If you spent any part of the 2010s glued to The CW, you know the deal. A small town. A lot of neck-snapping. A love triangle that basically ate the plot. But looking back now, it’s wild how much of The Vampire Diaries actually rested on one person’s shoulders. Kat Graham. Honestly, without Bonnie Bennett, everyone in Mystic Falls would’ve been dead by Season 2. Period.
But here’s the thing: fans aren't just rewatching for the nostalgia anymore. They’re looking at the way Kat Graham was treated—both as a character and an actress—and they’re rightfully annoyed.
The Magic and the Mess
Kat Graham stepped into the role of Bonnie Sheila Bennett back in 2009. At first, she’s just the "psychic" best friend to Elena Gilbert. She’s perky, she wears a lot of headbands, and she’s trying to figure out why her Grams keeps talking about witches.
But things got dark. Fast.
Bonnie became the show's "Swiss Army Knife." Whenever the writers painted themselves into a corner with a big bad like Klaus or Silas, they just reached for Bonnie. Need to open a tomb? Bonnie. Need to desiccate an Original? Bonnie. Need to bring someone back from the dead for the tenth time? Bonnie.
The problem? Every time she saved her friends, she paid for it. She lost her Grams. She lost her dad. Her mom was turned into a vampire and then bailed. She died—multiple times. Most fans agree that the "martyr" trope was pushed way too far with her. While Elena and Caroline were allowed to have complex romances and personal growth, Bonnie was often stuck being the plot device that kept the white leads alive.
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What Really Happened with Kat Graham in Vampire Diaries
There’s a lot of chatter about the behind-the-scenes vibes during those eight seasons. It’s no secret now that Kat Graham had to fight for Bonnie.
Did you know Julie Plec, the showrunner, actually considered killing Bonnie off permanently at one point? Legend has it—and Ian Somerhalder has basically confirmed this in various convention panels—that Ian (Damon) and Paul Wesley (Stefan) stepped in. They supposedly told the higher-ups that if Kat went, they might go too.
That’s huge. It shows how much the cast valued her, even when the scripts didn't always reflect that value.
The Hair Situation
This sounds like a small detail, but it’s actually a massive part of why the "Kat Graham in Vampire Diaries" conversation is so persistent today. For years, Kat wasn't allowed to wear her natural hair. She was put in wigs that... well, let's be real, they weren't great. Fans have pointed out for ages that the styling for Bonnie was consistently subpar compared to her co-stars.
Kat has since spoken about this, mentioning how she had to educate the crew on how to handle Black hair. It’s a classic example of the "tokenization" that was rampant in 2010s television.
The Chemistry We Were Robbed Of
Can we talk about Bamon? Because we need to talk about Bamon.
When Bonnie and Damon were trapped in the 1994 Prison World in Season 6, the chemistry was off the charts. It was the first time Bonnie really got to be snarky, vulnerable, and centered in a story that wasn't just about her sacrifice. Fans were screaming for them to become a couple.
Instead, the writers kept them as "besties" and eventually paired Bonnie with Enzo. Now, Benzo (Bonnie and Enzo) ended up being surprisingly sweet, but it felt like a consolation prize because the show didn't want to pivot away from the Elena/Damon endgame.
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Why the Fans Won't Let It Go
The reason people still talk about Bonnie Bennett is because she represents a very specific type of TV history. She was the "Magical Best Friend" who never got her flowers while the show was airing.
Think about the series finale. Bonnie saves the entire town from Hellfire. She literally holds back the fire of Hell with the help of her ancestors. It’s the most badass moment in the whole series. And what does she get? Enzo is dead, her best friend Elena gets the "happily ever after," and Bonnie just goes off to travel the world alone.
It’s bittersweet. Kinda leaning more toward bitter.
Kat Graham’s Life After Mystic Falls
If you’re wondering what Kat’s up to now, she’s thriving. Honestly, leaving the show seemed to be a massive weight off her shoulders. She’s leaned heavily into her music career under the name Toro Gato, and she’s been a UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Goodwill Ambassador.
She’s also been very selective about her roles. You’ve probably seen her in:
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- Love in the Villa (Netflix)
- Operation Christmas Drop
- Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (voicing April O'Neil)
She’s focused on "empowered" characters now. She told Refinery29 a few years back that she made a conscious choice to only sign onto projects where characters of color are genuinely seen.
The Takeaway for TVD Fans
If you’re rewatching The Vampire Diaries today, keep an eye on Bonnie. Notice how often she says "I can't do this" and then does it anyway because her friends guilt-trip her. Notice how often she's left out of the party scenes or the fun "human" moments.
How to support the legacy of Bonnie Bennett:
- Acknowledge the work: Kat Graham often did her own stunts and brought an emotional depth to scenes that were, frankly, written pretty thin.
- Call out the tropes: Understanding the "Magical Negro" trope helps you see why Bonnie's writing was so frustrating.
- Follow Kat’s new work: The best way to show the industry that they messed up is to support the actress in her new, better-written ventures.
Bonnie Bennett was the heart of the show. She was the one who actually sacrificed everything while everyone else just talked about it. Kat Graham took a character that could have been a footnote and made her an icon. Even if the writers didn't always know what they had, the fans definitely did.
Next Steps for Fans
If you want to see Kat Graham in a role where she actually gets to be the romantic lead, go watch Love in the Villa on Netflix. It’s a total 180 from the trauma-heavy life of Bonnie Bennett. Also, check out her music as Toro Gato if you want to see her true creative expression outside of the CW bubble.