Paul Wesley
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Paweł Tomasz Wasilewski (born July 23, 1982), known professionally as Paul Wesley and formerly as Paul Wasilewski, is an American actor and director.
He is known for his lead role as Stefan Salvatore on the drama series The Vampire Diaries as well as his multiple film and television roles, including the anthology series Tell Me a Story.
Wesley was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, to Polish parents Tomasz and Agnieszka Wasilewski, and grew up in Marlboro Township, New Jersey. He has one older sister, Monika Emara (née Wasilewski), and two younger sisters, Leah and Julia.
In addition to English, he also speaks Polish, having spent four months every year in Poland until the age of 16. Wesley attended Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, New Jersey, and Marlboro High School for a period during his high school years. He started his theater studies in New York City and transferred from Marlboro High School to Lakewood Prep School in Howell, New Jersey, because the school was able to better accommodate his acting schedule. During his junior year in high school, he was cast in the soap opera Guiding Light as character Max Nickerson. He started college at Rutgers University in New Jersey but left after one semester when more roles were offered to him, and he realized he could make a career out of acting.
2001–2008: Early acting roles and Fallen
In 2001, Wesley, then credited as Paul Wasilewski, was one of the main cast members of the short-lived CBS television series Wolf Lake, playing the role of Luke Cates. He appeared in the 2008 CBS television film The Russell Girl, and had the lead role in the 2007 ABC Family miniseries Fallen. Wesley has had a number of roles in television shows such as 24, 8 Simple Rules, American Dreams, Army Wives, Cane, Everwood, Guiding Light, Smallville, and The O.C..
2009–2017: The Vampire Diaries and film roles
Paul Wesley, Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder in 2012
Wesley starred as Stefan Salvatore in the hit television series The Vampire Diaries since its premiere in September 2009 on The CW. In the series, he played a younger brother to Damon Salvatore as well as the love interest of a 17-year-old girl named Elena Gilbert. His work garnered him two People’s Choice Award nominations.
Throughout the years, he has appeared in a variety of films. In 2014, he co-starred in, as well as produced, Before I Disappear, which went on to win the SXSW Film Festival Audience Award and compete at the Venice Film Festival’s “Venice Days” section. That same year he co-starred in Amira and Sam which was acquired by Drafthouse Films. In 2016, he co-starred in the comedy The Late Bloomer. His other feature credits include HBO’s Shot in the Heart directed by Agnieszka Holland and Liongate’s Peaceful Warrior.
In 2014, he was cast in the film Mother’s Day, and it was also announced he was set to star in and produce a science fiction film called Convergence. He also co-starred in The Baytown Outlaws.
