“I’ve never done anything like this before”: Paul Wesley Found Playing Silas a Real Challenge in ‘The Vampire Diaries’ for a Big Reason

SUMMARY

• Paul Wesley faced challenges playing Silas, an immortal with unique powers, as it required a different approach than playing Stefan Salvatore.
• Despite the challenges, Wesley enjoyed playing Silas, appreciating the break from his usual character and the opportunity to channel a darker energy.
• Wesley's portrayal of Silas was well-received, and he successfully navigated the complexities of playing a villainous character.

Actor, director, and producer Paul Wesley has earned himself numerous acting credits over the years, but perhaps his most iconic one to date still ranks as the ones he gave in The Vampire Diaries. In the series that launched his name in the entertainment industry among the most talented actors, the actor perfectly delivered for nearly a decade, as Stefan Salvatore, Silas, and Tom Avery.

Paul Wesley. | Credits: The Vampire Diaries / The CW.

But while he performed immaculately across all three roles, Wesley found embodying the character of the evil immortal rather challenging. For reasons all too understandable, the actor didn’t hesitate to confess that this character stemmed from different roots, and thus, the approach to bringing him to life was going to be different as well – a challenge he was willing to accept.

Paul Wesley found it challenging to tackle Silas’ character

Of all the characters introduced in The Vampire Diaries, Silas is one of the most unique, and rightfully so. Not only was he the very first immortal to exercise immeasurable powers including those of a psychic, witch, and even control fire, but he could also shapeshift into any person and control their thoughts even from a distance, being able to manipulate them.

Paul Wesley as Silas. | Credits: The Vampire Diaries / The CW.

However, the challenge of tackling him and bringing him to life was equally difficult for Paul Wesley. For one, it indicated playing a double role – since his original character in the series was Stefan Salvatore – which meant ostensibly contributing extra hours to the show. But amidst it all, the greatest challenge was that he was playing this kind of role for the first time in his life.

During San Diego’s Comic-Con back in 2013, the actor expressed his thoughts on tackling this very challenging figure for the fan-favorite drama. Joking about pulling extra hours for the same, he said (via Digital Spy):

At the same time, the Smallville actor also shared that he was looking forward to having a light approach toward him, suggesting his portrayal would be “different” from that of Ripper Stefan. He said, “I don’t think he shows his colors as much – I think he has a lot of fun. I’m going to approach him in a very light way. I’m going to have a lot of fun with Silas.“

And fun is exactly what he had, considering how the maximum screentime that he played Silas for the screens, Wesley seemed to be at ease in the character of the evil immortal. That said, his wanting to take a break from his primary character Stefan might as well have contributed significantly to that as well, as he himself admitted to loving this twist for the same reason.

Paul Wesley also loved this twist and felt he needed a break from Stefan

Paul Wesley as Stefan Salvatore. | Credits: The Vampire Diaries / The CW.

While he did find it rather challenging since it was a whole other new kind of role for him, at the same time, Paul Wesley also didn’t hesitate to express how much he loved this twist: In the series’ fourth season finale, it was revealed that Silas’ true from, using his powers, threw Stefan into a vault which went down into the quarry, left to drown at the bottom of the lake.

Then in the fifth season, Silas truly came to power, channeling his inner extremely cunning self unafraid to intimidate and kill or maim people to meet his ends. Sharing how he felt about this turn of events, Wesley said:

Well, space from Stefan was just what he got, even if for a while, for playing Silas required him to channel some really mean energy for 16 episodes as he played the villain of season 5. But it all appears to have worked out just fine for him, considering how, even when he returned to playing Stefan, Wesley didn’t hesitate to continue to give one of the best performances of his career.

The Vampire Diaries can currently be streamed on Prime Video.

Written by Mahin Sultan

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