The Vampire Diaries and its characters were so appealing and successful that a spinoff of the show only made sense. Between The Originals and The Vampire Diaries, fans of the two shows got a taste for a lot of steamy romances. However, many of the actors had off-screen romances with each other.
While the Nina Dobrev/Ian Somerhalder relationship might be the best known, there’s another couple that was hitched way before they starred in the series.
Who is Michael Malarkey?
Malarkey’s beginnings started on the London stage, where he had lead roles in Spring Storm by Tennessee Williams and an adaptation of The Great Gatsby. He went to school and studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
He got his big break when he landed the role of Lorenzo “Enzo” St. John in the television show The Vampire Diaries. Although his character was set to be recurring, his popularity with fans upgraded him to a series regular in Season Six until the show ended in Season Eight.
Since then, Malarkey’s appeared in various roles for Amazon Video and The History Channel. His work includes Jean-Claude Van Johnson, A Violent Separation, and Project Blue Book. In addition to his acting, Malarkey is also a musician. He’s released two EPs and two full-length studio albums.
Malarkey’s wife appeared in ‘The Vampire Diaries’ spinoff
The Vampire Diaries and its related spinoff, The Originals, is a family affair for the Malarkeys. Malarkey’s wife, Nadine Lewington, had a recurring role in Season Five of The Originals, playing Greta Sienna. The series follows the Mikaelson siblings, the original vampires, as they return to New Orleans after being forced out by their father. Klaus, the main character, was featured in The Vampire Diaries as a hybrid (he is the son of a witch and a werewolf).
As for Lewington, her character was the main antagonist of the fifth season. She worked to devise a plan to eliminate all hybrids. Along with her role on The Originals, IMDb lists Lewington as playing Anna Wieder in the dramedy film Bigger, which details the lives of bodybuilders Joe and Ben Wieder. Throughout her career, she’s remained a working actor and starred in a number of films and TV shows.
She trained at Braintree College and Middlesex University’s Drama Studio. Lewington has also modeled for fashion house Frost French. Julie Plec, the co-creator of both shows, recalls hanging out with Lewington and her husband while he played his song “Scars” on the guitar. It got stuck in her head, and she loved it so much that she wanted it on the show. From there, Malarkey sent Plec a demo of the song, and it ended up in one of the episodes of The Vampire Diaries Season Eight.
How long have the actors been together?
The couple has been married since 2009, but how they met or how long they were together beforehand is unknown. What is clear is that Malarkey loves to keep his fans updated on his professional and family life.
Back in 2020, the actor took to his Instagram account to wish his wife a happy anniversary. “11 years married this month to my ride or die @dinibee; thanks for keeping me around all these years even after all the shit I talk about you in my songs.”
While the majority of his posts show him playing music, getting ready for a show, or on set during an acting job, he does throw in shots of his kids, parents, and wife. The couple is parents to two boys, Marlon, born in 2014, and Hugo, born in 2019.
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