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Backstage picture..

As 2011 is coming to a close (we know, we don’t believe it either), we’re counting down some of the things that made this year so great. We’ve all been graced with the presence of Hollywood’s amazing new rising stars, not so graced with the presence of these OMG outfits, wowed by incredible music collaborations, and completely jealous of these celeb hook-ups. Now, we’re counting down the year’s hottest hot guys that make our jaws drop and our hearts melt just like we did in 2010 because, well, hot guys are basically our specialty here at Teen.com. Enjoy!

ASSIGNMENT X: Were you looking forward to playing Stefan as an absolute badass this season?

PAUL WESLEY: Yeah, more than anything else. I want to play a variety of different characters in my life, and I didn’t want to be stereotyped, so it’s a great opportunity for me to do something different.

AX: Were you just hoping that character development was going to come along, did you know that was coming, or was that a big surprise?

WESLEY: No. I told [series producers] Julie [Plec] and Kevin [Williamson], “Look, I’d really love to do something,” and they said, “Great,” and they agreed. We don’t want anything to be redundant – we want to keep it fresh for the viewers.

AX: Stefan is a big change from your last series regular, Aaron on FALLEN. When you did the telefilm version of that, did you think it was going to go to series?

WESLEY: When I shot the pilot, I knew it was a two-hour movie regardless. I knew that it was going to air. I knew that the production quality was really phenomenal. I wasn’t sure if they’d be able to afford it [as a series], because there [were] so many special effects and so many action sequences. But I wasn’t incredibly surprised. It was my fifth pilot, and it was one of the better ones I’ve done.

AX: Were you familiar at all with the Tom Sniegowski novels that FALLEN was based on?

WESLEY: I was not, admittedly, familiar with his books at all. But I obviously ran to the store and grabbed all of them and read them, most of them, and he’s an amazing writer. They’re beautiful books. He’s an amazing writer.

Read rest here.

While I really fell in love with Paul as Tommy on American Dreams, it isn’t until he landed the role of Stefan Salvatore on The CW’s hit vampire drama, The Vampire Diaries, that my love turned into a full blown obsession. It’s not easy to look good standing next to the incredible hotness that is Ian Somerhalder but Paul pulls it off and he pulls it off well. Now that Paul gets to play the bad brother, I’m finding him more appealing than ever. Perhaps I’m a sucker for a bad boy or perhaps it has more to do with the fact that Paul’s smoldering intensity finally has the chance to really shine. I can’t imagine it’s easy to portray Stefan as an emotionless killing machine but Paul nails it each and every week. Interestingly enough, Paul originally auditioned for both the roles of Stefan and Damon Salvatore but decided he’d do a better job as Stefan. My only complaint about Paul is that winter break for The Vampire Diaries came far too soon and is lasting far too long.

Paul is extremely private in his personal life. Married to actress (and future The Vampire Diaries cast member) Torrey DeVitto since April of this year, Paul is the kind of guy that isn’t all about the limelight. His name has never been connected with any major scandals and he’s almost entirely absent from the Hollywood party scene. I find that incredibly appealing. He seems like a genuine kind of guy – someone more interested in the work than the headlines. He also seems to genuinely like the people he works with, spending time with cast mates Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev off camera as well as on. In all honesty, there’s just nothing about this guy I don’t like. He’s gorgeous, talented but still humble. There’s no ego with this one and that’s incredibly refreshing in an industry where big egos and bigger attitudes seem commonplace.
You really should read entire article here.

I’ve talked about why Stefan made the jump from a good to a great character. I really think 2011 was his year on The Vampire Diaries. He’s a big part of why Season 3 is so amazing. And while a lot of that is attributed to the writing, it means nothing without Paul Wesley. It has been extremely enjoyable watching him play Stefan’s dark side. He has the fortune to get to embody someone who has so much going on under the surface. There’s all this darkness simmering and bubbling underneath. And when it’s unleashed, it’s epic.

Read the entire article here. And check out the Joseph Morgan article as well .

