‘The Originals’ Cast: Get to Know Joseph Morgan, Daniel Gillies, Claire Holt and More

The Mikaelson family might have caught our attention in The Vampire Diaries, but it was their hit spinoff show The Originals that really captured our hearts. It stays in the Vampire Diaries universe with the world's first vampires as they dealt with the witches and werewolves plaguing the New Orleans French Quarter instead of in Mystic Falls. The American supernatural drama television series came from the mind of screenwriter Kevin Williamson and ran from 2013 until 2018. It would also go on to have its own spinoff show entitled Legacies. 

But despite all the magical elements and plot twists, it was The Originals cast that really made the show shine. We decided to find out what they were all up to, and now you can, too! Just scroll down! 

Joseph Morgan: The Originals cast 

CHARACTER PLAYED: Klaus Mikaelson

BEST KNOWN FOR: Casualty (2008 to 2009), The Vampire Diaries (2011 to 2016), Brave New World (2020), Titans (2022 to 2023) and Halo (2024). 

PERSONAL: Morgan has been married to Persia White since 20214. 

THOUGHTS ON THE ORIGINALS: “I really felt like this was a guy [Klaus] that you just wouldn't want to be in a room with because you never knew what he was gonna do. He could kiss you or kill you, and it would be the same thing to him.” 

FUN FACT: Klaus was supposed to die in The Vampire Diaries, but the producers loved him so much that they changed their minds. 

Daniel Gillies 

CHARACTER PLAYED: Elijah Mikaelson

BEST KNOWN FOR: Street Legal (2000 to 2001), Spider-Man 2 (2004), Bride & Prejudice (2004), The Vampire Diaries (2011 to 2014), Saving Hope (2012 to 2015) and Virgin River (2019 to 2022). 

PERSONAL: Gillies was married to Rachael Leigh Cook from 2004 until 2021. They had two children together. 

THOUGHTS ON THE ORIGINALS: On Elijah’s signature style Gillies said: “I prefer to be in the suits. I like them tremendously. It’s an immediate character transition where you’re getting ready to play the role. You put it [the suit] on and you suddenly feel like this other animal. It’s unique in that way, I love it. That’s how he’s known.”

FUN FACT: Gillies is the only Mikaelson sibling to be born in Canada. 

Claire Holt: The Originals cast 

CHARACTER PLAYED: Rebekah Mikaelson

BEST KNOWN FOR: H20: Just Add Water (2006 to 2008), Mean Girls 2 (2011), Pretty Little Liars (2011), The Vampire Diaries (2011 to 2014), Aquarius (2015 to 2016) and Untitled Horror Movie (2021). 

PERSONAL: Holt has been married to Andrew Joblon since 2018. They have three children together. 

THOUGHTS ON THE ORIGINALS: “I am so glad I was able to do The Originals, and I want to be a part of that family for a long time” 

FUN FACT: Holt and Tonkin starred in H20: Just Add Water (2006) together in Australia before this. 

Phoebe Tonkin

CHARACTER PLAYED: Hayley Marshall

BEST KNOWN FOR: H20: Just Add Water (2006 to 2010), The Secret Circle (2011 to 2012), The Place of No Words (2019), Night Shift (2023) and Kid Snow (2024). 

PERSONAL: Tonkin is originally from Sydney, Australia. 

THOUGHTS ON THE ORIGINALS: "I think Hayley's story was properly explored both over the course of The Vampire Diaries and over the five seasons of The Originals. 

FUN FACT: Tonkin dated her The Vampire Diaries star, Paul Wesley, for about three years. 

Charles Michael Davis: The Originals cast 

CHARACTER PLAYED: Marcel Gerard

BEST KNOWN FOR: Switched at Birth (2011), The Game (2011 to 2012), Grey’s Anatomy (2013), For The People (2019), Younger (2017 to 2021), NCIS: New Orleans (2020 to 2021). 

PERSONAL: Davis was born in Dayton, Ohio. 

THOUGHTS ON THE ORIGINALS: Davis directed a few episodes of the show remembering: “It was great because they treated me like a director. They really trusted me. They looked to me in a way that was very open and receptive to direction. They cared for my opinion. They didn’t fight me at all or anything like that.” 

FUN FACT: Marcel only appeared in The Vampire Diaries for the Mikaelson-centric episode that served as the potential pilot for The Originals. 

Danielle Campbell

CHARACTER PLAYED: Davina Claire

BEST KNOWN FOR: Starstruck (2010), F*&% the Prom (2017), Alive in Denver (2018), Runaways (2017 to 2018), Tell Me a Story (2018 to 2020) and The Rookie (2024). 

PERSONAL:Campbell is engaged to Colin Woodell. 

THOUGHTS ON THE ORIGINALS: “When you're on a show like The Originals, no character's ever really safe. People die on this show so frequently you never know who's going to be the next person in power or who's going to die. That's what keeps it so exciting.” 

FUN FACT: Campbell met her fiancé on set.  

Leah Pipes: The Originals cast 

CHARACTER PLAYED: Camille O'Connell

BEST KNOWN FOR: Lost at Home (2003), Fingerprints (2006), Life is Wild (2007 to 2008), Sorority Row (2009), The Deep End (2010), Musical Chairs (2011), Charmed (2019) and Avenue of the Giants (2024). 

PERSONAL: Pipes was married to A.J. Trauth from 2014 to 2019. 

THOUGHTS ON THE ORIGINALS: “I miss Cami just being the ingenue human sometimes with her long hair and her flowy dresses and just really getting to play that wide-eyed, innocent girl. And then over the years, she became a little more tough and a little less ignorantly optimistic. I do miss her optimism in season 1.” 

FUN FACT: Pipes received a lot of online hate from fans because they hated the romantic storyline between her and Klaus. 

Riley Voelkel

CHARACTER PLAYED: Freya Mikaelson

BEST KNOWN FOR: The Newsroom (2012 t0 2014), Chicago Med (2021 to 2022), Rosewell, New Mexico (2019 t0 2022) and Hightown (2020 to 2024).

PERSONAL: Voelkel was born in California.

THOUGHTS ON THE ORIGINALS: "I’m always happy when Freya gets to drink. You see the family often having a drink or having relationships or some other stuff and I’m like, ‘This girl does not sleep!’ She has a lot of responsibility. I really think she deserves a drink, for sure."

FUN FACT: Voelkel is the only American Mikaelson sibling.

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