Advertisement

‘The Vampire Diaries’: ‘Every character is going to surprise you,’ says Katerina Graham

Share

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Raise your hand if your excitement for new episodes of “The Vampire Diaries,” kicking off tonight on the CW, is equally matched by your anxiety and fear about what’s to come. After chatting with Katerina Graham, who plays witch Bonnie, Show Tracker is definitely scared for the safety of Mystic Falls’ residents. Elena’s (Nina Dobrev) life is in jeopardy, and that means Bonnie will do anything she can to help her, according to Graham. Including risking her own life? In the interview below, Graham talks about the dangers ahead, Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) and Bonnie’s new relationship, friendship onscreen and offscreen between the show’s leading ladies, “an amazing scene” between Bonnie and Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and much more. She also hints at the return of a familiar face.

I have to ask you about the video you posted on YouTube of you and Candice Accola dancing to “Holiday.”

Advertisement

You know what’s so funny is that Candice and I go to dance class all the time, and we usually never film it. Just out of privacy for each other, we don’t film the stuff we do, but Candice was like, “We have to film this class!” So she actually got her phone and we literally filmed it on her phone. She did try to post it on Twitter, but we had to upload it on YouTube first. I don’t think she has a YouTube account, so we just did it on mine. [Laughs] It was just really fun, you know what I mean? It wasn’t like planned. It was just very real and very much how we are together. We’re very goofy. We’re very fun. We’re happy girls, you know. We do hang out! People are like always surprised that actresses hang out with each other, but me, Candice, Nina, Sara [Canning] — we’re pretty solid.

When I talked to [executive producer] Julie Plec, she made it clear that keeping Elena safe from Klaus [Joseph Morgan] is the No. 1 priority in the final episodes. What lengths is Bonnie willing to go to to save her friend?

Anything. Elena is the only family she has left. So imagine if that was you and that was the only real family that you had left. What would you do for them? I know I would do anything for mine. Bonnie’s no different. If it had been anybody else given the responsibility and the secret of how to kill Klaus, I think that, hopefully, any other character would have done the same thing.


The idea is to save Elena from the sacrifice, but it feels like somebody else might be sacrificed in the process. Am I getting the right feeling?

I think no one’s safe at this point. That’s why it’s so important to watch the show because you’re going to be completely taken by surprise. Completely. Every character is going to surprise you. There’s not one character on this show that doesn’t get a curve ball. So no one is safe. Not one person. Not I, not Elena, not anyone. No one is safe at this point. You’re going to be really shocked.

The way Bonnie is willing to go out of her way to save Elena, I think, really speaks to their friendship. The slumber party scene was one of my favorite moments this season.

Advertisement

I know! I’ve been getting so many comments about how many people have loved the slumber party scenes. I guess that we’re going to have to do more girl stuff. And just how many people watched me and Candice just dancing around without any makeup on and just goofing off. I think people really love to see those kind of female friendships. So many girls on TV and the characters they play can get kind of bitchy with each other and blah, blah, blah. But I really love that Caroline, Elena and Bonnie have such a bond. It’s great.

Are we going to be seeing some more friendship moments? Or is there just too much drama going on?

No, you’ll definitely see their relationship and what they can do and what they’re willing to do for each other. Yeah, you’ll definitely see more of us doing scenes together.

We saw what happens when a witch over-exerts herself with Grams [Jasmine Guy]. Is all this witchcraft going to be taxing on Bonnie emotionally and physically? Should we be worried?

Yes, you should be worried.

They can’t possibly have Jeremy lose another girlfriend. That’s just too much for poor Jeremy.

By the time you see and you watch all the episodes, that’ll be the last thing you’re thinking of.

Advertisement

Speaking of Jeremy, how is their relationship going? They’re not starting off in the most relaxing of circumstances.

No, they’re not. And all they can do is really be there for each other. They don’t have much left but each other. Saving the town and keeping each other safe is so much of a responsibility, but they still have their little moments where they’re together. You can tell that they have such a connection that they have to be really in love with each other.

What do you think Bonnie sees in Jeremy? What woke her up to this guy?

I think Bonnie sees a lot of herself in Jeremy. I feel like Bonnie from like the pilot to like the third episode was such an innocent, innocent person and completely oblivious to all these vampires and stuff like that. And then Jeremy lost his family and his girl, and Bonnie lost her grandmother. They were both very much excluded in what Elena, Damon and Stefan (Paul Wesley) were doing and what they were fighting and what they were up against and all these things. They had no idea. When Jeremy finally did find out and Bonnie did too, they both had a tough time, as well. So I feel like Bonnie really sees a lot of herself in Jeremy, and the fact that at the end of the day, they’re very innocent. They’re innocent kids put into really difficult circumstances. And she loves him. She really, really loves him.

There’s some pictures of Damon and Bonnie at the ‘60s dance. Are they having a moment? Or are they just working together to protect Elena?

You will have to absolutely watch that scene. … We definitely have a scene together. It’s an amazing scene. It’ll get everyone talking. It’s just a can’t-miss moment. It definitely has to deal with a great part of Bonnie’s decision on what she’s going to do. Whether that’s yes or no, I won’t say. But it’s an incredible moment in the show.

Advertisement

Joseph Morgan has joined you guys in Atlanta as Klaus. Is he what you imagined as Klaus?

I actually imagined [executive producer] Kevin Williamson as Klaus. But I think Joseph Morgan is a good second.

[Laughs] Is that because Kevin is like your overlord?

[Laughs] No, it’s because no one is as fierce as Kevin. Joesph Morgan is a great — I got the sandy blond hair. So I kind of got what I wanted. But definitely Kevin Williamson was my No. 1.

Is there any chance we might see Emily Bennett again?

[singsongs] You might see Emily. You might.

Where are Bonnie’s parents in all of this? We’ve never seen them.

Advertisement

I don’t know. That’s not a question for me.

Is that something you’d like to see explored?

Absolutely. And my bedroom!

Show Trackers, are you scared yet? Who do you think is in danger? And make sure to come back to Show Tracker on Friday for my recap of Thursday night’s episode!

RELATED:
‘The Vampire Diaries’: Executive producer Julie Plec previews The Klaus Chapter
Complete ‘The Vampire Diaries’ coverage on Show Tracker

— Vlada Gelman (follow my TV musings on Twitter at @stayingin)

Advertisement