‘The Vampire Diaries’: Candice King Felt ‘Imposter Syndrome’ Playing Caroline Forbes
Candice King played Caroline Forbes for all eight seasons of The Vampire Diaries. The character went from an “insecure, neurotic control freak” to a strong, confident woman no one could mess with. In a recent interview, King expressed her pride for the way she and Caroline grew together, but admitted there were plenty of moments where she experienced “imposter syndrome.”
What Candice King loved most about Caroline Forbes
In April 2021, King and Vicki Donovan actor Kayla Ewell teamed up for an Instagram Live interview with Tommy DiDario. In it, they dished about their time on The CW hit series, as well as their podcast, Directionally Challenged.
In the interview, King revealed the Vampire Diaries moments she’s proudest of, as well as the scenes she dreaded filming. And while the actor hated crying on screen, she delivered on those emotional scenes. And oftentimes, playing Caroline became therapeutic for her.
“I can’t tell if I became more like her or if she became more like me,” King said. As she continued:
“There were a lot of things that she would experience on the show that I would then I would—not an exact experience, but a parallel emotional experience in my own life. It’s interesting how playing a character for eight years can teach you about yourself and be like a therapist in a way. I feel like she was my buddy and my therapist and a safe place I could go to work things out.”
King cited the death of Liz Forbes in season 6 as one of the hardest story arcs to film. Naturally, a character experiencing the death of their mother requires a lot of emotional vulnerability. But she powered through.
Candice King felt imposter syndrome working on ‘The Vampire Diaries’ because of her lack of experience
Although playing Caroline helped her grow, there were plenty of moments on set where King felt out of her league. She hadn’t acted much before being cast in the show (she was a singer previously and toured with Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana). This made her feel inexperienced. She said:
“I was really green. I hadn’t worked a bunch. I did not go into the show with a really long resume. I was really new to acting, and I felt it. I was very insecure and nervous. I didn’t know what a mark was, I didn’t know what a matte box was, I didn’t know anything. And so I was learning a lot on the fly.”
All of that, plus feeling uncomfortable about her ability to nail the intense emotional scenes, made her experience imposter syndrome. But those were all opportunities for growth, and King said she’s proud for having challenged herself.
Will Candice King be in ‘Legacies’?
Now, she’s ready to challenge herself again by appearing in Legacies. Caroline’s daughters, Josie and Lizzie Saltzman, are two of the stars of The CW spinoff series. Their father, Alaric Saltzman, is also a main character. And now, fans are ready for Caroline to make her debut.
King told DiDario she’s “absolutely” down to appear on the show whenever the writers are ready for her. She said:
“Yes…I always just say yes. And obviously, COVID changed things and the way that things were filming, so those invitations might even be a little delayed, you know. But, uh, yes. Absolutely. Absolutely.”
King previously appeared in the final season of The Originals, reuniting her character with Joseph Morgan’s Klaus Mikaelson. Creator Julie Plec told CinemaBlend in 2018 Caroline isn’t in Legacies because she’s off trying to find a solution to The Merge—a magical event that could threaten her daughters’ lives. But once she’s found it, she could come back to Mystic Falls.
Legacies is currently airing its third season, so keep your eyes peeled for Caroline Forbes.
