Starry Magazine intervjuade Nina på årets Comic Con i San Diego bl.a om hur Elena kommer blir som vampyr i s.4 av TVD och hur hon ska skilja på Katherine och Elena nu när de båda är vampyrer.

The finale was incredible! Did you know it was coming for most of the season or did you find out only when you got the script?

I knew a couple of episodes beforehand, but not too long.

Going into next season, how are you making Elena as a vampire different from Katherine as a vampire?

That's going to be my biggest challenge. I don't know quite yet. I think I'll be figuring it out as we go, just like we did when we first started the show and did the pilot. We all got cast and then as our experiences on and as the characters evolved (depending on what they brought) we discovered our character. This Elena is going to be completely different from original Elena and from Katherine. I have to see how Julie [Plec] decides to shape her as an individual.

Do you think will also undergo a physical transformation?

No. That's the one thing that drives me crazy; it drives me crazy in our show when something happens and then all of a sudden they are a completely different person. I think she still has to be herself, she's just a vampire. Just because she has fangs doesn't mean she'll be wearing skin tight leather pants. Katherine was like that because it was part of her personality. She was just a sassy, stylish sexy mama. Maybe Elena will evolve throughout the years and go shopping a little bit. She's going to stay true to her.

One thing that has been said is that vampirism has amplified certain characteristics about people. What characteristics about Elena will be amplified next year?

A) She's very compassionate. She's very caring and selfless. These are all the qualities that could be her greatest flaws as a vampire. When you are someone who can't survive without blood, if you can't kill someone or feed then it is a big problem. If you go into a downward spiral when you do feed and hurt someone (these are just assumptions)...But she'll be incredibly compassionate and want to help people and died to save everyone around her that she cares about.

Who would be your dream guest star on the show?

There are a lot of really great actors out there. I'll have to think about it.

Who do you think Elena will lean on the most for guidance during her transformation and as a vampire?

 

I think it'll be everyone. Everyone is a big family and they are all so supportive of each other. She gets different things from different people. Damon awakens her excitement. Stefan feeds her soul. Matt is her confidant and best friend. She trusts him implicitly. Her brother is her family.

What do you think she'll get from Caroline?

Maybe she'll lean on her as someone she can relate to and guide her and help her feel like she's not alone. That's part of the fear - being alone and feeling like you've gone through this yourself. It's scary!

Are you excited to remember some of things that Damon has compelled Elena to forget?

It'll be crazy! It'll be funny because she'll be like, "Wait a minute?! I thought I was just tired that day!" She's probably going to be pissed, but then she'll be a hypocrite because she made him compel her brother multiple times.

Were you truly under water for that last scene in the finale?

It was real.

Did you panic at all?

No, I'm like a fish. I love being underwater and I've been scuba diving for a long time. I wasn't nervous to go underwater; I was actually really excited. Then, I was like, "Wait - now I have to actually pretend like I'm dying." It was scary because there were a few times where it got close and I was out of air. You can't find the respirator, but obviously everything is fine.

Fans just got to see your Funny or Die video. How much fun was it to do that?

It was cool because Nick [Braun] and I and a friend of our's Erica wrote that one night in Atlanta, jokingly. Then we recorded it on our own and then pitched it to Funny or Die afterwards. It was a cool process to do. I want to do some skits, some actual skits with Funny or Die. We're in the process of talking about a couple so hopefully we'll do some more.

Maybe we'll see you on "SNL."

I would love to!