Nina Dobrev From ‘The Vampire Diaries’ Compares ‘Elena’ and ‘Bella’

by LMCullen on March 5, 2010 · View Comments

In the April edition of Seventeen Magazine, The Vampire Diaries star Nina Dobrev (aka Elena Gilbert) compared her character on The Vampire Diaries to Bella from the Twilight Saga -

Bella vs. Elena: “I think that Elena has more awareness of her friends and family, and everyone around her, and looking out for everyone’s best interests. But Bella reflects that unconditionally in love, the blinded love that girls really do experience sometimes. They fall in love with someone and they’ll do anything and everything for that one person. I think I’m more like Elena but I have a little bit of Bella in me. When I’m in love with someone and they’re really important to me, I will definitely take care of them, but at the same time, Im not going to throw everything away for a relationship, I still have my friends and I still have an awareness of everything around me.”

I am a fan (obviously) of the Twilight Saga AND the TV show The Vampire Diaries (No I have not read the books). And I agree with what Nina is saying. I don’t think that she is putting down Bella at all. And she is correct — Elena does put everyone’s best interest first, not just Stefan’s.

I like BOTH Bella and Elena

[Source: Seventeen Magazine. Thanks, Diana!]

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Nina Dobrev From 'The Vampire Diaries' Compares 'Elena' and 'Bella … | Watch Bootleg Movies Online Free: 03.05.10 at 11:06 am

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1 Nicnixs :) Um..TeamTomnixs?? 03.05.10 at 2:19 pm
2 Nicnixs :) Um..TeamTomnixs?? 03.05.10 at 2:19 pm
3 ILoveWolves-Stalking 04/09 03.05.10 at 2:20 pm: I don't like either of them. Both of the bi@#ches have two hot men chasing them. LOL
4 janygrace 03.05.10 at 2:23 pm: I agree with Nina. I definately would not have done what Bella did though, completely accept to give up everything to be with Edward. Maybe I'm biased because I always loved Jacob and not Edward though
5 Nicnixs :) Um..TeamTomnixs?? 03.05.10 at 2:23 pm: Well said LOL

Bella is a pain in the @ss ROTF

*ducks*
6 ILoveWolves-Stalking 04/09 03.05.10 at 2:26 pm: I swear. There has been no literary character that made me want to chuck my book across the room more than Bella. I did it. TWICE. LOL
7 Yasmine Shattour 03.05.10 at 2:27 pm: Nina Dobrev is fantastic!
I like both The Twilight saga and the TV show vampire diaries, I have read the books of TVD (and I don't really like them, they're ok) + it's a shame the TV show doesn't stick to the books….
8 ILoveWolves-Stalking 04/09 03.05.10 at 2:29 pm: That's what Patzy told me. It's so dumb. Maybe they thought no one could relate to a peppy blonde anymore. LOL
9 Nicnixs :) Um..TeamTomnixs?? 03.05.10 at 2:31 pm: She started off ok….

But Sm just made her less likeable with every book…She was just writing about herself by Book 3……not even dressing it up as Bella…thats why her personality does a 180 lol

I never read Eclipse anymore LOL
10 Nicnixs :) Um..TeamTomnixs?? 03.05.10 at 2:35 pm: It makes the story much better….coz she starts as a preppy blonde but she changes totally……awww…the love of vamp boys will do that LMAO
11 Nina 03.05.10 at 2:35 pm: I like both too, i read vampire diaries and it's amazing and the show too. I think Elena and Bella are very different. Love both
12 ILoveWolves-Stalking 04/09 03.05.10 at 2:37 pm: I haven't admitted this to anyone, I think, but I only read BD once. It's too painful. The only thing that saved it was Jacob's perspective cutting down on 600 pages of Bella's whining. LOL

And Eclipse makes me hurl every expletive I know while sobbing at the same time! LOL
13 Nicnixs :) Um..TeamTomnixs?? 03.05.10 at 2:44 pm: I just use Eclipse to keep my door jammed open LOL

I just wish Jake and Edward had dumped her @ss and gone on a round the world boys cruise LMAO
14 ILoveWolves-Stalking 04/09 03.05.10 at 2:44 pm: Is Damon as delicious in the books? Cause *moan* I am totes in lust with him
on the show!
15 ILoveWolves-Stalking 04/09 03.05.10 at 2:46 pm: Now that's a fic I want to read!
16 Nicnixs :) Um..TeamTomnixs?? 03.05.10 at 2:49 pm: Yes LOL

He has that seems like a bad boy…..but is he really bad??? thing going on..

