Elizabeth Blackmore, Scarlett Byrne and Teressa Liane have signed on to recur on The CW drama as members of Lily's (Annie Wersching) "family."

Fresh off the loss of Elena (Nina Dobrev ) , The Vampire Diaries is adding to its female cast. Elizabeth Blackmore (Legend of the Seeker), Scarlett Byrne (Falling Skies) and Teressa Liane (Neighbours) have signed on to recur on the long-running CW series, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. All three will first appear in The Vampire Diaries' seventh season opener.



Blackmore has been tapped to play Valerie, one of Lily's (Annie Wersching ) heretics with " powerful magic and a dark and moody attitude." She doesn't find life in Mystic Falls all that great, and isn't OK with the rules Lily has laid down for the family. And when Valerie goes down her own path, she starts a " dangerous chain of events that will change the face of Mystic Falls." (Perhaps Valerie is the key to that season six finale end scene ?) has been tapped to play Valerie, one of Lily's () heretics with "

Meanwhile, the other newbies , Nora (Byrne) and Mary Louise ( Liane ), are also heretics, as well as a couple who "wreak havoc." Nora is touted as having a "sly sense of humor," whereas Mary Louise has a " strong point of view which she isn’t afraid to express."

At Comic-Con, The Vampire Diaries executive producer Julie Plec teased the casting, sharing that they'd be introducing "nasty, nasty, nasty girls" this season.

Fellow EP Caroline Dries acknowledged that the "challenge for the writers in season seven is topping the villain from the previous season. And by bringing in Lily's family, it's the first time we've seen our characters go against them and they go, 'Oh, we don't know what we're doing.' It's very hard."

The Vampire Diaries returns on Thursday, Oct. 8 at 8 p.m. on The CW .

Additional reporting by Lesley Goldberg.