Steven R. McQueen has resurfaced on Instagram after nearly five years away from the platform.
The 38-year-old actor, who played Jeremy Gilbert on The CW’s supernatural drama “The Vampire Diaries,” posted a straightforward selfie on the platform looking directly into the camera. His caption cut straight to the point: “Back to the gym.”
McQueen, whose last Instagram post dated back to Dec. 27, 2022, used the return to crowdsource his workout playlist. He wrote alongside the photo, “Any music suggestions?”
The post drew an immediate response from former co-stars. Matthew Davis, who also appeared on “The Vampire Diaries,” commented on the post, writing, “Love ya dude!” Taylor Lautner jumped in with encouragement, saying, “My man! Let’s go! ♥️♥️♥️.”
Fans of the show flooded the comments with equal enthusiasm, with one exclaiming, “JEREMY GILBERT IS BACK🔥” The reference to McQueen’s character — the younger brother of Elena Gilbert, played by Nina Dobrev — underscored how closely audiences still associate him with the role.
McQueen’s social media comeback follows his first major public appearance in years. Earlier this month, on Oct. 3 and 4, he attended the Forever Mystic Falls Fan Meet, joining fellow cast alumni including Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Kat Graham and Riley Voelkel. The event marked a significant break from his low profile; his previous major public outing had been Thirst Project’s 10th Annual Thirst Gala in 2019.
Photos and videos from the fan meet circulated widely online, prompting reactions like “Love to see Steven again with fans ❤️” and “So happy to see Steven! Can’t wait to see him in Covington in a few weeks ❤️”
The actor had maintained a main cast role on “The Vampire Diaries” for its first six seasons from 2009 to 2015, then returned as a guest star for the show’s concluding season in 2017. The series tracked Elena Gilbert’s entanglement in a perilous love triangle with two vampires, with Jeremy as her younger brother throughout.
McQueen did not abandon acting after the show ended. He most recently appeared in the 2020 western action film “The Warrant.” Nevertheless, his public presence diminished considerably in the years that followed, making both the October fan event and his Instagram return notable departures from his recent pattern of withdrawal from the spotlight.
The actor’s re-engagement with fans appears to be accelerating rather than slowing. McQueen is scheduled to attend additional fan events across the world within the next six months.
