From Mystic Falls to Hollywood: The Remarkable Journey of 'The Originals' Cast

The bond between the cast members of The Originals remains unbreakable, even though the likes of Joseph Morgan, Daniel Gillies, and Claire Holt have moved on from the CW drama. This sense of family that was created on the show has extended beyond its stars and is evident in another series. The Originals, which premiered in 2013 as the first spinoff of The Vampire Diaries, introduced viewers to the Mikaelson family and their supernatural adventures in New Orleans.

The core group of The Originals remained relatively stable throughout its run, despite some cast changes along the way. One notable addition was Klaus' daughter Hope, played by several actresses before Danielle Rose Russell took on the role for the final season. Her character went on to headline her own spinoff, Legacies, which debuted in October 2018. As for Joseph Morgan, he jokingly admitted to taking as many henleys as he could carry when he wrapped filming on the show's fifth and final season. The cast had an emotional farewell in New Orleans before going their separate ways.

As the show came to an end, the actor opened up about his mixed emotions. He expressed feeling a sense of emptiness as he stood in New Orleans without a job and alone, despite having his wife and some cast members with him. The experience was bittersweet, a mix of joy and sadness, and difficult to put into words. Packing up his belongings, he took a final look at his dressing room, where he had spent five years, wondering if there was anything else he could take as a memento. Morgan described the experience as overwhelming and strange, having spent so much time with these people over the past five years.

Scroll through the gallery below to see where the cast of The Originals is now:

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‘The Originals’ Cast: Where Are They Now?

The bond formed among the cast of The Originals continues to thrive, even though actors such as Joseph Morgan, Daniel Gillies, and Claire Holt have moved on from the series. The show, which debuted in 2013 as a spinoff of The Vampire Diaries, introduced the Mikaelson family to viewers before taking them on a thrilling journey to New Orleans for more supernatural adventures.

The cast of The Originals saw some changes over the years, but the core group remained intact until the show's final episode in August 2018. One notable addition was Klaus' daughter, Hope, played by various actresses before Danielle Rose Russell took on the role in the final season. Hope's popularity led to her own spinoff, Legacies, which premiered in October 2018. Actor Joseph Morgan, who played Klaus, humorously admitted to taking home as many henleys as he could fit in his bag after wrapping up the fifth and final season. The last day of filming in New Orleans was emotional, with speeches and hugs before everyone packed up and left.

As the show came to a close, the actor opened up about the mixed emotions he experienced. He vividly remembers standing there, feeling the absence of everyone around him. Despite having friends and his wife by his side, he couldn't shake off the sense of loneliness and unemployment looming over him. The bittersweet feeling of joy and sadness overwhelmed him, leaving him with a plethora of emotions. As he packed up his belongings, he took a final look at his dressing room, where he had spent the last five years. He even joked about stealing something, but ultimately settled on taking the name tag off the door as a memento. Wrapping up the show was a surreal experience for Morgan, as he had spent five years with the cast and crew, and bidding farewell was nothing short of overwhelming.

Scroll through the gallery below to see where the cast of The Originals is now:

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Joseph Morgan (Klaus Mikaelson)

The actor has starred on Animal Kingdom and Brave New World. He has been married to Persia White, whom he met on the set of The Vampire Diaries, since July 2014.

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Daniel Gillies (Elijah Mikaelson)

Gillies has been keeping busy with his recent roles in Virgin River, Occupation: Rainfall, and Coming Home in the Dark. Unfortunately, his marriage to Rachael Leigh Cook ended in June 2019 after almost 15 years together, and he filed for divorce in July 2020. However, Gillies has since found love again and made his relationship with Julia Misaki public on Instagram in February 2021. Together, he and Cook share two beautiful children, Charlotte and Theodore.

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Phoebe Tonkin (Hayley Marshall)

The actress has kept busy with roles on Bloom, Westworld, The Place of No Words and The Affair. Tonkin confirmed her relationship with Alex Greenwald in June 2020.

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Charles Michael Davis (Marcel Gerard)

Davis has been keeping busy with a string of successful projects following his stint on The Originals. He has been featured in a diverse range of series including Younger, NCIS: New Orleans, Chicago P.D., For the People, No Sleep ‘Til Christmas and Same Time, Next Christmas.

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Claire Holt (Rebekah Mikaelson)

The talented actress boasts an impressive filmography that includes noteworthy titles such as The Divorce Party and A Violent Separation. In addition to her on-screen work, she also returned to her role as the Original vampire in the fourth season of Legacies. But her talents don't end there - in 2021, she teamed up with Andie Swim to launch her own line of swimwear.

Off-screen, the actress has also made headlines for her personal life. Following her divorce from Matthew Kaplan, she found love again and married Andrew Joblon in August 2018. Together, the couple has expanded their family with the birth of son James in March 2019 and daughter Elle in September 2020.

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Danielle Campbell (Davina Claire)

Campbell continued adding to her resume with roles on Tell Me a Story, Runaways, All American, Ghost Light and Alive in Denver. She is dating her Originals costar Colin Woodell.

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Leah Pipes (Camille O’Connell)

With appearances on popular television shows such as 9-1-1, Charmed, The Perfect One, and A Beauty & The Beast Christmas, this actress has become a familiar face to many. However, her personal life has also been in the spotlight as she filed for divorce from her husband A.J. Trauth in May 2019 after four years of marriage.

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Riley Voelkel (Freya Mikaelson)

After her stint in The Originals, Voelkel went on to star in other popular TV shows and movies such as Roswell, New Mexico, Hightown, and Brampton’s Own. She also delighted fans by reprising her role as Freya on Legacies in both November 2019 and October 2021. In her personal life, the talented actress found love with Mike C. Robertson and the couple got engaged in March 2021.

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Yusuf Gatewood (Vincent Griffith)

The actor has landed roles on The Umbrella Academy, Good Omens and Jacob’s Ladder.

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Danielle Rose Russell (Hope Mikaelson)

Russell stars as Hope on the Originals spinoff, Legacies, which premiered on The CW in 2018.

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Summer Fontana (Hope Mikaelson)

Fontana's acting career has flourished with her impressive performances in various films and TV shows such as X-Men: Dark Phoenix, The Outsider, The Magicians, and Wish Upon a Unicorn. Recently, she also made a comeback as Young Hope in an episode of Legacies that aired in June 2021, sharing the screen with Russell for the first time.