Collider
With The CW series The Vampire Diaries wrapping up its third season, just like with every season of the popular drama, the lives of every character will be in jeopardy, decisions will be made that will change everything, and it’s pretty likely that the hearts of at least some of the residents of Mystic Falls will be broken, before it’s all said and done.
Since his first appearance on the show, original vampire Elijah has become an increasingly popular character among the loyal viewers and, during this recent exclusive interview with Collider, actor Daniel Gillies talked about how he originally got involved with The Vampire Diaries, what drew him to the role, how immensely lucky he feels that the role has turned out the way it has, what he’s enjoyed most about playing Elijah, and how sweet and supportive the fans have been. He also talked about his role as a hotshot young surgeon on the NBC medical drama Saving Hope, premiering on June 7th, being able to juggle both shows if need be, and writing and directing his first independent film, the drama Broken Kingdom. Check out what he had to say after the jump.
Collider: How did you originally get involved with The Vampire Diaries? Was Elijah always the character that you had auditioned for?
DANIEL GILLIES: Yes, it was. I went in at the end of 2010. I thought I had done a pretty good job, but there were a lot of kids who had auditioned for it. They said, “You did a good job,” but I didn’t hear anything for awhile. I think it was four to six weeks after I had auditioned that I got the role. They said that they liked my audition, but that they were going to look for an older actor, which actually made sense to me for the role. I thought it should be played by an older actor. Elijah seems older.