Nina Dobrev of 'The Vampire Diaries' beats up Conan O'Brien - Los Angeles Times
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Nina Dobrev of ‘The Vampire Diaries’ beats up Conan O’Brien

Nina Dobrev at the 63rd prime-time Emmy Awards show.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Nina Dobrev of “The Vampire Diaries†isn’t just another pretty face, and she’s got the stunt skills to prove it -- which she did Tuesday night on “Conan.â€

Conan O’Brien kicked off the interview with the young actress by focusing on her good looks and sex appeal, but that would all change later in the show.

Dobrev sunk her teeth into the vampire underworld playing Elena Gilbert, a human recently turned vampire, on the CW’s “The Vampire Diaries.†But more important, her role has her plumly placed in a love triangle between two vampire brothers feuding for her affections. She’s also dating costar Ian Somerhalder.

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“So you’re making out with two different guys, constantly,†O’Brien said.

“More than that, I’m pretty sure I’ve made out with every guy on the show. As my character, of course,†she said. “The awkwardness and the weirdness is when my mom comes to set and I have to do a sex scene or something and that can get kind of weird. But what’s even weirder is when I come off set and she starts giving me notes.â€

“What will your mom say to you, I’m just curious,†Conan asked, a little bewildered.

“Arch your back more, like it’ll look sexier if you arch your back,†she said, much to the delight of actor Zack Braff, who was also a guest on the show.

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She and O’Brien went on to talk about how she and her brother would roughhouse as kids, which has given her a penchant for doing stunts and action scenes. It was a statement O’Brien squarely disagreed with, setting up their fight scene to come. It should be noted that Dobrev had an interactive yoga session with O’Brien the last time she appeared on his show.

“I don’t mean to say the wrong thing, but you’re obviously very attractive, very talented. I just don’t see you as someone who’s kicking ass. That’s not the vibe that I get.â€

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“I’m a little insulted actually,†the 24-year-old said. “Oh, I will be Angelina Jolie one day and I will kick some ass and I have the stuntman with me all the time to prove it, literally.â€

Enter the stunt man from behind O’Brien’s desk. He and Dobrev went on to stage a scene with O’Brien in a bar hitting on her and the fight that ensues when she rejects him, despite his brilliant pickup line, “You gotta give Conesie a chance.â€

Dobrev smashed her glass on his head, took him out and then took on his “thugs,†who were really her traveling stuntmen.

“And that’s how it’s done ladies and gentlemen,†she said, adjusting her black mini-dress and mirrored wedge heels after the set was torn apart and glass had shattered everywhere. And when her “favorite redhead†returned carrying a chair over his head, Dobrev swiftly punched him twice in the gut before throwing him through a wall.

“I still don’t see you as a stunt person, I’m sorry,†he said, later adding: “That was fantastic.â€

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