Nina Dobrev is opening up about her decision to leave The Vampire Diaries, and it turns out pay parity played a huge role. The 36-year-old actress starred as Elena Gilbert and her doppelgänger Katherine Pierce for the show’s first six seasons. While many speculated about her exit at the time, Nina recently revealed the real story in the new book I Was Feeling Epic: An Oral History of The Vampire Diaries. “Candice, Kat, and I were the three lowest-paid series regulars in the first two seasons,” Nina shared, referencing co-stars Candice King and Kat Graham. “I was always open to coming back for the finale, and storyline-wise it made sense,” Nina explained.