“We were going to sign a pact that we wouldn’t give each other gifts and make it about the kids,” Wesley recently told me, referring to his sister’s children.

However…
It doesn’t sound like they’ll be signing anything.

“We’re probably going to buy each other gifts that we don’t need because we do it every year,” Wesley said.

DeVitto chimed in, “He’s the most difficult person to buy for on the planet!”

“That’s so not true,” Wesley said. “Just give me an electronic gadget and I’m fine,” he said.

When DeVitto reminded him that he had every gizmo there is to have, Wesley laughed, “Get me an upgrade version!”

As for DeVitto, that’s pretty simple.

“Jewelry!” she said. “It’s always a safe bet with jewelry.”

EOnline

Youtube version but sorry if bad quality, this is all we have.

Watch Video Here…

Global Roots was founded by Rick Montgomery from Portland, Oregon in 1997. His inspiration came during his travel in India in 1993. While backpacking in Madras, Rick held a starving baby in his hands. In subsequent years, as he traveled the world as an expedition leader and travel writer, he continued to be haunted by the image of that starving Indian baby. Rick finally gave up a “normal life” and devoted himself to grassroots activism. His passion soon became the protection and nurturing of children in areas of famine and social unrest. To raise awareness, he published his stories in major magazines such as Outside, Men’s Journal, and Travel and Leisure. However, Rick realized that he could have a greater impact by creating Global Roots, a nonprofit with a global vision.

Thanks to Ruthie for the heads up.

Thanks @PaulWesleySpain

If you were watching Smallville on the WB television network on Feb. 12, you would have seen him playing evil brother Lucas Luthor. If you have been watching American Dreams on NBC on Sundays, you might have caught him portraying J.J.’s friend, Tommy DeFelice. He lives in an “awesome” house with an “amazing view of the valley” in Studio City, Los Angeles, drives a Mercedes-Benz CLK-430, and enjoys relaxing on his rooftop in the bright lights of the Hollywood sun.

Life, however, was not always so plush and fun for young Paul Wasilewski, a Marlboro native who is quickly molding his acting career at only 20 years old.

After landing a role on the soap opera Guiding Light, Wasilewski still had to find a way to balance his career with his responsibilities as a high school junior.

“I went to three different high schools because a lot of them weren’t very accommodating [of my career],” Wasilewski recalled. “I got kicked out of Marlboro High School because they couldn’t tolerate the way I was missing school.”

Wasilewski eventually graduated from Lakewood Prep, Howell, where they were “so understanding and really made it possible for me to do this,” he said.

That was only one of the crossroads in the young actor’s career where he found himself doubting his dream and wondering if he was doing the right thing. Nevertheless, he has clearly made his decision and hasn’t stopped moving since he was 15.

At 15, after dabbling in school theater, the stars in his eyes led the way as Wasilewski realized that he “really wanted to audition [for major roles].” So, he set out to pursue modeling as a stepping-stone for acting. The stepping-stone grew into a two-year job with the renowned Ford Modeling Agency. This eventually led to his recruitment by an acting agent, which led to acting showcases in Manhattan, which led to a job on the soap opera Another World, which led to a call from the soap opera Guiding Light.

In the midst of his developing career, however, Wasilewski maintains a high regard for education. He said he has always studied hard and actually never thought he would take on acting as a profession.

“I thought I was going to go to college, get my degree and have a regular job just like everyone else,” he said.

Yet, after one semester at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, Wasilewski couldn’t afford the cost of school and time for something he “wasn’t concentrating on.” He dropped out with the assurance that he could return at any time, which he plans to do.

“I’m definitely going to go back to school and get my degree,” he said. “I think that’s so important.”

But at that moment, Wasilewski decided he had a career to concentrate on.

“It was such a hard decision for me,” he said, recalling the weeks of debate and deliberation the decision required.

Wasilewski’s consolation came soon after, however, when he landed the lead on the television series Wolf Lake. The role of Luke Trane was short-lived, however, as the show was canceled soon after it premiered.

