The Vampire Diaries

Poor Klaus can’t catch a break. Everyone in Mystic Falls is out to get the original hybrid vampire, and we can’t think of a girl who’d put up with his lousy temper and petulant behavior. Some may say he brought this on himself, but we’d like to think he’s just misunderstood — and that his much discussed love interest can bring out more of his humanity. (We’re also on Team Foriginal; we think Caroline is the perfect girl for the task.)

At TCA press tour, Wetpaint Entertainment got a chance to chat with Joseph Morgan, the native Brit who in real life is far more easy going than his revenge-driven character on The Vampire Diaries, and asked him about what’s going to bring out Klaus’ softer side, and whether or not he feels like he’s got a target on his back.

Wetpaint Entertainment: What will Klaus go through in the near future?

Joseph Morgan: We're going to see more layers, more aspects to his character. There's going to be a love interest introduced.

What should we know about her?

Well, what do you know about her? Nothing. All I can tell you is that he becomes pretty infatuated with someone, and he's not used to not getting his own way. And this person presents a new set of challenges to him, which only spurs him on further, only makes him more determined.

It's a great thing for me as an actor because I'm playing a side of him that we haven't seen before, a more tender side, the side that's trying to woo someone, trying to flirt, trying to convince this person that he's not just been killing for a thousand years. He does have a knowledge of culture and art and music and all of these things.

Is it someone who's familiar to the Vampire Diaries universe?

That I can't say.

What is it about this woman that appeals to Klaus?

Well, part of it is the fact that she doesn't just say, ‘Yeah. I'm yours. I'll come with you,’ and he's used to that. So part of it is the fact that she won't just accept him immediately. There's something about her. I think it starts as an infatuation, but I feel like it's going to run deeper than that.

Do you feel like he's the type of guy who's been in love before?

On my first ever episode, I did, I say to Elijah, ‘Love is a vampire's greatest weakness.’ I say, ‘We do not feel, and we do not love.’ And he says, ‘We did once,’ and I say, ‘That was too many centuries ago to matter.’ At that point I thought he's been in love before. Something has happened. We're going to learn more about whether he's been in love before, and what the story behind that was, what was sort of meant by that insinuation in my first episode. To a certain extent, I sort of fill in the gaps with the back story, but I try not to make too many definite decisions because then they'll pull something out of a hat, and I'll be like, ‘Oh my God, this has completely changed what I thought about him.’ But I feel like you don't get to be around for a thousand years and not experience love, you know. He's not that closed off.

This was the most anticipated character on the show. Did you feel any pressure?

I just knew I was going for an old vampire on The Vampire Diaries. And I think if I had known that [hype], maybe I wouldn't have got it because I would have felt the pressure. I remember after I auditioned, and I knew they were keen, I looked up the character online to see if he was in the books or not, if there was anything I could get because I knew I was going in to meet Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson who created the show. And I found all these pages and pages of who should play Klaus, and ‘I think Adam Brody would be perfect’, and whatever, and I was like, ‘Oh my God. Oh my God. This is a big deal.’ Like, suddenly you kind of felt the weight. But I was lucky enough not to Google it before I went in the first time.

And after you were cast?

They gave me four episodes as a guest, and they said there's potential to become a regular. So I knew that basically, that was code for, ‘If you mess up the four episodes, you're not coming back.’ My first scene I ever filmed was the last scene of Episode 19 where I step out of that leather trunk, and the first time I stepped out I said the wrong line. I said, ‘Now that feels so much better.’ And they went, ‘Okay. That was good. Can we do it again, and now maybe say what was in the script?’ I was supposed to say, ‘Now, that's more like it.’ The worst thing that could have happened has happened so now I'm over that hurdle.

What are we going to see as far as Stefan and Klaus the rest of this season?

We're certainly going to see how far each of them is willing to go, and I don't think he's a quitter. He's not one to back down or try to accept someone else’s terms. So we’re going to see a lot more action. I filmed a scene a couple of nights ago, which was action packed. And I feel like we needed it because there’s been all this threat. We’ve seen him one-on-one taking someone down or threatening someone. I filmed a scene that night which is going to leave no doubt this guy can really bring the goods when he needs it. So that’s been exciting for me. Upping the stakes there a little bit with the action.

Do you feel like there’s an expiration date for your character? I mean all these people are out to kill you.

 Yeah. I think so. I think eventually good has to triumph over evil or the lesser evil has to triumph. I kind of hope there will be, because otherwise, what happens? He becomes good and starts hanging out at the Mystic Grill, and they all forgive him for Jenna. “Oh, Jenna? That was ages ago. He’s all right now.” I don’t really buy it. So yeah, I think that’s necessary.

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