| Actor | Character | Role Description | Season 7 Notes | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Stefan Salvatore | The younger, guilt-ridden Salvatore brother; a reformed ripper. | Central protagonist. His relationship with Caroline and his cover life with Valerie are key arcs. | | Ian Somerhalder | Damon Salvatore | The elder, hedonistic Salvatore brother; fiercely loyal to Stefan. | Central protagonist. Struggles with Elena's absence (in a magical coma) and becomes the target of a vengeful Rayna Cruz. | | Kat Graham | Bonnie Bennett | A powerful witch; Elena's best friend. | Takes on a much larger role. She endures a three-year imprisonment in a phoenix stone and later becomes the huntress Rayna Cruz. | | Candice King (née Accola) | Caroline Forbes | A vampire; former high school cheerleader; known for her control and optimism. | Emerges as the de facto female lead. She becomes the surrogate mother of Alaric’s twins via magical pregnancy. | | Zach Roerig | Matt Donovan | The sole human of the core group; a loyal sheriff's deputy. | Continues as the moral compass, increasingly resentful of vampire violence. | | Matthew Davis | Alaric Saltzman | A vampire hunter turned enhanced original vampire; a history teacher. | Returns as a regular. He copes with the loss of Jo and the responsibility of raising unborn twins. | | Michael Malarkey | Enzo St. John | A former Augustine vampire; Damon’s former cellmate. | His loyalty oscillates between Damon and Bonnie. His romance with Bonnie becomes a central slow-burn plot. |
A silent but deadly Heretic with a mysterious connection to the Phoenix Sword. 🏹 Notable Recurring Cast cast of vampire diaries season 7
A traditionalist Heretic who struggled to adapt to the modern world and the group's shifting morals. | Actor | Character | Role Description |
Alaric dealt with the devastating grief of losing Jo, eventually finding a new lease on life as a father. His dynamic with Caroline provided much of the season’s emotional "grounding." Michael Malarkey as Enzo St. John | | Ian Somerhalder | Damon Salvatore |