JEZEBEL: Your IMDB STARmeter ranking was up 1,514 percent the week after “The Vampire Diaries” debuted. Has that translated to increased recognition in your day-to-day life?

Kayla Ewell: Actually, yes! The whole cast went to Six Flags, and we were on one of the rides. The attendant was fastening our seat belts, and [she was] like, “You look like that girl from that vampire show.” I told her I am that girl from that vampire show, and she was like, “No way!” I’ve been in the business for 10 years, so it’s great to be rewarded for all the hard work. It’s basically a dream come true. I wake up every morning, and it’s like all the tears and sweat over the years was worth it.

JEZ: When did you first realize you wanted to be an actress?

KE: I always knew, from the time I was 4 or 5. I would say to my mother, “When I grow up, I’m going to be on TV,” but she didn’t believe it. I just love becoming someone else and going places I’d never go in my everyday life.

JEZ: Actresses such as Julianne Moore and Meg Ryan got their start in soap operas. What did you learn from your stint on “The Bold and the Beautiful”?

KE: Being on a soap is like an actor’s boot camp. We did an episode a day and had to memorize so much dialogue, then try to make it as believable as we can. I feel like it made me who I am as an actress because I’m always on my toes. I really wanted to be gracious and grateful for what I had, because they have such power and they can take it away from you any time.

JEZ: How did you land the gig on “The Vampire Diaries”?

KE: My agent sent me the script, and I immediately wanted to play Vicki. I really sympathized with her and thought that would be the most fun role to play. She’s the opposite of who I am as a person, but I’m trying to challenge myself. They were like, “Are you sure?” because the lead was Elena. [Creator] Kevin Williamson asked why I went for that character, but once I explained how I saw her, we were all on the same page. Vicki wasn’t originally supposed to be one of the leads, but now the story lines are changing. Me becoming a vampire came out of nowhere, but it’s great because Vicki’s got all these issues, and the audience gets to watch me turn from human to vampire throughout the entire process.

JEZ: Is it more interesting to play a bad girl?

KE: Absolutely! Kevin says it’s more fun to write a character that doesn’t always make the right choices, because there is so much you can do with her. She’s just so lost and thinks she can feel better through sex and drugs. I never get bored, so it’s really fantastic.

JEZ: How has it been adjusting to life in Atlanta?

KE: I grew up in Long Beach and moved to L.A. when I was 20, but I love Atlanta because the people are so nice and the weather’s so gorgeous. It’s like you get the big-city feel without the attitude, and I love how you can be in the city and drive a couple of miles to be in the forest. It’s just wonderful.

JEZ: I have to ask about the August arrests of “The Vampire Diaries” cast members for allegedly flashing motorists from a bridge in Georgia. What was the real story?

KE: We were never arrested, and those pictures were doctored to look like mug shots. We did get a ticket for loitering on a public walkway and were fined, but the whole thing turned into this huge ordeal. Stories came out that we were flashing people, and one article said we were drunk. What really happened is we were taking a weekend trip to Savannah, and one of the girls is dating a photographer. Someone said, “That bridge is so cool,” because the view was amazing, and the pictures we took are online. In all honesty, the only thing flashing was our camera. All of us are such good girls that our parents laughed when it came out. I don’t think I’m comfortable enough with my body to do something like that.

JEZ: You looked pretty comfortable with your body in your recent Maxim pictorial.

KE: That’s totally different! With that, people are making sure everything’s OK, and at the last second you take it off and all they see is the back of you. That’s nothing like standing on the side of a bridge and flashing yourself. So many actresses are known for their partying, and I’ve worked so hard to get to this point that it’s frustrating that that was one of the first big stories about me.

JEZ: How do you feel about the positive response to the show thus far?

KE: It boosts your morale! When we came back to work after the premiere, everyone was on cloud nine. We were on the set and everyone crammed into my dressing room, and we had a tiny TV that we watched the show on. It was so cool, and we’re so happy to all be going through this together.

JEZ: Where do you hope to see your career go from here?

KE: I’d love to do movies on our hiatus and then come back and be Vicki. To me, it’s an actor’s dream to be able to work on a series and do movies–to have the best of both worlds. I just want to challenge myself and take roles that I feel passionate about. I still can’t believe I get paid to make out with these awesome cute boys!