Steven McQueen Talks 'Vampire Diaries' Season 4, Relationships, And Crossbows!

FanBolt recently had the pleasure of chatting with Steven McQueen, who plays Jeremy Gilbert on CW's The Vampire Diaries. From how Jeremy will handle Elena becoming a vampire to learning how to use a crossbow, McQueen spills on a number of details with the new season!

Check out our full interview with The Vampire Diaries' Steven McQueen below!

In the season finale, it appears that Jeremy could still see dead people, will that come up in season four?

Steven McQueen: Yeah, I don't think that ability is going away.

How do you think he's going to react when he finds out about Elena?

Steven McQueen: Elena? Well, he found out at the end of the season, because he was able to see Alaric's ghost.

But he doesn't know that she's a vampire.

Steven McQueen: No, but at the end of the season he knows she's dead. I think with the vampire thing, I think that he'll be grateful that she's not completely gone, but he also contributed to the death of his sister, and caused, and helped planned it. I don't think he'll be feeling great about it, he's been kind of inclouding, I'd say for the last couple of seasons. Self destructing. And that's been because he's had something to lose. Now, I feel he's back in the quarter, and he'll start to explode a little more this season, and hopefully take charge. Fight back a little!

Get to use your crossbow again?

Steven McQueen: Family legacy's been hunting. We take certain promo pictures, and the crossbow is present. I don't know if those are the pictures that we'll end up using, but I'm hoping so."

Are you going to have any happiness this season at all? 

Steven McQueen: I'd like to think so. I hope so! We'll see."

Have a successful love-life?

Steven McQueen: Well, I don't know. I think he's been through so much loss that I don't know if that's even where his mind's at right now, but we'll see. I don't know that's up to our capable writers.

What would you like to see happen to him on the show?

Steven McQueen: Again, the family legacy's been hunting, so i'd love to see him pick up that crossbow more, and just fight back. He's always been the guy with the big heart that keeps swinging, and keeps getting knocked down.

Why is everyone obsessed with crossbows now?

Steven McQueen: I don't know, they're cool! They shoot stuff.

Have you had fun learning it?

Steven McQueen: I have, I have. I actually, way before the show, me and my buddies got a crossbow from some, like, sporting store. Just for fun, just to shoot at trees.

There's a new girl coming onto the show...

Steven McQueen: There are a couple new characters, and the first episode, second episode, they come in, and they come in strong.

Do you want to see Jeremy get back together with Bonnie?

Steven McQueen: I think they have unfinished business, and I think there's still something there.

How is Elena becoming a vampire going to change your relationship with her?

Steven McQueen: We'll see, who knows. I think it's just one of those things where you have to wait and see what happens.

Jeremy's probably the character that's grown up the most...

Steven McQueen: I went through puberty!

Congrats on that!

Steven McQueen: Thank you, feels good. I go to physicals now, and they make me cough twice.

He was kind of like really immature when you started, kind of, not as douchey as Tyler was, but still kind of douchey.

Steven McQueen: Ugh, I wouldn't classify him as douchey, I would say self-destructive. You know when you don't have any role models, and you don't know what you're doing, you tend to do the wrong thing.

Alaric's gone. Are we going to see him take on the man-of-the-house role?

Steven McQueen: I think so, I think he's been trying to assume that role. He's been too weak, and felt powerless at times to keep the people that he loves safe. It'll be interesting to see if he-- now that he has nothing left to lose, and he's kind of an animal backed into a corner-- to see how he's going to lash out.

You said that a couple new characters, probably girls, from the show are coming in that Jeremy might get with. How awkward are those scenes to shoot?

Steven McQueen: No, I mean… Everyone that I've shot with, we all end up being friends. They've all ended up being talented actress', and very professional, and it's fun at the end of the day.

Is it weird?

Steven McQueen: Here, I'll tell you this story, this is very embarrassing. I had a scene with Malese (Jow), where, you know, we get hot-and-heavy. I had my shirt off, and I was kind of nervous about it, so I decided that I was going to do some sit-ups right before they yelled action. So, usually they say 'cameras rolling, sound is speeding.' So, right then, her head was at my feet, and my head was at her feet. I had just went to do a couple of sit-ups, and all of a sudden you just hear *fart noise*. And then they go action, and it's like this sweet, sincere moment between us. It's supposed to be very romantic, and I just… I blew it! So, that was the only awkward moment that I had, but besides that it's been fun!

Is it awkward to have to take your shirt off?

Steven McQueen: Um, I'm fine with it as long as I'm given some preparation and some morning events. Will Smith once said, 'If you're always prepared, you never have to be prepared.' So that's a philosophy that I try to have, but it's my birthday weekend! Throwing cash into the wind!

What else do you love about this character?

Steven McQueen: I love the fact that Jeremy's been through so much. You know, he has all this weight on his shoulders, which he could easily crumble and say, 'You know what? F*ck it. I'm not going to keep fighting for what I believe in and who I love.' but he does. He gets up and he keeps swinging, and every time he gets knocked down, he gets right back up again. He's a fighter, in my opinion. He might not be the strongest person on the show, but he's a fighter. 

Do you fight in real life?

Steven McQueen: I box, yeah. I kickbox. But I like to think that I'm a lover, not a fighter.

Do you find the fact that you're living outside of Hollywood brings on more of a family atmosphere to the set?

Steven McQueen: Yeah, we all had to move to a place we weren't familiar with. So, I think it caused us all to bond.



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