For six years, Nina Dobrev starred as Elena Gilbert on The Vampire Diaries, one the CW’s most successful shows. She won four People’s Choice Awards, six Teen Choice Awards, and even dated her co-star Ian Somerhaulder. But Dobrev, who was born in Bulgaria and still speaks the language fluently, never quite fit into the network’s usual teen queen mold, and when her contract expired at the end of the show’s sixth season, she was ready to move on. Today, The Vampire Diaries will begin its seventh season without its protagonist.

Now 26, Dobrev is being judicious about what she does next. She’s returning to her roots in the indie film industry, first with The Final Girls, a playful spin on cheesy ’80s slasher flicks that won the Audience Award at SXSW and recently screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, and next with Arrivals. Co-starring Taissa Farmiga, Malin Akerman, Alia Shawkat, and Alexander Ludwig, The Final Girls will open tomorrow. Arrivals, which features Asa Butterfield and Game of Thrones’s Maisie Williams, will begin filming early next year. Continue Reading at Interview Magazine

Gallery Link:

• Nina Dobrev Network > Studio Photoshoots > Professional Photos > Session 49