15 The Salvatore Brothers Were Almost The Whitmore Brothers

The writers for the show originally wanted to change the surname of Stefan and Damon. They felt that Salvatore was "this meaty, beefy Italian and we were trying to ground it a little more for a small-town American audience." The proposed new name would be Whitmore but they quickly settled back to the surname from the books.

14 Nina Dobrev Left Because She Wanted A Break

Nina Dobrev was a huge part of The Vampire Diaries throughout its first six seasons. However, she announced that she was leaving in 2015, prompting an outcry from fans. While some speculated it was because of a romantic relationship that had broken down behind the scenes, the actor claimed she just wanted a break and the opportunity to pursue new roles.

13 Showrunners Did Not Want The Show To Get Too Supernatural

Many elements from the original stories were left out of the television adaptation.

The novels make reference to mystical animals, angels, and other spiritual phenomena. Yet, the producers wanted to avoid the show becoming too supernatural. So they removed these references to help keep the show more grounded in reality.

12 There Have Been Lots Of Behind-The-Scenes Romances

While it is not unusual for co-stars to become romantically linked during filming, The Vampire Diaries became notorious for its behind-the-scenes relationships. Lead cast Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder dated for three years.

Additionally, Candice Accola and Zach Roerig were also in a relationship, while Paul Wesley and Torrey DeVitto married in 2011.

11 Many Of The Female Cast Were Arrested

Several of the female cast members were arrested in 2009 during a promotional shoot for the series in Georgia. Passing motorists had reported the women to police, claiming they were purposely distracting drivers. However, these drivers could not see the cameras and were unaware filming was taking place. Nina Dobrev, Sara Canning, Candice Accola, and Kayla Ewell were all taken into custody.

10 The Writers Struggled To Keep Damon And Elena Out Of A Relationship

One of the key fixtures of the books and the television series is the relationship between Damon and Elena. The writers wanted to keep them apart for at least three seasons. However, they felt that they "could feel the magnetic pull -- not just of Twitter, but of the fandom really rooting for this" and so struggled to stick to their plans.

9 Every Episode Title In Season 8 Is A Quote From The Show

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The eighth season of The Vampire Diaries was the conclusion to the show. As such, the producers wanted to celebrate the series. One way they did this was with the episode titles for Season 8. Each episode's name is taken from a quote that was uttered in earlier seasons, providing a link back to pivotal moments.

8 Klaus' Storyline Nearly Took Place On The Show Rather Than A Spin-Off

The Vampire Diaries has so far had two spin-offs. The first of these, called The Originals, features Klaus and chronicles the werewolf's struggles with his family. Yet, the plan was to have that storyline in the main show if a spin-off never materialized. Executive producer Julie Plec said: "We thought, even if there's no spinoff, we'll do this on Vampire Diaries."

7 Fell's Church Was Changed To Mystic Falls Because Of The Association With Religion

The Vampire Diaries novels take place in a location known as Fell's Church.

However, for the show, the producers and writers changed the name to Mystic Falls. This was because they wanted to avoid the religious connotations that came with that name. Instead, they opted for the more neutral Mystic Falls.

6 Ian Somerhalder Fought Against His Character Showing A Softer Side

One well known and emotional scene from The Vampire Diaries is when Damon shows mercy on Rose. He comforts her while she is dying and ensures she doesn't suffer. However, actor Ian Somerhalder was dead set against this.

He explained that he did not want his character to behave that way because "it showed this soft side of Damon that I hated — I hated it."

5 Tyler Lockwood Was Not Going To Be A Main Character

According to executive producers Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson, another character almost never made it into the early part of the show. Early outlines did not include Tyler Lockwood. This was mainly because his story didn't get interesting until later and he had such an unlikable personality in the books.

4 Nina Dobrev Nearly Lost Out After An Awful Audition

Nina Dobrev may have portrayed one of the most important characters on The Vampire Diaries but she almost never had a role on the show at all. According to the actor, she messed up her first audition completely. So much so that she was not even in contention for a part. Fortunately, she sent in a second audition tape that was far better.

3 A Phone Number From The Show Actually Worked

One episode of The Vampire Diaries displayed a phone number as Stefan called Isobel. This was actually a functioning number that fans could call. Once connected, callers would hear a message from either Damon, Katherine, or Stefan. Each would try to convince listeners to side with them in the battle against Klaus.

2 Gallons Of Blood Were Made Using Corn Syrup, Salt, And Peppermint

As you might imagine from a show about vampires, this television series needed lots of fake blood.

This duty fell to special effects artist Conor McCullagh. He would make gallons of fake blood at a time, providing the cast and crew with enough to shoot several episodes at a time. The blood was made from corn syrup, salt, and peppermint.

1 Ian Somerhalder And Paul Wesley Don't Want A Spin-Off

Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley were two of the most important characters on The Vampire Diaries. Since the main show ended, fans have long requested a further spin-off featuring the two, or appearances from the actors in sister shows. Unfortunately, neither looks set to happen as the pair have consistently said they have no interest in revisiting their characters.