If you spent any time in the 2010s obsessed with the supernatural politics of the French Quarter, you know Davina Claire. She was the "super-witch" who could literally make the ground shake and gave Klaus Mikaelson more headaches than his own siblings. But who played Davina in The Originals and actually managed to hold her own against actors like Joseph Morgan and Daniel Gillies?
That would be Danielle Campbell.
Honestly, it’s wild to think she was only 18 when the show started. She had to play this incredibly traumatized, immensely powerful teenager who was essentially a human nuke. Most people recognize her immediately, but her journey to becoming the face of New Orleans' most rebellious witch is actually a pretty cool story.
From a Chicago Hair Salon to the French Quarter
Danielle Campbell didn’t take the traditional "child star" route. There were no pushy stage parents or endless rounds of cattle-call auditions in LA from the age of three. Instead, she was literally discovered in a hair salon in Chicago when she was just ten years old.
Think about that for a second. You’re getting a trim, and someone walks up and says you should be in front of a camera. Most people would think it’s a scam, but for Danielle, it was the start of a massive career.
Her first big gig wasn't even a teen drama. She had a guest spot on Prison Break playing Gracey Hollander. If you go back and watch those episodes now, she’s tiny. But even then, she had that intense look that eventually made Davina so intimidating.
The Disney Era (Before the Magic Got Dark)
Before she was slitting throats and snapping necks in The Originals, Danielle was a certified Disney girl.
- StarStruck (2010): She played Jessica Olson opposite Sterling Knight. This was peak Disney Channel Original Movie era. If you were a pre-teen in 2010, you probably had the soundtrack on your iPod Nano.
- Prom (2011): She made the jump to the big screen in this Disney theatrical release as Simone Daniels.
It’s a pretty massive jump to go from the squeaky-clean hallways of a Disney high school to a show where people get their hearts ripped out every Tuesday night. But when The Originals pilot (which was actually a backdoor pilot in The Vampire Diaries Season 4) aired, fans realized she was more than up for the task.
Why Danielle Campbell Was the Perfect Davina Claire
Let’s be real: Davina Claire was kind of a brat sometimes. But you’ve gotta look at her circumstances. She was a "Harvest Girl" who watched her friends get sacrificed, lived in an attic for a year, and was used as a weapon by Marcel.
Danielle brought a specific kind of "vulnerable steel" to the role. She could look like a terrified kid one second and then, with just a tilt of her head, make a thousand-year-old Original vampire cough up blood. That’s not easy to pull off without looking cheesy.
That "Davina" Chemistry
One of the reasons the character worked so well was the chemistry Danielle had with her co-stars. Her bond with Charles Michael Davis (Marcel Gerard) felt genuinely like a protective big brother/little sister dynamic.
But the real kicker was her relationship with Nathaniel Buzolic and Sharman (who both played Kol Mikaelson). Fans were obsessed. Whether it was the "witchy" chemistry with Daniel Sharman’s version of Kol or the fiery, star-crossed lovers vibe with the original Kol, Danielle made you believe that this girl would literally go to hell and back for a Mikaelson—even though she hated the rest of them.
Life After the Harvest: What Is Danielle Campbell Doing Now?
The Originals wrapped up in 2018 (though she made some guest appearances toward the end), and Danielle didn't waste any time moving on. If you haven't kept up with her, she's been busy.
She stayed in the "dark and moody" genre for a while with Tell Me a Story. This was a Kevin Williamson project (the guy behind Scream and The Vampire Diaries), and it reimagined classic fairy tales as psychological thrillers. Danielle played a modern-day Red Riding Hood, and honestly, it was way more intense than anything she did in New Orleans.
She also popped up in Marvel's Runaways and All American.
A Big Personal Milestone
In a "life imitates art" twist, Danielle actually ended up with someone from the Vampire Diaries universe in real life. In 2025, she officially married Colin Woodell.
If that name sounds familiar, it's because he played Aiden (the werewolf who was Josh's boyfriend) in The Originals. So, while Davina and Aiden didn't have much screen time together, the actors clearly hit it off behind the scenes. They’d been dating for years before finally tying the knot.
Breaking Down the Character: Why People Still Talk About Davina
Even years after the finale, people still argue about Davina on Reddit and TikTok. Was she a hero? Was she a hypocrite for loving Kol?
The Nuance of the Performance
Danielle Campbell played Davina with a lot of layers. She wasn't just "the girl who hates Klaus." She was a representative of the New Orleans witches who had been oppressed for centuries. When she became Regent, Danielle shifted her performance to be more regal and burdened. You could see the weight of the city on her shoulders.
Some fans found Davina "annoying," but that was usually because she was the only one brave (or stupid) enough to tell Klaus he was a monster to his face. Danielle never played her as someone seeking approval, which made her a refreshing foil to the Mikaelson family.
Common Questions About Danielle's Time on the Show
- How old was she? She was 18 when the show started, playing a 16-year-old.
- Is she actually a witch? No, but she’s joked in interviews that she kept some of the grimoires from the set as souvenirs.
- Did she get along with the cast? By all accounts, the Originals cast was incredibly close. She’s still frequently seen at conventions with Phoebe Tonkin and Riley Voelkel.
Moving Forward as a Fan
If you're looking to dive deeper into Danielle Campbell's work or revisit her time as Davina, here is what you should do:
- Re-watch Season 1, Episode 8 ("The River in Reverse"): This is arguably Danielle's best performance, where Davina truly realizes the extent of her power and the betrayal surrounding her.
- Check out "Tell Me a Story": If you liked the darker elements of her acting, this series shows a much more mature side of her range.
- Follow the Conventions: Danielle is a regular on the "con" circuit. If you want to hear her behind-the-scenes stories about the Mikaelsons, keep an eye out for Creation Entertainment or Cloud 9 events.
The legacy of Davina Claire isn't just about the magic; it’s about a girl who refused to be a pawn in someone else’s game. Danielle Campbell took a character that could have been a generic "magic plot device" and made her the heart of the show’s resistance. Whether you loved her or hated her, you couldn't ignore her.
Check out Danielle's recent work on streaming platforms like Paramount+ to see how much she's grown since her days in the French Quarter.