I love him LOL

Stefan is a bit better in the books too…..not such a wet blanket…..and the storyline is TOTALLY different..

Elena never has that 'i know what you are moment and i can't be with you moment of fake angst and stuff'….she's pretty much cool with everything…..a bit buffy like i guess
17 Nicnixs :) Um..TeamTomnixs?? 03.05.10 at 2:52 pm: God me too

They could sleep their way around the planet

Can we have a ficiton character based on Tom sturridge please LOL Just for me
18 ILoveWolves-Stalking 04/09 03.05.10 at 2:57 pm: Buffy, now she was the baddest heroine EVER. LOL

Damon/Ian is so beautiful you can overlook the whole murder thing. LMAO
19 ILoveWolves-Stalking 04/09 03.05.10 at 2:59 pm: LMAO! VWL might write that for you if you ask nicely. Though I'm still
waiting for my bday fic 4 months later! *sobs*
20 Nicnixs :) Um..TeamTomnixs?? 03.05.10 at 3:01 pm: You could overlook ANYTHING lol

I think he's 95% of the reason i like the TV show The other characters
are sort of lame…

its a shame..in the book there is another central human charater who is an
awesome sharp smart chick that damon is sort of scared off But she's not
in this so far….*pouts*
21 Nicnixs :) Um..TeamTomnixs?? 03.05.10 at 3:04 pm: *looks around*

You do realise we are commenting on this thread alone lol

*puts on sesame street voice over*

This coversation was brought to you by Nicnixs and ILW……..and by the
letters DAMONISHOT…..and BELLASUCKS lol
22 Flowers_and_Cookies (Patzy) 03.05.10 at 3:09 pm: *pops in*
OMG…Damon is so effing firef*ckhawt!!!
*pops out*
23 Flowers_and_Cookies (Patzy) 03.05.10 at 3:15 pm: *taps Nicky on shoulder and waves*
24 ForTheLoveTeamRensmeeTeethBaby 03.05.10 at 3:17 pm: Both Elena and Bella are a little whiny for my liking. I'd rather have any of the guys.
25 ILoveWolves-Stalking 04/09 03.05.10 at 3:18 pm: That's cause we're cool like that. We're intimidating. Sexy. LOL
26 ILoveWolves-Stalking 04/09 03.05.10 at 3:19 pm: He's def 100% of the reason I stayed up til wee hours of the morning catching up online after you scanks clued me in. LOL
27 ILoveWolves-Stalking 04/09 03.05.10 at 3:20 pm: LMAO! Were you stalking me?!
28 Flowers_and_Cookies (Patzy) 03.05.10 at 3:24 pm: ….maybe…
*grins*
29 HEARTBREAKCHICK 03.05.10 at 3:31 pm: Bella doesnt only think of love, and her love life. she is allways thinking of everyone else but herself and worring about how her choices/ events/ troubles effect everyone or puts them in dangerand how to protect them. Bella is selfless.

AND why would the Questions “is your period regular?” on the cover of the magazine???? A man must have made the layout!
30 ILoveWolves-Stalking 04/09 03.05.10 at 3:39 pm: I love it when you do that. LMAO
31 Vampyre_Wolf_Lover(Mrs.TomStu) 03.05.10 at 3:51 pm: I agree about BD, my darling Perv! Those sparkle-twits can say whatever they want about cutting Jacob's part out of the story: it MADE BD. Without it, BD would be excruciating torture. It still is actually :/

The Saga on the whole would've been better from Edward's perspective. SM totally ruined Bella and made her one of the most unlikable protagonists I have ever come across in my 20-something years of literary love. There is nothing even remotely redeeming about her.
32 Gypsy0531 03.05.10 at 4:51 pm: Bella doesnt only think of love, and her love life. she is allways thinking of everyone else but herself and worring about how her choices/ events/ troubles effect everyone or puts them in dangerand how to protect them. Bella is selfless.

