Nina Dobrev has finally opened up about the real reason she didn’t return for more episodes of The Vampire Diaries after her exit in Season 6, and it’s both shocking and heartbreaking. Fans were already devastated when Nina left the show.
Still, her recent revelations have shed light on the challenges she faced during her time on the series — most notably, the disparity in pay compared to her male co-stars, Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley.
Nina’s Struggles with Pay Inequality
While Nina played the lead character, Elena Gilbert, and even portrayed multiple versions of her character, she revealed that she was paid less than Ian and Paul, despite working longer hours and handling a much heavier workload.
“It was a bit of a tricky situation because my contract only said to play Elena, but I was playing multiple characters,” Nina explained. She added that her “double workload” meant longer hours and more lines to memorize, yet her paycheck didn’t reflect the extra effort.
The pay gap was a major factor in Nina’s decision to leave TVD. “That was probably the most hurtful,” she said, revealing how it made her feel undervalued by the studio. After putting her “heart and soul” into the role, Nina felt her contributions were overlooked.
Nina’s Return Was A Battle For Equal Pay
When it came time for Nina to return for the series finale, the pay issue resurfaced. Initially, she was offered five times less than what she made in Season 6. She said, “It wasn’t about the money; it was the principle.”
Eventually, the studio agreed to pay her a fair amount for just one episode. Nina’s decision to return was grounded in a sense of justice — she wanted to ensure she was paid equally for her final appearance.
Fans Outraged Over Nina’s Treatment
After Nina’s comments, fans were quick to express their outrage. Many felt that Nina, as the lead actress, should have been the highest-paid cast member.
“She was worked to the bone and still paid less than her male co-stars? This is disgusting,” one fan wrote. Others felt she should have been compensated fairly from the outset, especially given her crucial role in the show’s success.
The entertainment industry’s longstanding gender pay gap has clearly hit a nerve, and Nina’s story only fuels the ongoing conversation about equality in Hollywood.