Paul Wesley goes from The Vampire Diaries to Tell Me a Story

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Back in 2009, SCREAM screenwriter Kevin Williamson teamed with Julie Plec to develop a series of novels by author L.J. Smith into the television series The Vampire Diaries. After running for eight seasons, The Vampire Diaries wrapped up in 2017 – and now one of its stars has followed Williamson over to his latest project, the fairytale-inspired CBS All Access thriller series Tell Me a Story.

The Vampire Diaries actor joining Williamson on Tell Me a Story is Paul Wesley, who played Stefan Salvatore on the vampire series. On the new show, Wesley will be playing a character named Eddie, "a derelict and troubled individual whose petulance is fueled even more by his problems with drugs and alcohol." I'm not sure who Eddie's fairytale counterpart would be.

The other actors who have signed on for the show so far seem to be characters inspired by Little Red Riding Rood. There's Danielle Campbell as Kayla, an angry teen who has strayed from her once promising path and is now partying with the wrong crowd; Kim Cattrall as Kayla's former chorus girl grandmother Colleen, who will have to protect her family against a dark and sinister threat; and Billy Magnussen as "wolf in sheep's clothing" high school teacher Nick, who pursues a girl he hooked up with at a nightclub.

Tell Me a Story has the following synopsis: 

Set in modern day New York City, the first season of this serialized drama interweaves “The Three Little Pigs,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” and “Hansel and Gretel” into an epic and subversive tale of love, loss, greed, revenge and murder.

Williamson is writing Tell Me a Story and executive producing the series with Liz Friedlander, who will be directing the first two episodes, and Aaron Kaplan and Dana Honor of Kapital Entertainment.