2012 Comic-Con Interview with Paul Wesley - Bromance, Romance, and Alcoholism

Ian Somerhalder has said that he's tired of Damon pining for Elena, and Paul Wesley feels the same way. "I don't want Stefan crying over Elena. No crying!" This was one of the things Paul confessed when I interviewed him at Comic Con in San Diego, CA on Friday, July 14, 2012. 

It's no secret Paul prefers playing the darker side of Stefan Salvatore, so he has a lot to say on this subject. When asked if Ripper Stefan would return, Paul didn't think so, but he's holding out hope. He added, "I think Stefan had his whole dark ride in season 3." By the end of last season, Stefan seemed to be putting the pieces of his life back together, but then the unthinkable happened. The love of his life, Elena Gilbert, died and is in the process of becoming a vampire.  Paul says that the guilt of Elena's "death" will weighing heavily on Stefan when The Vampire Diaries returns this October.


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In arguably one of the most controversial scenes of the series, when Elena and Matt Donovan crashed off of Wickery Bridge and sunk to the bottom of the lake, Stefan came to the rescue. With only seconds to spare, per Elena's suggestion, Stefan dragged Matt to safety, and Elena drowned. When asked about Stefan will fell, Paul joked, "It just goes to show you never listen to what a woman wants." Realizing he may get slapped once his wife (Torrey DeVitto, Meredith) reads that comment on Twitter, Paul tried to clean it up by saying:

"I'm conflicted as a viewer watching that scene. We find out later Stefan never intended for her to die. He was making the decision to save Matt first, and then came back to get her. Why he didn't grab them both is besides the point."

Fans know that Paul was not happy with Stefan's choice. In fact, he says he would have chosen Elena if he (Paul) was in that situation. But he also admits that that is why Stefan is a hero.

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Since Paul knows Stefan will be heading towards the good next season, he's hoping that Stefan will retain some of his Ripper bad-assness. If he can't be a dark knight, Paul hopes Stefan can be somewhere in the gray. What I wanted to know is if Stefan's guilt will cause him to fall off the wagon. Paul was ecstatic that I got what he was trying to say. His response:

"That's what I'm saying, I swear to God! That's where my head goes, ok? My head goes, "Oh my God, I can't believe I did this," and like an alcoholic picking up a bottle, and going right back to it. Like, that's how I see it, but I'm not sure that's how everyone else sees it."

Stefan won't be the only one with strong feelings about Elena's new status. Damon will be very upset with his baby brother, and the two will butt heads. Paul is a little sad over this development. He says, "I like it when they (Stefan and Damon) bond. I like it when they're buddies. I enjoy that." Since a new vampire hunter will hit Mystic Falls around the second episode, Paul believes this new adversary will allow the brothers to bury the hatchet, and team up.


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Since Paul is tired of Stefan crying over Elena, he does have some ideas on what should happen in Stefan's love life. For one, he hopes that Stefan and Klaus can rekindle their bromance. "I'd love Stefan and Klaus to be buddies, too. BROMANCE! I like that. I think the idea of the two of them bro-ing out," Wesley said. During the interview, someone suggested that maybe Stefan could be Elena's mentor like he was Caroline's. Wesley shot this idea down.

"I don't want to be Elena's mentor. I want to show her the dark dangers of being a vampire. I think it could be really eventful if they, like, embrace it, rather than fight it, and go on this wild adventure together. I think that would be way more interesting, and exciting for viewers." 

The Vampire Diaries  returns to the CW Network on Thursday, October 11, 2012 at 8PM EST