Thank You. I so agree. She is selfless. That is one of the qualities that Edward saw in her and set her apart from others.
33 HEARTBREAKCHICK 03.05.10 at 4:56 pm: Thank you. That NIna somthing chick, must have not read the book/and be the only person in the world that hasnt seen the movies yet or somthing.
34 ILoveWolves-Stalking 04/09 03.05.10 at 5:21 pm: Sparkle twits! LOL Anyone with half a brain knows Jacob's book made the thing somewhat bearable, even if SM screwed him over in the end (like always).
35 kerbear585 03.05.10 at 5:29 pm: big Vampire Diaries fan…haven't read the books though. the show came out before i had a chance and i didn't want to ruin the show for me by getting ahead of it by reading, lol

love Bella and Elena
36 Vampyre_Wolf_Lover(Mrs.TomStu) 03.05.10 at 5:43 pm: I am SORRY that i haven't written your ff yet. I was giving it some thought just yesterday, even went so far as to catch up on my ff reading-list to get in the mood and re-read my Jacob/Nessie ff, which started me off in the ff writing to begin with.

I won't make any promises but I'll TRY to give you SOMETHING with Taylor in it, even if it's not as explicit as you'd like. It's better than nothing right?
37 ILoveWolves-Stalking 04/09 03.05.10 at 5:55 pm: But I want sexy and explicit! You promised! *bottom lip quivers and eyes well up* LOL
38 Vampyre_Wolf_Lover(Mrs.TomStu) 03.05.10 at 6:05 pm: I know but I think the reason I'm so stumped is because I just can't see Taylor as a sexual being. It makes me uncomfortable. It's all plotted in my head but to put it on paper (well, Word pad) is going to be hard.

I'll try, okay? If anything, I can do the lead in and the end and you can write the dirrrty sex yourself. Sound good?
39 Mrs Edward Cullen 03.05.10 at 6:33 pm: I am a HUGE vampire diaries fan, Elena rocks I prefer her much better…sorry Bells
40 Mrs Edward Cullen 03.05.10 at 6:33 pm: BWAHAHAHAHA yep mine is…a regular pain in the you know what!
41 ILoveWolves-Stalking 04/09 03.05.10 at 6:36 pm: So write it thinking of someone else and put Tay's name on it. If I could write FF myself I would have done it long ago! LOL
42 Anastasia Hurd 03.05.10 at 6:39 pm: I agree with Nina. Bella is selfish and there's nothing special about her. I like Elena better than Bella.
43 Vampyre_Wolf_Lover(Mrs.TomStu) 03.05.10 at 6:44 pm: Just seeing his name will kill it for me. But I will try and you will get something.
44 ILoveWolves-Stalking 04/09 03.05.10 at 6:54 pm: You're the bestest! I love you! LOL
45 Diana 03.05.10 at 7:05 pm: I didn't read “The vamp diaries” so I don't know how different they are from the movies, I like the show and watch it with pleasure BUT I am jealous of it…why? Because, can u imagine Twilight every week? Edward every week? (Yeah, it is strange to think about it that way after we've grown used to the movies but just think about it, a weekly date with Edward)…Wouldn't u like that?
46 McFrito loves McRob 03.05.10 at 8:15 pm: dont say sorry. lol
bella sucks.
i like elena alot more too.
=)
team elena.
47 Spectra 03.05.10 at 8:23 pm: I think it has more to do with her human friends in the books. In the books you see less and less of Bella's human friends, and they seem almost unimportant compared to her new vampire friends. Whereas in Vampire Diaries the human friends are a big part of the story and plot and remain a HUGE part of Elena's life, while in Twilight her human friends disappear more and more as she becomes a bigger part of the supernatural.
48 Spectra 03.05.10 at 8:25 pm: I think it has more to do with her human friends in the books. In the books you see less and less of Bella's human friends, and they seem almost unimportant compared to her new vampire friends. Whereas in Vampire Diaries the human friends are a big part of the story and plot and remain a HUGE part of Elena's life, while in Twilight her human friends disappear more and more as she becomes a bigger part of the supernatural.

