Actor Paul Wesley was one of the most famous faces on American television from the late 2000s to mid-2010s. Although his career peaked in that decade, Wesley made his acting debut a decade earlier. Although now professionally known as Paul Wesley, he was born Paweł Tomasz Wasilewski in New Brunswick, New Jersey, to Polish parents.
Despite living in the United States, Paul Wesley is well-grounded in his Polish roots and speaks the language. Until he was 16, Wesley spent four months every year in Poland. With his career spanning a quarter of a century, here’s a look at Paul Wesley’s acting career through his most notable roles.
Paul Wesley’s Early Career Stint in Soap Opera
Paul Wesley made his acting debut on television in 1999. He joined the cast of NBC’s Another World soap opera as Sean McKinnon. Like many of his earliest roles, Wesley was credited with an English variation of his birth name, Paul Wasilewski. Wesley appeared in 6 episodes of Another World. In the same 1999, he was cast as Max Nickerson in the CBS soap opera Guiding Light. He became the second person to portray the character. Wesley appeared as Max Nickerson in 6 episodes of Guiding Light.
Wolf Lake
Paul Wesley was no stranger to the supernatural genre when he was cast in The Vampire Diaries. He landed the first major role of his career in 2001. Wesley was cast as Lucas “Luke” Cates, one of the main cast in the CBS/UPN Wolf Lake TV series. Wolf Lake was canceled even before it finished airing its scheduled episodes for the first season. Although Paul Wesley isn’t popularly known for these roles, they are included as a representation of his early career.
Fallen
Fallen was a 2007 ABC Family miniseries that aired as a TV movie. It was Paul Wesley’s first lead role of his career. Wesley was cast as Aaron Corbett. The character was introduced as a Nephilim, half-human, half-angel hybrid. On his 18th birthday, it is revealed that his mission is to help fallen angels redeem themselves so they are worthy to return to heaven. Fallen generally received positive reviews from critics. Based on Tom Sniegoski’s book series, the miniseries showcased Paul Wesley’s talent for playing supernatural characters. It also helped gain him early recognition among fantasy genre TV audiences.
The Vampire Diaries
Paul Wesley’s career-defining moment came in 2009 after being cast as Stefan Salvatore in The CW’s supernatural teen drama The Vampire Diaries. Like many supernatural TV series before it, The Vampire Diaries was based on L. J. Smith’s young adult vampire fiction series of the same name. Wesley’s character, Stefan, is one of two vampire brothers at the center of the story. Stefan is a complex character caught in a love triangle with The Vampire Diaries’ heroine, Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) and Stefan’s older brother, Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder).
Interestingly, during the show, Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder dated in real life from 2010 to 2013. Paul Wesley portrayed Stefan Salvatore for all 8 seasons, from 2009 to 2017, earning widespread recognition for this performance. The Vampire Diaries was a massive hit, making Wesley a household name, especially among younger television audiences. Wesley skillfully portrayed Stefan’s inner turmoil—his struggle to maintain his humanity while resisting darker vampire urges. This made the character one of the show’s most beloved figures.
Watch The Vampire Diaries on Apple TV+
Paul Wesley Co-Founded a Production Company in 2016
During his time on The Vampire Diaries, Paul Wesley also took on directing duties, beginning in season 5. His work behind the camera added a new dimension to his career, gaining a reputation as a talented filmmaker. Besides the 5 episodes of The Vampire Diaries, he also directed an episode of its spin-off series, Legacies. Paul Wesley co-founded Citizen Media production company in 2016. The company has been developing several TV projects, including signing a deal with Warner Bros. Television.
Tell Me a Story
While The Vampire Diaries was Paul Wesley’s most famous role, he continued to build his acting portfolio with various other projects. In 2018, Wesley took on a darker and more mature role in the psychological thriller anthology series Tell Me a Story (2018–2020). Created by Kevin Williamson, the 2-season series reimagined classic fairy tales as contemporary thrillers. Paul Wesley played two different characters across its 2 seasons.
In Tell Me a Story season 1, Wesley portrayed Eddie Longo, a low-level drug dealer and bartender, whose fairytale character is the first pig in The Three Little Pigs. In season 2, Paul Wesley played Tucker Reed, an obsessive writer whose fairytale character was based on the Dark Fairy from Sleeping Beauty. As his next major television project after The Vampire Diaries, Tell Me a Story allowed Paul Wesley to demonstrate his acting range, moving away from his vampire persona into more complex, flawed characters in a gritty, real-world setting.
Watch Tell Me a Story on Apple TV+
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Paul Wesley joined the Star Trek universe in 2022 in a bold departure from his previous known projects. Wesley is cast in a recurring role as James T. Kirk in the Paramount+ Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. His portrayal of one of the universe’s most iconic characters brought him further acclaim, introducing him to a new generation of audiences. Although he’s introduced as a guest character in season 1, his character is upgraded to a recurring role in season 2. Paul Wesley’s career has had an upturn since his breakout role as Stefan Salvatore, just like other cast members of The Vampire Diaries.
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