Vampire Diaries Stars Arielle Kebbel and Zach Roerig Confirm Romance with Passionate Kiss
Nothing screams true love quite like a fan convention in a town that’s about as fictional as your last Tinder date. In an unexpected twist straight out of a cheesy rom-com, Arielle Kebbel and Zach Roerig, the dynamic duo from *The Vampire Diaries*, have confirmed they’re dating—because what better way to announce your love than in front of a crowd of strangers armed with smartphones? At Epic Con’s “I Was Feeling Epic 3” event in Covington, Georgia (the real-life Mystic Falls, if you can believe it), the world witnessed Roerig presenting Kebbel with a bouquet of flowers, likely a last-ditch effort to distract from the fact that he didn’t remember their anniversary. Following this heartwarming gesture, they sealed the deal with a kiss that would make even the most jaded vampire blush.
Both actors, now 40, have a history that dates back to their time on the show, where Kebbel played the charming vampire Lexi Branson and Roerig took on the role of the ever-earnest Matt Donovan. They had delightful chemistry, which was abruptly interrupted by the show’s cancellation, leaving fans wondering if their on-screen romance would ever be as real as their off-screen shenanigans. Spoiler alert: it is! Their romantic reunion comes after they worked together on a Hallmark Channel movie aptly named *Love in the Great Smoky Mountains: A National Park Romance*—because nothing says enduring love like a film that sounds like a brochure for a vacation spot.
It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time *The Vampire Diaries* has seen real-life romances blossom from its cast. In fact, Candice King, another alum of the series, recently confirmed her relationship with *The Originals* star Steven Krueger, proving that the show is basically a matchmaking service for actors who can’t tell the difference between scripted romance and reality.
Kebbel, who graced our screens in the 2006 classic *John Tucker Must Die* and currently stars in the Fox series *Rescue: HI Surf*, clearly hasn’t aged a day—probably because she drinks the blood of her exes, just like any self-respecting vampire would. Roerig, on the other hand, has been keeping busy with his role in *Step Up: High Water*, which must be a challenge considering his previous relationship with the laws of physics.
So here we are, once again reminded that love is alive and well—at least in the world of fictional vampires and Hallmark movies. Don’t you just love it when reality imitates bad television?
Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine, Dotdash Meredith
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
