‘Vampire Diaries’ scoop: Meet six fresh faces for season 5

When The Vampire Diaries returns for its fifth season on Oct. 3, fans may feel like they’re watching a new show: Elena (Nina Dobrev) is officially with Damon (Ian Somerhalder), and she and Caroline (Candice Accola) are now students at nearby Whitmore College. Damon is living with Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen), who’s still the only one who knows Bonnie (Kat Graham) died while resurrecting him. And Stefan (Paul Wesley), villain Silas’ surprise doppelgänger, remains trapped in a water-logged safe drowning over and over again. “He has all these weird dreams and visions,” Wesley says, “and when he gets out, it’s almost like PTSD.”

All those changes mean many new, and very pretty, faces will be joining our Mystic Falls favorites. We asked exec producers Julie Plec and Caroline Dries to make some introductions. Click on Launch Photo Gallery for the who’s who.