The Real Nathaniel - The Man Behind the Fangs

Interview by Gabrielle Pickle

Introduced to the United States as Kol, the playful yet dangerous youngest brother of The Vampire Diaries original family, Nathaniel Buzolic is actually quite different from his fanged character. Oh, he is just as tall, dark and handsome in person, but unlike his alter ego, he is completely genuine, a true gentleman and one of the sweetest guys I’ve ever interviewed.

Sprawled out on the couch of his TVD dressing room, he fiddled with his new Canon camera while answering my questions in that ever so charming Australian accent. A native of Sydney, Nathaniel grew up in a low- income household with a dedicated single mom. “Some of my fondest childhood memories are of my beautiful mum driving me to practice and rehearsals 6 days a week so I could chase my dreams.”

Surprisingly, acting wasn’t his original dream. Young Nathaniel lived and breathed basketball until an injury side-lined him in year 9, but it was during his extended recovery that he discovered the magic of acting. “I remember the first time I got up on stage and was able to make people laugh,” and his face lit up at the memory as he described his transformation from a shy unpopular kid to an actor with a story to tell. “From that day on, I was hooked.”

At the prompting of his High School drama teacher, Nathaniel auditioned for the Australian Theatre and won a scholarship that launched his professional acting career. From there, life was a series of performances, auditions and rehearsals. As a High School Senior, he announced to his friends that he would one day make it to
Hollywood. They laughed at his big dreams, but 10 years later he is filming with The Vampire Diaries.

His humble upbringing clearly taught him to value people over possessions, something that is obvious on set as he pauses to chat with the Make-Up Artists or make a stressed Production Assistant laugh. “The best part of playing Kol is the great people I get to work with every day,” he told me before running off to converse with the show’s writer. And the cast and crew clearly love him as much as he loves them. “He’s my mate!” announced Joseph Morgan, the actor who plays the infamous Klaus, looping his arm around Nathanial’s shoulders with a cheeky grin. Off screen, Nathaniel and Joseph are the Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn of The Vampire Diaries cast, constantly joking around, or ‘mucking about’ as they call it, and coming up with grand schemes for new
TV shows. Yet on set, they transform into talented, professional actors plying their magnetic smirks on viewers everywhere.

Naming Leonardo Dicaprio, Johnny Depp and Health Ledger as his inspiration, Nathaniel admitted he is constantly in awe of their acting abilities. “I love watching them transform into a character in a way that creates a powerful, relatable story! For me acting is about conveying a story--creating something that affects people.” Storytelling is also the motivation behind his newfound love of photography, which captures a story in still frame, inspiring different reactions in each viewer.

Unable to resist any longer, I asked about the famous people he’s met. And right before my eyes, the laid back actor transformed into a giddy fan, “Well, there was the one time that I was passed over for a role and was really down about it. I went out to collect my thoughts and re-evaluate my goals. Then Johnny Depp walked in, and we had this super encouraging chat about acting, and it re-inspired me to push on!”
He hardly paused to breathe before exclaiming, “But the most amazing person I’ve ever met is the preacher Louie Giglio! He has been the catalyst for re-connecting me with my Saviour, Jesus Christ. I first heard him preach when my friend put his DVD, Indescribable, on in the car as we drove home from a snow trip. I recently attended Louie’s church in Georgia and was able to meet him in person! It was amazing – I’m such a fan! Pretty sure I talked his ear off!” He grinned unapologetically.

“Any deep secrets you care to share with your fans?” I asked on a whim as we wrapped up the interview. He blushed and ducked his head, “I secretly wouldn’t mind being a pirate... like Jack Sparrow!” All joking aside, though, Nathaniel openly shared his personal views on life and faith, hoping to encourage his fans with these final words. “Life is a gift, a gift that ultimately must be returned to our sender. I live by faith and believe in seeking the good so that my soul may shine and ripple through this world every day. If today is my last, I’ll act accordingly. Life’s a gift, so live in the present and always take heart!”