TVF Exclusive: Steven R. McQueen Previews Character Arc on Season Two of The Vampire Diaries

TVF Exclusive: Steven R. McQueen Previews Character Arc on Season Two of The Vampire Diaries



In the latest Vampire Diaries trailer, Elena tries to shake her brother awake, following his first season finale overdose.

Well, spoiler alert, fans: Jeremy Gilbert lives! We know this because Steven R. McQueen spoke with TV Fanatic this week and previewed his character's upcoming arc on the series. Excerpts from the interview are below...

What can you tell us about Jeremy this season?
Obviously I can’t give away everything, when it comes to if he turns into a vampire or not. I can say this: Jeremy has been pushed around quite a bit. He’s lost his parents, lost his first love, and all of the sudden there’s this new girl that he relates to because she’s an outsider as well, so they connect on that level. When he loses her, she’s the last person, and he lets himself go emotionally. He’s a little cold to the world now. Instead of being pushed around and wearing his heart on his sleeve; he’s about to push back a little bit.

Do you think Jeremy initiated the change for all of the wrong reasons?
He doesn’t have any humanity anymore. He doesn’t trust his sister because she betrayed him, he doesn’t really trust anybody and everyone views him as a kind of monster, so I think his mindset is “everyone already sees me as a monster, why not become one?”

Obviously, Jeremy wakes up, changed or not changed. Can you tell me how life goes when he does wake up?
Jeremy is a little more calculated. He always had his heart on his sleeve, and he doesn’t [use] emotion anymore. He thinks logically of how he can control the situation.

Will Jeremy and Elena be able to repair their relationship?
They actually get into a fist fight in the first episode [laughs].

Will Jeremy and Katherine have a run-in?
Yes.

I think the whole Vampire Diaries fan base was in uproar when Anna died.
[Malese Jow is] a very talented actress, and she’s a great girl. It was a bummer to lose her. The writers want people go through an emotional roller coaster. We had an intense connection, and things were finally feeling alright for Jeremy.

Are there any new girls in Jeremy’s future?
I don’t think, emotionally, he’s going to let himself open up to any situation like that. Physically, I’m sure he’ll indulge a little bit.

Last season, Jeremy went from brooding to care-free (when Damon erased his memory) and then back again. What was it like to play these opposing emotions?
Jeremy is just an interesting character because he’s never in the same mental state. He’s always changing. The only thing about when he made that switch is he went from being aware. He was totally out of loop when he was all happy.

If you had the chance, would you choose to be immortal?
Oh yeah. I think, anytime we can break away from society, and break the rules, I would definitely try to indulge in that.

Are you drawn to darker characters?
Being an actor is being make believe. Any time there’s more to play with, the more fun it is for me. I like characters with emotional issues, and I enjoy playing the outsider. Everyone wants me to play the boy next door, but I try to break away from that.

We spoke to Jessica Szohr about Piranha 3D, and you star in that movie, as well. What is your character like?
I’m a complete nerd. I’m not getting into any trouble, I’m very straight edge. I’m in love with Jessica Szohr’s character and she’s older than me and has a boyfriend. I have no chance in the world. We get into this Girls Gone Wild situation where I try to protect her, and then the fish start attacking. Honestly, it’s such a fun movie. I saw a little bit of it, and it’s hilarious and scary at the same time. It’s like Snakes on a Plane, but with fish. It’s much darker and gruesome than The Vampire Diaries.