Now in Twilight she was very selfless and protective of her human friends, and her family, but in the other three books I just don't see it as much in regards to her old friends. She just has new friends now, and yes, she will protect them.
49 HEARTBREAKCHICK 03.05.10 at 8:37 pm: I understand what you mean, Elena is the most popular girl in school….

but in Bella case she was never really was that fond of the humans, she had just moved to a new state and her friends (The Cullens) did become her family and at the end she did find a way to make all the people she cared about like charlie, her mom, seth, even jacob be a part of her new life.
50 Spectra 03.05.10 at 8:39 pm: Very true. I guess they just can't be compared in that way, or if they are then Bella's new life with her new vampire friends are just as important to her as the human friends to Elena are.

They are both very different characters, and I like them both! I love Twilight and VD! lol
51 HEARTBREAKCHICK 03.05.10 at 8:42 pm: me too =)
52 Gypsy0531 03.05.10 at 10:06 pm: Throughout all of the books i see her as selfless. As far as her friends, bella is different from other humans. That's why she has a hard time relating to her peers. Bella belongs to the supernatural world. I never saw it as her not wanting to keep her friends that's just her makeup because she has a hard time fitting in as a human. Maybe that's why her friends are not a big part of her life. You don't really see the vampires in twilight keeping company with humans. because she was born for that life her friends will not be a huge part.
53 TeamTKRJ 03.05.10 at 10:39 pm: I've read the VD books, and I'm going to be honest… I like them better than Twilight. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE Twilight. There aren't even words to describe my love for the series.
54 ZaraLovesTwilight 03.05.10 at 10:42 pm: If you found the books “ok”, why would you want the TV show to be similar to it?
55 Edwardlover89 03.05.10 at 11:30 pm: I'm a big Vampire Diaries fan. LOVE the show, and I'm currently reading one the books. I have to admit, I still like Twilight, but I like VD way better. Also I like Elena better than Bella too. Bella annoyed me so much that I wanted to throw the book across the room. So yea, Team Elena for me! Sorry, Bella.

And Omg, Damon. I am head over heels in love with that boy. He is delicious!!
56 Spectra 03.05.10 at 11:33 pm: Oh I agree, she is totally meant to be a vampire. She belongs in their world more than the human world. But I can see why someone would say that if they are not a fan of the books.
57 IloveyouEdward 03.06.10 at 12:39 am: Uuhmm Team Bella all the way
Elena doesn't have a boyfriend that sparkles.
58 belladonna101 03.06.10 at 3:41 am: I know I am reading them right now and the only thing the show and the books have in common is the names. Bonnie in the books is a basketcase while on the show she's a tour de force. Sometimes I think you can take too many liberties. They have changed some of the names too. In the show its Tyler Lockwood but in the books its Smallwood. Maybe they didn't get total clearance from LJ Smith I don't know maybe they just wanted to make up their own storylines.
59 belladonna101 03.06.10 at 3:43 am: I miss Buffy!!! Like you couldn't tell with my avi!!!
60 belladonna101 03.06.10 at 3:45 am: I don't know why they don't have Meredith in the show. She scares Damon shitless!!!
61 Missy 03.06.10 at 3:50 am: I like the twilight saga
but i think i dislike bella alittle she kind is one of the characters or a person that doesnt really think, like she doesnt care about having friends but when people want to be her friend she just pushes them away.. But stays with the Vampire family its weird and i love edward but he is so depressing , bella is depressing enough for both of them lol and i like Jacob black cuz he is one of those characters that his ur bff but he can drive you crazy and want to hate him but u still love him no matter what lol..my favorite character from twilight is Carlisle because He isnt trying to be anyone but himself and he is not depressing just a good person,even thought he isnt in the book alot he just stands out when he is … thats my opinion haha
62 Missy 03.06.10 at 3:58 am: thats true and dont get me wrong i love twilight
but I dont rlly like the first book of VD i love the show i can only compare throught twilight books and VD show…
Edward- is Protective of bella Stefan is Protective of Elena
Edward- Is so Depressing&always trying to push bella away Stefan- is so Serious and sexy but boring
Edward can read minds Stefan well he so far he cant do crap
Edward has alot of enemies right now Stefan well he has some brother issues that last over a hundred of years.
Edwards brother Emmett is funny and strong Jasper is a kind/Crazy/Creeper ahah Stefan brother well a jerk/sexy/mysterious/and gental hearted deep inside
both eddie and stef have good/bad in them i cant choose haha
63 Its_Glitter_Like_Glittery 03.06.10 at 10:00 am: I Love The Vampire Diaries, only Twilight Wins out of them At least they both have hot Characters Edward and Stefan
64 dying.to.b.a.cullen 03.06.10 at 7:45 pm: i watch the show cos Damon is hot (which I think is the case for a lot of people) but personally I find Elena and Stefen a bit boring……i dont think they have any chemistry….When I watch Twilight/Newmoon i am totally drawn into that world and you find your self connecting to the characters and rooting for them but with VD its emotionless for me…
65 alwaysyourflightlessbird 03.07.10 at 2:54 am: ughh the acting in the VD kills me, especially Nina's. She has one emotion that I can basically have a cardboard cut-out giving more emotion. I don't mind the show but some of the acting is incredibly terrible. Now trueblood is a vampire show that is sooo much better.

