Nina Dobrev

Nikolina Kamenova Dobreva (; born January 9, 1989), known professionally as Nina Dobrev , is a Canadian actress. She is known for portraying Elena Gilbert and Katherine Pierce in The CW's supernatural drama series The Vampire Diaries (2009–2015).

Born in Sofia and raised in Toronto, Dobrev made her screen debut playing minor roles in various films, before landing her breakout role as Mia Jones in the drama series Degrassi: The Next Generation (2006–2009). She later rose to prominence with her role in The Vampire Diaries, and appeared in several feature films, including the 2012 coming-of-age drama The Perks of Being a Wallflower, the comedies Let's Be Cops and The Final Girls (2014), and the 2017 science-fiction drama Flatliners. Her biggest commercial success came with XXX: Return of Xander Cage (2017). She also starred in the romantic comedies Dog Days (2018), Then Came You (2018), and Love Hard (2021), and she had a leading role in the sitcom Fam (2019).

Early life Nikolina Kamenova Dobreva was born on January 9, 1989, in Sofia, Bulgaria, to Kamen Dobrev, a computer specialist, and Michaela Dobreva (née Radeva), an artist. She has an older brother named Alexander, nicknamed Alex, who is a computer specialist. When she was two, her family relocated to Canada, where she was raised in Scarborough, Toronto and attended Vradenburg Junior Public School. At age 10, she moved back to Bulgaria with her mother for two years.

Dobrev later attended J. B. Tyrrell Sr. Public School, where she started ballet and jazz classes and competed in rhythmic gymnastics. Dobrev subsequently attended the arts program at Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts in Scarborough until her graduating year.

Dobrev entered post-secondary studies at Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University) in Toronto, majoring in sociology, though her pursuit of an acting career prevented her from graduating.

Career

Dobrev's first major acting role was as Mia on the teen drama television series Degrassi: The Next Generation, a role she played for three seasons starting in 2006.

Dobrev left Degrassi in 2009 to star in The CW's supernatural drama series The Vampire Diaries, a television adaptation of the book series of the same name, playing the lead role of Elena Gilbert. Dobrev recurrently played a 500-year-old doppelgänger vampire named Katherine Pierce. She played the Petrova doppelgänger progenitor Amara, also known as the world's first immortal, in season 5. She crossed over to The Vampire Diaries spinoff The Originals, as doppelgänger character Tatia, in an episode in 2014. In April 2015, Dobrev announced via Instagram that she would be leaving The Vampire Diaries after portraying Elena for six seasons. In January 2017, it was announced that Dobrev would return as Elena and Katherine in The Vampire Diaries series finale.

Dobrev had a minor role in Atom Egoyan's erotic thriller Chloe, Dobrev also had a small role in the 2011 film The Roommate.

In April 2011, Dobrev was cast as Candace Kelmeckis in the film adaptation of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. In August 2014, she starred in the 20th Century Fox comedy Let's Be Cops.

Dobrev played the role of Vicki Summers in the 2015 horror comedy film The Final Girls. In September 2015, she was cast in the film Arrivals as flight attendant Izzy; the film was later retitled Departures and was scheduled to go into production in April 2017. That year, she was also cast in the romantic comedy Crash Pad, which began filming in Vancouver in fall 2015.

In 2017, Dobrev co-starred as weapons specialist Becky Clearidge in the action film sequel XXX: Return of Xander Cage. It grossed $346 million worldwide, becoming Dobrev's most successful film. The same year, she co-starred as Marlo in the remake of Flatliners.

In March 2018, Dobrev was cast as Clem in the comedy Fam, a CBS sitcom pilot that was picked up to series in May 2018. It premiered January 10, 2019. It was canceled on May 10, 2019, after one season. Dobrev starred as Chloe in the Roger Avary thriller Lucky Day, released 2019. She also joined the cast of the film Run This Town, which was released in March 2020. In July 2020, it was announced that Dobrev would star in and serve as an executive producer for a television adaptation of the Woman 99 book series.

