After six seasons, 133 episodes and four characters, Nina Dobrev is saying goodbye to The Vampire Diaries.

When Dobrev scored the lead role in the book series adaptation, she had just one significant role on her resume with the Canadian hit Degrassi: The Next Generation. Over the course of the next six years, viewers would watch the actress show incredible range as she transitioned from orphaned teen to newbie vampire, all while experiencing love for the first time and, yet, much more loss. She would also play a badass 500-year-old vampire, Katherine, and a vampire with her humanity shut off after the death of her brother. She’d later become a college freshman and, finally, she’d become human again. With just one final episode left, Dobrev, like her character, prepares to leave one significant chapter behind, and in her own words looks back on the journey that got her here.

In 2009, Dobrev flew to Vancouver to film the CW pilot.
I remember the first day on set like it was yesterday, which freaks me out! We shot in Vancouver, and I was with Kat Graham. We basically spent the whole day shooting in the car. Kat was driving and she had straight hair that was so weird looking and so did I. We kept having to crash because of the crow and we didn’t really know each other that well, but we were getting to know each other, and Kat’s a terrible driver, I just want to throw that out there. When we almost fake-crashed we almost real-crashed. It was a good day and we were all really excited. That pilot turned into six years of great memories that I will have with me for the rest of my life.

Early on, the cast began doing press and appearing at Comic-Con. Still, it took awhile for enormity of the show’s reach to set in.
It was a gradual feeling. Look, we shoot in Atlanta so for years we didn’t really understand the magnitude. It wasn’t until we started doing press tours and began traveling across the globe to promote the show that we realized how popular it was and how big the fandom was. Also, I don’t feel any different and I surround myself with people who don’t treat me any different. So I know the show is very popular, but I don’t have people who give me special treatment by any means. But I think one of the first few times I realized was when a friend of a friend’s kid in high school said our poster from the show was on their locker and all over their rooms. I was like “Really?” And they were like, “Yeah, unless you watchThe Vampire Diaries on Thursday nights you have nothing to talk about on Fridays.” When somebody told me that I was like, “We’re a pop culture reference now; that’s so cool!” Continue Reading at TV GUIDE

“Anything for the first time, the unknown, the fear, those are all emotions that are so exciting, ultimately,” Dobrev told THR. “I love that feeling, and I really want to feel that again. That’s why I’m excited about this next chapter: I have no idea what’s going to happen, and that means anything can happen. That’s what’s most exciting to me — the prospect of anything.”
The Vampire Diaries is poised to head into a new phase as leading lady Nina Dobrev (Elena) exits the series this week following a six-season run.

For Dobrev, Thursday’s season finale is bittersweet. “The fairy tale has to end, and the next chapter has to begin,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. “I knew this was my time, and I’m excited for the next step.”

Dobrev spoke with THR about her first — and last — days on The CW vampire drama, fan reaction to her departure, the excitement of starting something new and saying goodbye to her TVD family.

With your final episode just a few days away, has it hit you yet that your time on Vampire Diaries is nearly over?

It wouldn’t have hit me if it didn’t come out the way that it had. It leaked a little earlier than we anticipated, which forced us to make a statement prematurely. But it was a blessing in disguise, in retrospect. It didn’t hit me; I got to say goodbye with my family and with the fans. People made videos of — what was in their opinion — the best moments of the last six years. It helped me relive the last six years, and be nostalgic, grateful and look back at those moments and celebrate this experience as it ends, instead of mourn it after I left. I got to say goodbye to my family, and spend my last moments with them, and look back and remember how awesome it has been.
What was the day your exit leaked like for you?

I’ve known [I was leaving] for such a long time — for a couple of years — so it’s been a big secret I’ve been having to keep for a while. But once people finally knew, people were really upset and outspoken. But ultimately, supportive, which I was very appreciative of. It was strange, one of the days after it was announced, I had people come up to me in the street, crying, like, “What are you doing?” and angry. And then I told them and they were like, “You go, girl. Do your thing. We support you. We can’t wait to see what you’re doing next.” It’s 50-50 [support]. Continue Reading at THR