Vampire vixen Sara Canning -- star of mega-hit CW TV series The Vampire Diaries and upcoming film Black Field -- graces the May cover of Avenue Canada, on stands next week.

As a child, Canning had a steadfast curiosity of the paranormal. Now, as one of the stars of the award-winning CW series, she gets to experience it on a daily basis. In a revealing interview, Canning opens up about her fascination with the undead, a sensationalized tabloid story that quickly taught her the perils of fame and why her star is about to rise even more.

On her childhood fascination with the undead:

I would creep into the living room and hide behind the couch to watch [The X-Files], I would scare myself. I had a really overactive imagination."

On learning about tabloid sensationalism through untrue rumors about a cast photo shoot gone awry atop an Atlanta bridge last fall (charges were ultimately dropped):

My friends and family all automatically called me, laughing, because they know I’m the last person in the world who would do something like that."

On the secret to her success:

When I moved away from home … there was no thought in my head of maybe this is going to work out. I was always really adamant about making this happen.�

Photo Courtesy of Avenue Canada