I love Bella personally. I find her relateable, and think she is truly selfless, doing everything for others, and always feeling guilty when she does something for herself. She is extremely independent, as you can see in her life with her family. Her human friends didn't play that big of a part because she never was that close to them, basically being surface friendships.

I don't think her personality changes in Eclipse, more that her character grew over the time span of the books, and Edwards absence as well. I found that she mostly changed in Breaking Dawn, the whole becoming a mother thing and how much her personality changed in that annoyed me. I am probs in the minority here but I am not looking forward to the film version of breaking dawn for that reason. Though everything up to the goings on at Ilse Esme I'm cool with
66 Bellas<3SpiderFlippy -TeamJune 03.07.10 at 2:22 pm: No sparkles is a total turn off! LMAO
67 Yasmine Shattour 03.07.10 at 3:22 pm: that's a good question ^^
well, I think because I like it when a book and a movie are alike, I don't really like it when it's only loosely based on a book
maybe that's because it's more fun that you can see different elements from the book in the movie/series, and with TVD I hardly recognise anything at all ..
but still, I love the series!
68 SpaceHeated_Cullen 03.30.10 at 6:42 pm: REALLY!! I love Nina's expressions in VD and love EVERYONE'S acting!! they do a wonderful job.
Kristen is the horrable voice expressing person. she is flat and I just don't like her as Bella.
Nina would have been PERFECT!!!
Bella in the books matches me wonderfully and so I love that. I think that is why I'm so hard on KStew but man!! she just can't portray Bella AT ALL!!
Elena (Nina) always looks for the future cause and changes her decisions to match what she reallty wants to happen. What she does doesn't have to make her feel guilty.
Not trying to put Bella down at all, I love her. But she doesn't think about the concequences before hand and that is why she runs into the heart break she does and why she deserves to feel guilty once everything is said and done.
69 SpaceHeated_Cullen 03.30.10 at 6:45 pm: Plus. Elena has lived in the town of Mystic Falls since birth. well, or so she thought. her past is just being unfolded.
Anyway. Bella didn't have the chance to make such great friends.
the writers have the different styles.
And VD is NOT tryig to make a BELLA!! they just found an actress that they love for the part and decided to go with her natural hair color. Unlike KStew, she doen't go goth like while in the midle of a continuing movie set.
70 LauraW91 04.23.10 at 11:22 pm: I totally adore vamp diaries and my rom is wall to wall Twilight!

but anyone here a sookie fan too?? =D

xxxxxxxx
71 Christina 07.08.10 at 1:20 am: Damon is so hot but I hate how he's such a jerk but that's what makes his character more interesting lol ;D