Jeremy Gilbert is leaving Mystic Falls and "The Vampire Diaries."
Steven R. McQueen, who joined The CW show at 19, told Access Hollywood that knowing this season was his last as a series regular allowed him to let moments on the set sink in.
"This last season has been a great gift because I knew it was my last, and I spent six years with these people. I shot the pilot when I was 19 and so I've spent these last six years growing up and so this last year, knowing that the end was coming, I kind of got to take the time to appreciate everything, so it was incredible," Steven said, when he stopped by Access earlier this week.
WATCH: Steven R. McQueen On Filming His Last ‘TVD’ Scene With Nina Dobrev
For some time, Jeremy's love interest on the show, Bonnie, has been stuck in a 1994 purgatory, and it appears his exit, his moment to go out and live his life, will come before there is a resolution to the Bonnie storyline.
"He's this kid who's constantly trying to get his strength back, but these situations are consistently out of his control. And with Bonnie, she's the person that he loves, but he can't do anything right now and I think that he's been powerless for so long [that] at this time, at this point, to stay would just drive him crazy," Steven said. "I don't think it's him giving up. I think it's him being at a loss, you know?"
WATCH: Steven R. McQueen On Saying Goodbye To ‘The Vampire Diaries’
In last week's "TVD," Jeremy watched as Bonnie nearly ended her life in a garage, as he watched helplessly and tearfully. He managed to somehow open the garage door and help her escape car fumes and live, but the scene was emotional on many levels for the actor.
"I had a moment where I was looking around and I knew everybody's first and last name. I've had stories with the entire crew, the entire cast, and it was a scene where [I was] supposed to get emotional and at that moment, it was pretty easy, you know, 'cause it's just like, 'Wow, no matter what, no matter if I book another job, if I work on something else, to spend six years on something, to develop relationships with people in those six years, it's not something you could ever duplicate,'" he said. "And it was really special. It will always be very, very special to me."
Jeremy's goodbye to Mystic Falls airs Thursday at 8/7c on The CW.
-- Jolie Lash
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