If you spent any time in the 2010s watching teenagers make terrible life choices in a town infested with vampires, you know Matt Donovan. He was the "only human" who somehow survived eight seasons of neck-snapping and heart-ripping. But while the character was a polarizing staple of The Vampire Diaries, the man behind the blue eyes, Zach Roerig, has lived a life that is, quite frankly, way more interesting than anything the writers gave him in Mystic Falls.
He didn't just fade into the background when the show wrapped in 2017.
Actually, Roerig’s story is one of those rare Hollywood tales where the guy is exactly who he seems to be—a hardworking kid from Ohio who treats acting like a trade, not a throne. Growing up in Montpelier, he wasn't at some fancy prep school. He was literally helping his dad and grandpa make gravestones at the family business, Fackler Monuments. You can't make that up. The guy who played the town’s most enduring human spent his weekends in real-life cemeteries before he ever stepped foot on a set.
Beyond the Blue Eyes: Zach Roerig’s Real Career Path
Most people think Roerig just appeared out of thin air to play Elena Gilbert’s ex-boyfriend. Not even close. Before the CW came calling, he was a soap opera veteran. He put in serious hours on As the World Turns as Casey Hughes and did a stint on One Life to Live.
Honestly, that soap background is probably why he survived the grueling schedule of a supernatural teen drama for a decade. He also popped up in Friday Night Lights as Cash, the rodeo cowboy. It's funny how he always gets cast as the "all-American guy," but if you look at his post-TVD work, he’s been trying to shake that image for a while now.
Take the show Dare Me, for instance.
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In that USA Network series, he played Sergeant Will Mosley, a role that was a far cry from the boy-next-door vibes of Mystic Falls. It was darker, more grounded, and showed a level of grit that Matt Donovan rarely got to explore. Then there's his work in films like The Last Full Measure, where he played a younger version of Ed Harris's character. That's a high bar to set, but he pulled it off.
What is he doing now?
If you haven't been keeping up, Roerig is currently starring in a 2025 series called Boots.
It’s been making some noise on social media lately, especially within the old TVD fandom. He plays a character that feels a bit more seasoned, which makes sense considering he’s now in his late 30s. He’s also recently finished a project called Day of Reckoning (2025), where he plays Sheriff John Dorsey. It seems like the "lawman" archetype follows him everywhere, whether he's the sheriff of a vampire town or a small-town cop on Prime Video.
The Relationship That Broke the TVD Internet
Here is the thing most fans are currently obsessing over: Zach Roerig and Arielle Kebbel.
For years, fans shipped different cast members, but nobody really saw this one coming until it actually happened. Arielle, who played the fan-favorite vampire Lexi (Stefan’s best friend), and Zach went public with their relationship in April 2025. They actually confirmed it at a fan convention in Covington, Georgia—the real-life Mystic Falls.
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Imagine that.
The most "human" guy on the show and the girl who played the coolest vampire finally getting together over a decade after they first shared the screen. They even starred together in a Hallmark movie back in 2023 called Love in the Great Smoky Mountains: A National Park Romance. Usually, Hallmark movies are just fluff, but for these two, it seems like that was the spark that eventually led to them becoming one of the most talked-about "Vampire Diaries" real-life couples of 2026.
Why Matt Donovan Still Gets So Much Hate (And Why It’s Unfair)
You can't talk about matt donovan actor news without addressing the elephant in the room: the memes.
People love to hate Matt Donovan.
They call him "the cockroach" because he refused to die or turn into a supernatural creature. But if you look at the show through an adult lens, Matt was the only character with a moral compass that wasn't constantly spinning. Zach Roerig played that frustration perfectly. He was the guy who had to go to work at the Grill while his friends were out having blood orgies. He represented the audience's grounded perspective, and Roerig’s performance was often the only thing keeping that show from floating away into total absurdity.
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A Dad First, Actor Second
One thing Roerig doesn't talk about a ton in the press is his personal life as a father.
Back in 2013, he made headlines when he filed for full custody of his daughter, Fiona, after her mother was incarcerated. It was a heavy, real-world situation that played out while he was still filming The Vampire Diaries. He’s been a devoted single dad ever since, and if you follow his social media, it’s clear that his life in Georgia isn't about red carpets; it’s about hiking, his dog Hank, and raising his kid.
What’s Next for Zach Roerig?
So, what should you actually keep an eye on if you're a fan?
- Watch Boots (2025): It's a grittier look at his range and arguably his best work since the CW days.
- Check out Day of Reckoning: If you liked him as Sheriff Donovan, you’ll dig him as Sheriff Dorsey.
- Keep an eye on the Hallmark circuit: Now that he’s dating Arielle Kebbel, don’t be surprised if they do another "National Park" style movie together.
Basically, Zach Roerig is doing just fine. He isn't chasing the massive blockbuster fame that some of his costars sought. He seems content being a working actor who takes interesting roles and lives a quiet life. He’s the guy who stayed human in a town of monsters, and in the real world, he’s the guy who stayed grounded in a town of egos.
To see what the rest of the Mystic Falls crew is up to, you can look into Nina Dobrev's latest production ventures or Paul Wesley's directing credits, as the "Vampire Diaries" alumni network remains one of the busiest in the industry.