Paul Wesley

Biography:

Paul Wesley was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, to Polish parents Agnieszka and Tomasz Wasilewski, and was raised in Marlboro Township. He has four sisters—an older sister, Monika Emara, and two younger sisters, Leah and Julia. Along with English, Wesley speaks Polish fluently, having spent four months each year in Poland until he was sixteen. He has also mentioned that he has partial Jewish heritage.

He studied at Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft and later attended Marlboro High School. To better balance academics with acting, he transferred to Lakewood Prep School in Howell, New Jersey, while continuing theater training in New York City. During his junior year of high school, he landed a role on the soap opera Guiding Light as Max Nickerson. Wesley later enrolled at Rutgers University but left after one semester when his acting career began gaining momentum.

In 2001, credited as Paul Wasilewski, he appeared as a main cast member on the CBS series Wolf Lake. He went on to feature in projects such as The Russell Girl and the ABC Family miniseries Fallen, while also making guest appearances on popular shows including 24, Everwood, Smallville, The O.C., Army Wives, and American Dreams.

Wesley achieved global recognition when he was cast as Stefan Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries, which premiered in 2009. His performance earned him multiple Teen Choice and Young Hollywood Awards, along with several major award nominations.

His film career includes a wide range of roles. In 2014, he both starred in and produced Before I Disappear, which won the SXSW Film Festival Audience Award and screened at the Venice Film Festival. That year, he also appeared in Amira & Sam, The Baytown Outlaws, and was announced as part of projects such as Mother’s Day and the sci-fi film Convergence. Later credits include The Late Bloomer, HBO’s Shot in the Heart, and Peaceful Warrior.

Beyond acting, Wesley expanded into directing and producing. He began directing episodes of The Vampire Diaries during its fifth season and later served as a producer. He also directed episodes of Shadowhunters and Roswell, New Mexico. In 2016, through his production company Citizen Media, he signed a deal with Warner Bros. Television to develop multiple scripted series.

His stage work includes acclaimed off-Broadway productions such as Cal in Camo, Sensitive Skin, and Zurich at the New York Theatre Workshop. In 2018, he joined the main cast of Tell Me a Story, created by Kevin Williamson, and later appeared in Netflix’s Medal of Honor.

In 2022, Wesley was cast as James T. Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, first appearing in the season one finale before joining the show in season two. His portrayal earned him the Saturn Award for Best Guest Star in a Television Series in 2024.

Wesley’s personal life has included several high-profile relationships. He married actress Torrey DeVitto in 2011, though they divorced in 2013. He later dated Phoebe Tonkin for four years. In 2019, he married Ines de Ramon, with their divorce finalized in 2024. In July 2025, Wesley announced his engagement to model Natalie Kuckenburg.

Wesley lived in Atlanta while filming The Vampire Diaries and later in Los Angeles. He is also known for his advocacy of animal rights and follows an ethical vegan lifestyle.