‘Vampire Diaries’ Star Kat Graham Says She ‘Didn’t Realize’ She Was the Only Black Lead For Years, Fans Encouraged Her To Advocate For Change

‘Vampire Diaries’ Star Kat Graham Says She ‘Didn’t Realize’ She Was the Only Black Lead For Years, Fans Encouraged Her To Advocate For Change

Kat Graham recently opened up about her experience as the only Black lead on the iconic Vampire Diaries series.

In a conversation on Keke Palmer’s podcast, Kat admitted she hadn’t initially paid much attention to the lack of other Black stars on the show. She credited Gen Z for calling out the issue years after the show’s 2009 debut.

 

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As fans began to express frustration over the series’ limited representation, Kat said she started having private conversations with writers and producers about how they could authentically make the show more inclusive.

While she believes the team made efforts toward greater diversity, with both successes and shortcomings, Kat ultimately adopted the mindset: “If they [want] to do better, they’ll do better.”

What are your thoughts on Kat’s perspective?