In a candid revelation shedding light on the persistent issue of the gender pay gap in Hollywood, actress Nina Dobrev, best known for her starring roles as Elena Gilbert and Katherine Pierce in The CW`s hit supernatural drama `The Vampire Diaries` (TVD), has opened up about her protracted struggle for salary parity. Her account, shared in the book “I Was Feeling Epic: An Oral History of The Vampire Diaries,” details a journey where equal pay with her male co-stars, Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder, remained elusive for nearly the entire run of the series, only to be achieved for a single, concluding episode.
The Early Seasons: A Tale of Two Roles, One Paycheck
From its inception, `The Vampire Diaries` captivated audiences with its intricate love triangles, supernatural lore, and compelling characters. Dobrev, uniquely, brought two pivotal characters to life: the compassionate heroine Elena Gilbert and her cunning, manipulative doppelgänger, Katherine Pierce. Despite the demanding nature of portraying dual leading roles—a feat that often translates to increased workload and complexity—Dobrev found herself, alongside fellow female leads Candice King and Kat Graham, at the lower end of the pay scale compared to the show`s male leads, Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder.
Dobrev recounted her frustration: her initial contract specified remuneration for one character, Elena. Yet, her consistent portrayal of Katherine Pierce, a fan-favorite and integral antagonist, often felt uncompensated. It was a structural inequity that underscored a common Hollywood dilemma: women, even when central to a narrative, are often valued less financially than their male counterparts.
Negotiations and Persistent Disparity
By the third season, after strenuous negotiations, Dobrev`s salary saw an increase. However, this adjustment still left her compensation significantly below that of Wesley and Somerhalder. Adding a layer of corporate calculation to the narrative, persistent rumors circulated that the studio, in a bid to curb expenses, had even instructed writers to diminish Katherine Pierce`s storyline—a move interpreted by Dobrev as a “principled stand” by management against increasing her pay for the dual role.
Such tactics highlight the often-subtle, yet highly effective, ways studios can avoid fair compensation, especially when a lead actor`s workload extends beyond their initial contractual agreement. It’s a stark reminder that even within successful franchises, established disparities can be remarkably entrenched.
The Finale: A Principled Stand for Equality
Dobrev eventually departed `The Vampire Diaries` after its sixth season, but the prospect of a return for the series finale was always on the table. Creatively, her presence was essential to provide closure for Elena Gilbert`s storyline. However, the path back was fraught with financial disagreement.
Initially, studio executives proposed her return for several episodes, but negotiations quickly stalled over compensation. Dobrev made it clear: her return was contingent not just on creative necessity but on achieving genuine financial equality. As she articulated:
“I always was willing to come back for the finale, and from a story perspective, it made sense. I felt it was important and necessary for the show, necessary for the fans. However, it was also very important to me that at the end of the series, as a woman, I was compensated and equal to my male counterparts on the show. It all came down to that.”
In a move that could be politely described as perplexing, the studio`s initial offer for her finale appearance was a mere fifth of her salary from season six. This low-ball figure, coming after the show had run for years and its lead actress was willing to return for a significant closing chapter, almost led to Dobrev completely withdrawing from the project. The irony of being offered substantially less to conclude a series she helped define was, presumably, not lost on her.
A Glimmer of Parity, One Episode at a Time
The stalemate was ultimately broken by the intervention of showrunner Julie Plec, whose advocacy proved crucial. After intense negotiations, the studio finally relented, agreeing to pay Dobrev a salary equal to that of her male co-stars—but only for one episode.
This “victory,” while significant for Dobrev and a testament to her resolve, also serves as a sobering commentary on the slow, painstaking pace of change within Hollywood. To achieve parity for a single episode, after years of anchoring a hit series and performing a dual role, speaks volumes about the entrenched systems that continue to undervalue female talent. Dobrev`s account is not just a personal anecdote; it`s a powerful narrative in the ongoing global discourse about fair compensation and the systemic challenges women face in professional environments, even those as glamorous as the entertainment industry.