Activism and charity work Dobrev supports multiple charitable causes, including Puma's 2011 non-profit Project Pink, which supports numerous breast cancer charities, and Hunger Bites, an organization that is dedicated to reducing hunger in 27 districts across Pennsylvania. She is also recognized for her long-term involvement with the WE movement, a Canadian-based charity that empowers youth as agents of change. She took part in a Me to We volunteer trip to Kenya to help build a school. She hosted the We Day event in Toronto in 2011 and made an appearance on stage at WE Day California 2019. Other social and charity issues with which she has been involved include the Elton John AIDS Foundation. She also attended the film premiere for The Promise, a film about the Armenian genocide, featuring Hollywood actors Christian Bale and Oscar Isaac.

Personal life Dobrev is a dual citizen of Bulgaria and Canada. She speaks fluent English and Bulgarian, and she is conversant in French. Her mother tongue is Bulgarian. While filming The Vampire Diaries, she lived in Atlanta; however, she moved to Los Angeles after leaving the series in 2015.

Dobrev has invested in various beverage companies and co-owns a wine brand with dancer Julianne Hough called Fresh Vine Wine.

From 2010 to 2013, Dobrev was in a relationship with American actor and The Vampire Diaries co-star Ian Somerhalder. She later dated retired American professional snowboarder, skateboarder and Olympic gold medalist Shaun White. They became engaged in October 2024, but in September 2025, it was reported that they had ended their engagement and separated.

On Dobrev's birthday in 2025, she had to evacuate her Los Angeles home due to a wildfire. Her home did not burn down, which made her feel survivor's guilt.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2006 Repo! The Genetic Opera Teenage Zydrate addict Short film 2007 Away from Her Monica Fugitive Pieces Bella How She Move Tall girl in bathroom The Poet Rachel 2009 Chloe Anna 2011 Arena Lori Lord The Roommate Maria 2012 The Perks of Being a Wallflower Candace Kelmeckis 2014 Let's Be Cops Josie 2015 The Final Girls Vicki Summers 2017 Crash Pad Hannah Flatliners Marlo XXX: Return of Xander Cage Becky Clearidge 2018 Dog Days Elizabeth Then Came You Izzy 2019 Lucky Day Chloe Run This Town Ashley Pollock 2021 Fin Executive producer Love Hard Natalie Bauer The One Short film; director, co-writer and producer 2022 Redeeming Love Mae 2023 The Out-Laws Parker McDermott Sick Girl Wren Pepper Also executive producer 2024 The Bricklayer Kate Reunion Amanda Tanner 2026 The Get Out Carrie

Television Year Title Role Notes 2006 Playing House Young Frannie McKenzie Television film 2006–2009 Mia Jones Recurring role (season 6); main role (seasons 7–8); guest star (season 9) 2007 My Daughter's Secret Justine Dysert Television film Too Young to Marry Jessica Carpenter Television film 2008 The American Mall Ally Shepherd Television film The Border Stephenie 2 episodes Never Cry Werewolf Loren Hansett Television film 2009 Degrassi Goes Hollywood Mia Jones Television film Eleventh Hour Grace Dahl Episode: "Eternal" Merry Madagascar Cupid the Reindeer (voice) Christmas special 2009–2015; 2017 The Vampire Diaries Elena Gilbert Lead role (seasons 1–6); guest role (season 8) Katherine Pierce Recurring role (season 1); main role (seasons 2–5); guest role (season 8) Amara Recurring role (season 5); 3 episodes 2011 Family Guy Lois's high school bully (voice) Episode: "Trading Places" The Super Hero Squad Show Ellen Brandt (voice) Episode: "This Man-Thing, This Monster!" 2014 The Originals Tatia Special guest star; episode: "Red Door" Robot Chicken Cortana, Abby, Jenny Curran (voice) Episode: "Panthropologie" 2016 Lip Sync Battle Herself Episode: "Tim Tebow vs. Nina Dobrev" 2017 Workaholics Courtnee Episode: "Termidate" 2019 Fam Clem Main role

Music videos Year Title Artist 2009 "You Got That Light" Wade Allain-Marcus & David Baum 2014 "Imagine" Various 2018 "I'm Upset" Drake

Awards and nominations