We can’t imagine anyone other than Nina Dobrev playing Elena (and Katherine… and Amara) on "The Vampire Diaries", so it absolutely blows our mind to think that both Ashlee Simpson and Ashley Tisdale nearly nabbed the role themselves.

The show was reportedly conceived as a vehicle for Simpson from the jump, a plan which obviously did not come to fruition, while Tisdale allegedly turned it down for another The CW series — Hellcats.

https://tvline.com/lists/tv-actors-almost-played-different-roles/jennifer-lawrence-benedict-cumberbatch-jessica-chastain-true-blood/