But, as the quickly maturing actor has learned, “whatever happens happens.” Gleaning thoughts from a book he is currently reading, The Power of Now, Wasilewski said that “a lot of it is luck and hard work. I don’t think you can really plan anything. I just try to make good choices.”

With that mind-set, Wasilewski left the set of Wolf Lake only to find himself in Prague, Czech Republic.

“I did the pilot for a show that shot in Prague, and if it had gotten picked up, I would have had to live there for seven years,” he said.

Faced with the possibility of a seven-year contract that would change his way of life, his friends and his entire environment as he had known it to be, Wasilewski made the best “actor-choice” he could.

“I knew that if the show was that successful to be showing on NBC for seven years, that by the time I got back, I would be a well-known actor,” he explained. “So, I decided to do it.”

The television pilot never got picked up as a regular series, but as the recurring theme of Wasilewski’s life seems to be, participating in that job led to yet another opportunity.

“The producers of American Dreams saw the show in Prague and asked me to read for them,” Wasilewski said, “and I ended up on the show.”

It has been a long and crazy ride for this young man, contrary to the “smooth sailing” that many people may think acting is.

“I don’t really live the typical young person’s life. I have a different agenda … a whole different life,” Wasilewski said, describing some of the doubts that have dotted his dream. “I have a lot of responsibilities that most people don’t have to face until later, and a lot of times I just want to be a normal kid and have a laid-back hometown life with friends.”

Having a serious profession and making substantial money at the age of 15 was very stressful, Wasilewski said.

“And being rejected at the age of 17 or 18 makes you start doubting yourself,” he said.

What’s the verdict? Well, Wasilewski won’t let his doubts get the best of him, but takes it for what it’s worth.

As a result, “acting is not something I take for granted, and I try to get better every day,” he said.

So, after all this stress and doubt, what keeps this aspiring actor from turning around and heading home to Marlboro? Wasilewski attributes his passion to his childhood obsession with analyzing people and things.

“I really appreciate being able to take a completely different life and put yourself in another’s shoes,” he explained.

Wasilewski’s true appreciation for the art is not as common as some may think.

“There’s a lot of people in acting that aren’t in it for the craft. They come out to L.A. expecting to get big, with no appreciation for the art,” he said, noting the number of blond-haired, blue-eyed models he’s seen trying to be actors and actresses.

A great moment in Wasilewski’s career was when he truly “lost himself in the character,” a strategy called “method acting.”

“I literally forgot what I was doing while I was reading my lines and was able to channel everything into the audition,” he explained. “I forgot where I was and literally felt like I had become this character, and it was just this incredible moment. Imagine being able to access that anytime.”

When the actor is not having meetings, shooting a show or partaking in other actor-type activities, he keeps himself busy with his hobbies.

“It’s important to have hobbies so that I don’t end up sitting around watching TV,” Wasilewski said.

The project on his plate right now is the production of a documentary. Wasilewski and some friends are planning to highlight the story of Clifford Etienne, a professional boxer who started his ring career in jail.

“We’re going to interview him and his family, and we have footage of him fighting,” Wasilewski explained. “I’m going to be in the locker room before his upcoming fight to talk to him, and we hope to sell it [the documentary] to film festivals.”

Wasilewski’s hobbies also include snowboarding, playing hockey, writing and playing the guitar.

The 20-year-old is “happy with life right now.” His plans simply include following his instincts and making the best decisions he can, he said. He hopes to avoid “getting stuck in the L.A. scene” by sticking to his grounded East Coast roots, something for which he is very grateful.

The “boy from the streets who just wanted to act,” as his mother called him, also credits his family for his success and even across the country, maintains close ties with them, speaking on the phone with them several times a day.

“I’m the No. 1 supporter of following your passion,” said Paul’s mother, Agnieshka Wasilewski. “I believe that if you have something that you really want to do, I’m not going to tell you that you have to stay in school first.

“He can always go back to school,” she continued. “I want to be proud of him, which I already am, but my only wish is for him to be happy.”

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Thanks to Christie for the find.