In the new oral history book I Was Feeling Epic, Dobrev—who played not just Elena Gilbert, but her double, Katherine Pierce—reveals the shockingly unbalanced pay scene. Despite her soaring workload—double the lines, double the on-camera time—she barely cracked the same paycheck as her male leads, Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley.
“It wasn’t about the money—I didn’t give a s—t about the money at all—it was the principle,” she said, laying it down plain.
Her push for pay equity wasn’t without pushback. Writers were even told to stop creating Katherine scenes to avoid shelling out more cash. It “got really heated,” showrunner Julie Plec admitted. Only after back-and-forth negotiations did Dobrev finally receive a raise, although it was still not on par.
Five Times Lower Than Her Last Pay?
The final blow came when she was offered to return for the series finale—but for a salary FIVE times lower than her last pay. Dobrev held her ground until she was paid equally for the role, landing just one episode but with her rightful rate.
For Dobrev, the fight wasn’t just business—it was about respect. And she sounded damn proud she stood up for it
