Longtime fans of the supernatural drama The Vampire Diaries will be happy to know the cast still keeps in touch—and for two stars, things have gotten even closer. Thanks to some affectionate moments at a fan convention, Zach Roerig and Arielle Kebbel recently confirmed they’re more than just costars. And their chemistry off-screen didn’t go unnoticed. Keep reading for all the details on their budding romance.
‘TVD’ stars Zach Roerig and Arielle Kebbel are dating
While The Vampire Diaries went off the air eight years ago, fans are still deeply invested in the cast’s lives. Roerig and Kebbel—who played Matt Donovan and Lexi Branson, respectively—attended a fan convention in Georgia earlier this month, where they shared a sweet, affectionate moment. In a video posted by an attendee on social media, Roerig surprised Kebbel with a large bouquet of flowers, and then the couple kissed.
The moment occurred right after Kebbel’s meet-and-greet, and fans could be heard cheering and sharing their excitement online. Kebbel even commented on a TVD fan account’s repost of the video, and it’s clear from their smiles just how happy the two of them were.
Neither has posted about their new relationship on their social media accounts.
The pair didn’t have a lot of screen time together on ‘TVD’
Roerig’s character, Matt Donovan, was a series regular for all eight seasons from 2009 to 2017. He was also the only one who remained human the entire time, and devoted fans sometimes felt he had no purpose on the show.
On the other hand, Kebbel’s character Lexi was a recurring character who appeared in seasons one, two, three, five and eight. Lexi was a 350-year-old vampire who advised Elena about dating Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley). She and Stefan had been friends for decades, so she was the perfect confidant.
Matt and Lexi appeared in scenes together but never directly with each other, as their purpose was to help develop what was happening to other characters.
Roerig and Kebbel played onscreen lovers in 2023
While Matt and Lexi didn’t have sparks flying on-screen, Roerig and Kebbel got to do so on Hallmark in 2023.
The pair starred in Love in the Great Smoky Mountains: A National Park Romance. The romantic comedy features them as Haley and Rob, two archaeologists whose young love was shattered by rival missions. Years later, they got a second chance at love on an unforgettable excavation trip.
Roerig and Kebbel aren’t the only ‘TVD’ stars who have dated
This fresh romance gets added to a long line of TVD relationships. Before Roerig and Kebbel became official, he also dated Candice Accola, who played Caroline Forbes.
Additionally, Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder (Damon Salvatore) brought their onscreen romance to life in 2010. They were together for three years, while Joseph Morgan (Klaus Mikaelson) and Persia White (Abby Bennett Wilson) began dating in 2011 and eventually married in Jamaica in 2014. Morgan and White are still together, Dobrev is engaged to Shaun White and Somerhalder is married to Nikki Reed, who played Rosalie Cullen in the Twilight franchise.
What the couple is currently working on
It’s been a while since Roerig and Kebbel shared the screen, but they have been busy on separate projects. Kebbel currently stars in FOX’s Rescue Hi-Surf, and Roerig’s most recent venture was a feature film called Day of Reckoning. He’ll also star in the Netflix series The Waterfront, set to air this summer.
