What It’s Been Like Working on ‘The Vampire Diaries’ and ‘Legacies’
My acting career changed forever when I took the role as Alaric Saltzman in The CW’s fantasy drama The Vampire Diaries. While the show may have ended in 2018, I was lucky enough to continue playing Alaric in the two spin-offs that followed, The Originals and now Legacies.
Over the years, I have been interviewed by many outlets about my acting career, what it’s like to play Alaric, what it’s like being on set with my fellow co-stars, and what I’ve learned since The Vampire Diaries first aired in 2009. A majority of the show’s most loyal followers have likely already seen and read these interviews, but I wanted to put together a list of some of my favorite interviews and press articles so that everything could live in one place.
Below is a short breakdown of two interviews, as well as the link to each article so that you can access the full version.
In 2018, I was interviewed by entertainment and YouTube channel Collider. Their interview was focused on my character’s arc over the three different series. Their questions ranged from asking me about my thoughts when I first heard about Legacies, what it’s been like working with my incredible cast members, and whether Alaric can ever have a love life. One question that I enjoyed answering in particular was about what I’ve grown to enjoy about playing Alaric, to which I replied:
“I have always loved his earthiness and his pragmatic point of view. I love that he’s a history teacher. I love that he’s a protector and wants the universe to be in balance, so that people can be at peace. As I’ve grown personally, he’s grown with me. It’s cool to come into my 40s with this character. How I’ve grown, how I’ve evolved, and how I see the world differently now will affect him. I’m excited to finally give him the attention that I feel like he deserves, and it will be a great getting to see his strengths, getting to see him at his best, and getting to see him unencumbered by things that I thought could have been character distractions. Now, you’ll see him plug back into his purpose, helping these kids, keeping the balance in town, and just striving to keep that peace.”
You can see the full interview here: https://collider.com/legacies-matthew-davis-interview/#images
A year before this, I was interviewed for The AU Review after I spent some time in Brisbane and Sydney for Oz Comic Con. This one was divided into two parts, and both were uploaded to their YouTube channel. What set this interview apart was that they focused on my love of vampire mythology and whether or not that’s what originally drew me to The Vampire Diaries (spoilers: it wasn’t). Although, I am grateful for the fact that I get to merge my career with something that has always fascinated me, which is something I know most people don’t have the opportunity to do.
You can see part one and two of my interviews here: https://www.theaureview.com/watch/interview-matthew-davis-talks-the-vampire-diaries-adaptability-as-an-actor-and-being-a-fan-of-vampire-mythology-ahead-of-oz-comic-con-sydney/
It’s fun to look back at those interviews and see how much has changed, but it’s also a reminder of how much has stayed the same over the years as well. I hope you enjoyed reading and watching these interviews and learning a little bit more about me as much as I enjoyed making them.
Additionally, I want to include two press articles about a major milestone that recently happened to me. Last year, I debuted in my first Hallmark Channel movie, Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses, alongside Jill Wagner. ET Online did a write-up about this new role, as did Cinema Blend. If you haven’t seen this movie yet, it’s the perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit this year, so be sure to check it out.
If you want to keep up with all the other things I’ve been up to lately, you can follow along on my press page as well.
Originally published at MatthewDavis.net on November 17, 2020.
