[Novo]

The CW
An executive producer of The Vampire Diaries has opened up about the casting process for the show's unseen supervillain Klaus.

Julie Plec revealed to Entertainment Weekly that over 200 actors have auditioned to play the all-powerful "original" vampire and stated that the role would not necessarily go to an unknown.

She teased: "We’ve been getting great tapes out of England and Australia. That’s what excites me. This idea that there might be somebody out there that no-one’s really familiar with yet that can be a new fresh face that we can exploit… in all the good ways.

"I think our show works so well because we don’t really stunt cast. That being said, if there’s some big hot TV star that’s available that we love, then… As I always joke, I have my Joshua Jackson fantasy - Pacey [from Dawson's Creek] in Mystic Falls."

Despite not revealing any specifics about the individuals in contention for the part, Plec did express a distaste for one particular actor being touted by the show's fans.

She mocked: "We like the people on Twitter who are like, ‘Alexander Skarsgård [from True Blood] has to be Klaus!’ I’m like really? 'Cause that’s original.

"The big important elements of this character are charisma and gravitas. You’ve got to be able to be afraid of this guy. So whether he’s an Old Word-flavoured guy or a new hip, contemporary, speedy kinda guy, that remains to be seen. We’ll see what actor we connect to the most."