Paul Wesley

In 2001, Wesley, then credited as Paul Wasilewski, was one of the main cast members of the short-lived CBS television series Wolf Lake, playing the role of Luke Cates.[9][10] He appeared in the 2008 CBS television film The Russell Girl,[11] and had the lead role in the 2007 ABC Family miniseries Fallen.[12][13][14] Wesley has had a number of roles in television shows such as 24, 8 Simple Rules, American Dreams, Army Wives, Cane, Everwood, Guiding Light, Smallville, and The O.C..

Paul Wesley, Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder in 2012

Wesley starred as Stefan Salvatore in the hit television series The Vampire Diaries since its premiere in September 2009 on The CW. In the series, he played a younger brother to Damon Salvatore as well as the love interest of a 17-year-old girl named Elena Gilbert. His work garnered him two People's Choice Award nominations.

Throughout the years, he has appeared in a variety of films. In 2014, he co-starred in, as well as produced, Before I Disappear, which went on to win the SXSW Film Festival Audience Award and compete at the Venice Film Festival's "Venice Days" section.[15] That same year he co-starred in Amira and Sam which was acquired by Drafthouse Films.[16] In 2016, he co-starred in the comedy The Late Bloomer.[17] His other feature credits include HBO's Shot in the Heart directed by Agnieszka Holland and Liongate's Peaceful Warrior.

In 2014, he was cast in the film Mother's Day,[18] and it was also announced he was set to star in and produce a science fiction film called Convergence.[19] He also co-starred in The Baytown Outlaws.[20]

Wesley began directing The Vampire Diaries in its fifth season and produced the series at the start of season 8.[21] He directed episode 16 in season 2 of Shadowhunters for Freeform. In November 2016, it was announced that under the label of his newly formed production company, Citizen Media, Wesley signed a deal with Warner Bros. Television to produce four new television shows, including Confessions of a Drug-Addicted High School Teacher, written by Jason Smith; Pecos, written by Shawn Christensen; Finding Natalie, written by Hilary Bettis and Shanghai Summer, written by Oanh Ly.[22]

His theater work includes the co-lead in the well-received off-Broadway production Cal in Camo at the Rattlestick Theater in New York City.[23] He was also the co-lead in Sensitive Skin, written by Shem Bitterman.[24] In March 2018, Wesley joined the New York Theater Workshop's production of Zurich in New York City.[25]

In June 2018, it was reported that Wesley, had joined the main cast of the CBS All Access TV series Tell Me a Story, which was created by Kevin Williamson. [26][27][28][29] Wesley currently has a development deal at Kapital Entertainment. [30] Other network television directing credits include Shadowhunters and Roswell, New Mexico. He also starred in the second episode of the Netflix miniseries Medal of Honor as Staff Sergeant Clint Romesha.