Vampire Diaries Scoop!

Stefan and Damon are about to get a father on The CW's The Vampire Diaries... and he looks an awful lot like Dexter's Harry Morgan. Actor James Remar, 55, who first stared playing Dexter's dad in 2006, will be flying to Atlanta on Dec. 2 to begin his role as Giuseppe Salvatore, papa to bloodsucking sons Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder). The busy actor also plays a big role in Dexter's bloody Dec. 13 season finale, and that same night, plays a father mourning a child in Lifetime's original holiday tearjerker, The Christmas Hope.

Keck: You seem like a great choice to play Papa Salvatore. How did you get the role?
Remar: I was brought in by Marcos Siega, who has directed several episodes of Dexter and Vampire Diaries. He's now the show runner on Vampire Diaries and thought I'd be right for this role.

Keck: What have they told you about this guy, Giuseppe?
Remar: He's an aristocrat in the 1860's of Italian decent. It's the Civil War Era and it's about how he relates to his boys.

Keck: Is he a vampire himself?
Remar: Not at the outset, no. But one of his boys has been bitten by the girl he loves.

Keck: Is it just the one episode?
Remar: I think it's going to be more than one.

Keck: Are you a vampire fan yourself?
Remar: Sure. I really think Gary Oldman knocked it out of the park as Count Dracula (in 1992's Dracula).

Keck: Switching gears, describe your role in Lifetime's The Christmas Hope.
Remar: It was an opportunity to work again with Madeleine Stowe, who I did a (1994) movie with called Blink. I admire her. And this was the kind of part I haven't played before. He's an airline pilot who's flown all his life and he and his wife lose their only child. It's a demonstration of how deep grief can effect a relationship. They're in a tough position and have shut down, but then a little girl who has lost her mom comes to stay with us for Christmas. That sparks our parental instincts and draws us back together.

Keck: Where did you shoot it?
Remar: In Winnipeg in the dead of winter, so it looked very Christmas-y. But even though it looks like Christmas, no one in this family is particularly feeling like celebrating.

Keck:Any other TV projects coming up?
Remar: I'm filming an episode of Numbers now as a billionaire arms dealer who doesn't seem to care much about the weapons he sells.

Keck: And then of course there's your role on Dexter, which has even more blood than Vampire Diaries. What's coming up?
Remar: I have a big scene in the last episode of the season.

Keck: Which I hear is a very, very bloody one.
Remar: I can't say anything out of respect to the audience. But watch!

Source: TV Guide Magazine