Taylor Swift on The Vampire Diaries? Why the Show’s Creator ‘Said No’ to a Cameo from the Music Superstar

It’s a love story — but, baby, the Vampire Diaries bosses didn’t say yes.

Julie Plec, co-creator and showrunner for the hit CW series, revealed in Entertainment Weekly editor Samantha Highfill’s debut book, I Was Feeling Epic: An Oral History of The Vampire Diaries, out now, that the show chose not to invite Taylor Swift down to Mystic Falls.

“The CW did ask us if we wanted to do a Taylor Swift cameo, and we said no,” Plec recalled.

Plec explained that having Swift on The Vampire Diaries just “didn’t feel grounded” for the world they were building that first season.

“This isn’t 7th Heaven where Taylor can show up and do a free concert at the high school and make it feel somehow real,” she said. “It will take us all out of it, it will take this very sort of timeless little community and make it feel too contemporary.”

Now a huge Swiftie herself, Plec added, “If only I knew then what I know now about my love for Taylor.”

Elsewhere in the book, Highfill shot down a long-suspected theory that the role of Lexi Branson, the fan-favorite character played by Arielle Kebbel, was written for the “All Too Well” singer.

Highfill wrote that, despite “fan rumors,” the role was “never written” for Swift.

While Swift herself (nor her music) ever appeared on The Vampire Diaries, the show did sneak in a mention of her during the first season.

The scene is set at the Salvatore Mansion between vampire bros Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Stefan (Paul Wesley).

“Believe it or not, Stefan, some girls don’t need my persuasion,” Damon said in the scene in a very Damon way. “Some girls just can’t resist my good looks and my style and my charm and my unflinching ability to listen to Taylor Swift.”

Damon then stabbed Stefan — you know, as supernatural siblings tend to do.

The Vampire Diaries aired for eight seasons between 2009 and 2017 on The CW, with its story centering around a love triangle between Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) and the vampiric Salvatore brothers.

In addition to Dobrev, Wesley and Somerhalder, the show also starred Steven R. McQueen, Kat Graham, Candice King, Zach Roerig, Michael Trevino and Legally Blonde alum Matt Davis, to name a few.

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I Was Feeling Epic: An Oral History of The Vampire Diaries is now available, wherever books are sold.