Damon and Elena. I like the tormented love stories. haha 🙂 But I think your comments are right on. Caroline is definitely more interesting, and really as a whole I think the differences in the characters from the characters in the book are actually for the better based on what I’ve heard. Haven’t read the books yet.. it’s on my list! 🙂

  6. I love the realtionship between Stefan and Elena. It’s the love all of us dream about. Even though Delena would be a hot scene, it would ruin Stelena and where would that leave Stefan and Damon’s relationship? Besides, it’s already been done by Katherine. Though, Damon could be the one to change Elena. I’ve been following someone on twitter @Truely_Damon who’s doing a story for Damon and some of the things he’s writing has got me wondering if the TVD show would put anything like what he’s written into their show such as the vampire slash witch or someone being possessed. The vampire slash witch could be a distant relative of Bonnie’s. Imagine how Bonnie would feel if her relative was a not only a witch, but a vampire. And I would love to see how Damon reacts to a ghost or someone being possessed. Lol, there goes my mind.

  7. You’re completely right – that type of relationship is the one we dream about. And if Delena does happen – then that does have a profound effect on the other relationships on the series – which almost makes me think it has to happen at some point because there is so much material there that they could work with. Just like hooking Joey and Pacey up on Dawsons Creek even though so many wanted her to end up with Dawson (I have to admit I was one of those). I think the idea of a vampire/witch would be awesome though. There could be a lot of material there to mine as well.