The Vampire Diaries Character You Likely Didn't Know Was Inspired By Taylor Swift

"The Vampire Diaries" dominated the airwaves when it ran on The CW from 2009 to 2017. Millions were obsessed with the happenings of Mystic Falls, as two brothers, Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder), became obsessed with Elena (Nina Dobrev), protecting her from an assortment of supernatural threats. 

The love triangle may have remained front and center throughout the series, but plenty of other friends and foes made their way into the picture over the course of eight seasons. CW mainstay Stephen Amell ("Arrow") swung by Mystic Falls as a werewolf. Future "Walking Dead" actress Lauren Cohan also stopped by as vampire Rose, searching for her freedom. 

Plenty of famous faces stopped by the series over the years, but not every guest spot panned out the way those behind the scenes would've wanted. In fact, there was one major star show creator Kevin Williamson desperately wanted to show up, but it just never worked out. That didn't stop him from writing a character with the one and only Taylor Swift in mind.

Lexi (Arielle Kebbel) initially appeared as Stefan's best friend in the show's first season. She had known the Salvatore brothers for a century, eventually becoming friendly toward Elena before her death. While Kebbel does an incredible job with the role, she wasn't the first person the creators had in mind for the character.

Kevin Williamson admitted that he wanted Taylor Swift to play Lexi at first but was "too big" for the show. He'd go on to tell E! News, "Wouldn't she make an amazing Kirsten Dunst circa 'Interview with the Vampire"-type? Oh my God, I cannot tell you how hard I'm trying to get her. I would kill to have her on the show!"

Nina Dobrev would also confirm the desire to bring Swift into the "Vampire Diaries" universe. In an interview, she confirmed, "I remember at the very beginning, we heard that Taylor Swift was a fan of the show" (via MTV). She'd go on to say how they wrote a role for her, but "it didn't work out schedule-wise, obviously." Swift would eventually show off her acting chops in the likes of "The Giver" and "Cats," but when it came to "The Vampire Diaries," it just wasn't meant to be.