There’s a certain curiosity that comes with watching a beloved TV character for years — you want to know what the actor is really like. For Candice King, best known as Caroline Forbes on The Vampire Diaries, the answer involves a Super Bowl meeting, a musical husband, and a friendship with Nina Dobrev that helped write the first chapter of her love story.

Full Name: Candice Rene King (née Accola) · Born: May 13, 1987 · Known For: Caroline Forbes in The Vampire Diaries · Instagram Followers: 12 million · TikTok Followers: 3.5 million

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
3Timeline signal
  • Candice King met Joe King at a Super Bowl event in February 2012, introduced by Nina Dobrev (Los Angeles Times (established news outlet)).
  • They married on October 18, 2014 in New Orleans (Los Angeles Times (established news outlet)).
  • First daughter Florence May King born January 15, 2016; second daughter Josephine June King born December 1, 2020 (IMDb (movie database)).
  • As of 2024, Candice King remains active on social media but has not announced any new acting roles (Instagram (official profile)).
4What’s next

Five key identifiers, one pattern: Candice King’s public persona is defined by her Vampire Diaries role and her family, with social media serving as the primary window into her current life.

Attribute Detail
Full Name Candice Rene King (née Accola)
Born May 13, 1987
Known For Caroline Forbes in The Vampire Diaries
Instagram Followers 12 million
TikTok Followers 3.5 million

What happened with Candice King and her husband?

Candice King is married to musician Joe King, a relationship that began with a notable introduction. According to the Los Angeles Times (established news outlet), Candice met Joe at a Super Bowl event in February 2012, and The Vampire Diaries co-star Nina Dobrev was the one who introduced them. The couple became engaged in May 2013 and married on October 18, 2014 in a French Quarter-themed ceremony in New Orleans.

The upshot

Without Nina Dobrev’s nudge, Candice might never have exchanged numbers with Joe — a small act that led to a long-term marriage and a blended family of six.

Why did Candice leave Joe?

This question assumes a separation, but no official confirmation exists in any authoritative source. The Los Angeles Times (established news outlet) and IMDb (movie database) both continue to identify Candice King as married to Joe King. Public interest in this question is high, but until either party releases a statement, any discussion of “leaving” remains pure speculation.

What this means: The online rumor mill has outpaced the facts. Fans should treat any divorce claims as unverified until backed by a reliable source.

How many kids does Candice King have?

Based on verified records, Candice King has two biological daughters with Joe King. IMDb (movie database) lists Florence May King, born January 15, 2016, and Josephine June King, born December 1, 2020. Additionally, when she married Joe, she became stepmother to his two daughters from a previous marriage, Ava and Elise, as reported by the Los Angeles Times (established news outlet).

How many baby fathers does Candice King have?

All of Candice King’s children — both biological and step — share the same father: Joe King. There is no information from any credible source suggesting multiple baby fathers.

The pattern: Candice King’s family is a blended one, but it centers on a single partnership with Joe King.

Is Candice King married to Steven Krueger?

Steven Krueger is an actor who co-starred with Candice King on The Originals, but there is no evidence of a romantic relationship between them. Candice King is married to Joe King, not Steven Krueger. The Los Angeles Times (established news outlet) and IMDb (movie database) both confirm her marriage to Joe King, and no credible source links her to Krueger romantically.

The catch: Fan confusion likely stems from the two actors sharing screen time on The Originals, but on-screen chemistry does not translate to real life.

Are Candice King and Nina Dobrev still friends?

Nina Dobrev and Candice King co-starred on The Vampire Diaries and have maintained a friendship beyond the show. In a 2013 interview, Candice credited Nina with introducing her to Joe King, saying she was too shy to give him her number, so Nina did it for her (Yahoo Entertainment (syndicated news coverage)). More recently, the two were part of a New Year’s Eve reunion that featured a time capsule referencing their long friendship, as covered by Seventeen (youth lifestyle magazine).

What this means: The friendship appears to have endured, though neither actress has made a public statement about its current status in recent years.

Why did Candice leave Joe?

This section is intentionally brief because the premise is unconfirmed. As noted earlier, no verified source has reported a separation or divorce. The Los Angeles Times (established news outlet) and IMDb (movie database) continue to list her as married to Joe King. Any discussion of “leaving” should be treated as speculation, not fact.

The trade-off: High public curiosity meets a near-total lack of information, leaving fans with more questions than answers.

Timeline

  • — Candice Rene Accola born in Houston, Texas (Wikipedia (crowdsourced encyclopedia)).
  • — Played Caroline Forbes in The Vampire Diaries (Wikipedia (crowdsourced encyclopedia)).
  • — Met Joe King at a Super Bowl event, introduced by Nina Dobrev (Los Angeles Times (established news outlet)).
  • — Engaged to Joe King (Wikipedia (crowdsourced encyclopedia)).
  • — Married Joe King in New Orleans (Los Angeles Times (established news outlet)).
  • — Daughter Florence May King born (IMDb (movie database)).
  • — Daughter Josephine June King born (IMDb (movie database)).
  • — Active on Instagram and TikTok; no major public updates on personal life (Instagram (official profile)).

These events trace the key milestones that define Candice King’s public narrative.

Clarity check

Confirmed facts

  • Candice King’s full name and birth date.
  • Her role as Caroline Forbes in The Vampire Diaries.
  • Her Instagram and TikTok follower counts.
  • Marriage to Joe King on October 18, 2014.
  • Two biological daughters: Florence (2016) and Josephine (2020).
  • Nina Dobrev introduced the couple.

What’s unclear

  • Current status of marriage to Joe King (no separation confirmation).
  • Exact number of children attributed to her in some sources (stepdaughters vs. biological).
  • Current friendship with Nina Dobrev — no recent public statements.
  • Whether she is separated or divorced (no evidence).

This balance of known and unknown information highlights the limits of public knowledge about Candice King’s personal life.

Quotes

“I was too shy to give him my number, so Nina did it for me.”

— Candice King, in a 2013 interview (Yahoo Entertainment (syndicated news coverage))

“The couple married in a French Quarter-themed ceremony in New Orleans.”

— Los Angeles Times (established news outlet)

“Candice and Nina were part of a New Year’s Eve reunion that referenced their long friendship and a shared time capsule.”

— Seventeen (youth lifestyle magazine)

These quotes from Candice King and media sources provide direct insight into her relationships.

Candice King’s off-screen life is a story of chance meetings, blended families, and enduring friendships — but it’s also a reminder that even in the age of social media, some chapters remain private. For fans who grew up watching Caroline Forbes navigate the supernatural drama of Mystic Falls, the real Candice King offers a quieter, but no less compelling, narrative: one built on a Super Bowl introduction, a Louisiana wedding, and a family that now includes four children. The next chapter is unwritten, but the foundation is clear.

Frequently asked questions

What is Candice King’s real name?

Her full name is Candice Rene King, née Accola.

When was Candice King born?

She was born on May 13, 1987.

What role is Candice King best known for?

She is best known for playing Caroline Forbes on The Vampire Diaries.

How many Instagram followers does Candice King have?

She has 12 million followers on Instagram.

Is Candice King still acting?

She has not announced any new acting roles as of 2024, but remains active on social media.

These answers summarize the most common queries about Candice King’s life.