Paul Wesley to Direct The Vampire Diaries

Paul Wesley, known as Stefan Salvatore, is back in the director’s chair. The 31-year-old actor is making a name behind the camera as he returns to directing the next episode of The Vampire Diaries.

Wesley is the first part of The CW drama to be able to direct the show. Actually, there are other The Vampire Diaries cast members like Ian Somerhalder, who already did, but Wesley marks the first.

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For him, directing is a natural progression for his career. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do ever since I started acting. I’ve always really respected directors. As much as I was interested in acting, whenever I watched a film it was always the directing that really stood out to me,” he shares The Hollywood Reporter.

His break came in the 5^th season, and he credited Julie Plec of The Vampire Diaries and The Originals for guiding him. “I tried to get a mental understanding of what their process was, and it was a lot of question-asking. But I learned a lot in the editing room,” he says.

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Putting himself in the shoes of a director was one of the biggest challenges that Wesley faced. He recalled that, “the most daunting thing was whether or not I could psychologically embody the feeling of a director toward the cast. I was nervous, but when I got to set, the cast was so supportive.”

The Vampire Diaries actor has high expectations set on pursuing his directing career in TV and film. For him, this job is incredibly appealing and fulfilling. “As much as I love acting, it’s a different type of fulfillment, and I definitely want to continue directing television,” he shares.

The Vampire Diaries Paul Wesley — Photo Source:
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Because of his success on set, the actor is given another chance to direct another episode of The Vampire Diaries in the 6^th season. Now, he is into producing movies, and his most recent project is the indie film, Before I Disappear. He plays the lead role in the film and won an award at the SXSW festival.

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Paul Wesley directed the 11^th episode of The Vampire Diaries season 6 titled, Woke Up With a Monster. It will air this month, Thursdays, on The CW. Watch Paul Wesley’s funniest moments on The Vampire Diaries set: