As viewers adored her portrayal of Elena Gilbert on The Vampire Diaries, Nina Dobrev's on-screen persona was one of a beloved heroine, but behind the scenes, a different story unfolded. A new book, I Was Feeling Epic: An Oral History of The Vampire Diaries by Samantha Highfill, reveals the actress's struggle for fair compensation, shedding light on a persistent pay gap that defined her experience on the show and even impacted her fabled return for the series finale.

Nina Dobrev's battle for equitable pay on the hit show was not what viewers must have imagined.

Nina Dobrev, the lead actress in The Vampire Diaries, faced a significant pay disparity compared to her male costars, Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley. Despite her dual role as both Elena Gilbert and Katherine Pierce, which doubled her workload, she was one of the lowest-paid series regulars in the first two seasons. She played multiple characters, including Elena Gilbert and Katherine Pierce, which doubled her workload, but her contract only accounted for playing Elena. She said in the book it was “the most hurtful because it felt like I was really working hard”. It was not until the series finale that Dobrev earned the same amount as Somerhalder and Wesley.

The pay disparity issues continued throughout her time on the show. Although Nina Dobrev received a raise in Season 3, it was never on par with her male costars. The studio allegedly paid her for playing Katherine but then instructed the creators to limit the character's appearances. Dobrev fought for equal pay, but the studio refused, citing principle as the reason. The studio only agreed to pay Dobrev her requested equal salary for a single episode. According to showrunner Julie Plec said in the book, this financial limitation was the sole reason they could not have her return for more of the final season.

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This conflict over compensation is directly reflected in her per-episode salary throughout the series.

As the central figure of The Vampire Diaries, Nina Dobrev's compensation for her roles as Elena Gilbert and Katherine Pierce has been a topic of much discussion. According to Celebrity Net Worth and various reports, Dobrev reportedly made around $40,000 per episode by the end of her run on the show. She reportedly only achieved equal pay for her guest appearance in the series finale. Some reports suggest her salary was closer to $30,000 per episode for much of her tenure.

While Nina Dobrev may have fought for equal pay, the primary cast members of The Vampire Diaries all amassed significant wealth from their time on the hit CW show. Ian Somerhalder, who played Damon Salvatore, reportedly earned $40,000 per episode by the series' conclusion, contributing to his estimated net worth of $12 million. Paul Wesley, who portrayed Stefan Salvatore, also reportedly earned $40,000 per episode, with an estimated net worth of $6 million. While The Vampire Diaries may have disappointed her, she has a significant net worth from her other contributions to the world of stories.

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