Elena May Gilbert is the main protagonist of The Vampire Diaries.
| Elena Gilbert | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Elena May Gilbert | |
| Series: | The Vampire Diaries |
| Gender: | Female |
| Notability: | Protagonist |
| Occupation: | Student |
| Race: | Human Former Vampire |
| Location: | Mystic Falls, Virginia |
| Relatives: | Miranda Sommers Gilbert (mother) Grayson Gilbert (father) Jeremy Gilbert (brother) Jenna Sommers (maternal aunt) |
| Status: | Alive |
| Born: | June 22, 1992 |
| First: | The Vampire Diaries: Pilot |
| Final: | I Was Feeling Epic |
| Actor: | Nina Dobrev |
She is portrayed by Nina Dobrev.
Overview
Elena Gilbert is a teenage girl from the town of Mystic Falls, Virginia. She was born in 1992 to Grayson Gilbert and Miranda Sommers Gilbert. She is the older sister of Jeremy Gilbert. Her best friend is Bonnie Bennett.
In May of 2009, Grayson, Miranda and Elena were involved in a tragic accident when their car went off a bridge. Elena survived, but her parents were killed. Their deaths were hard on both siblings, particularly Jeremy. Miranda's younger sister, Jenna Sommers, barely out of her teens herself became Elena and Jeremy's legal guardian. While Jeremy turned towards drugs as a coping mechanism, Elena began keeping a diary as a means of sorting through her emotions.
Biography
- Information on this article is updated through to VD: Pilot.
In September 2009, Elena returned to school. There she met a new transfer student, Stefan Salvatore, who became instantly noticed by nearly every girl in school. Elena shared several classes with Stefan, but didn't actually meet him until after school during an eerie chance encounter at the cemetery while visiting her parents' grave. Spooked by Stefan's presence, as well as the inexplicable appearance of a black crow, Elena tripped and scraped her leg. The sight of Elena's blood made Stefan extremely uncomfortable, for she had no way of knowing that he was actually a vampire. Elena left her diary behind at the cemetery and Stefan returned it to her later that evening.
Elena invited Stefan to come out with her friends at a local trendy eatery called the Mystic Grill. Enamored by Elena, and seeking to fit in with the teen population of Mystic Falls, Stefan agreed. Elena's friend Caroline Forbes was immediately attracted to Stefan, while Bonnie Bennett had grave reservations about the mysterious new stranger.
Elena met Stefan again that evening at a party being held out by a bridge overlooking the waterfalls. The two talked at length for quite some time, and Elena began to develop a strong attraction to Stefan.
Trivia
- The character of Elena Gilbert was created by director Marcos Siega and writers Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec based on concepts originally developed by author L.J. Smith.
- Elena Gilbert has been friends with Matt Donovan since they were small children.