Who did Michael Malarkey play in The Vampire Diaries? Actor discards Starbucks cup on stage, urges viewers to boycott

Following his refusal to drink Starbucks coffee during a recent interview, The Vampire Diaries star Michael Malarkey has called for a boycott of the company. In a video that was posted on X, the actor was seated onstage when an audience member told him that they liked his role as Enzo in theVampire Diaries.

While he listened, Michael Malarkey raised a Starbucks paper cup to his mouth, then stopped and held it to take a closer look. Upon realizing that it was Starbucks, the actor first put the cup down before walking across the stage to keep the cup away.

Michael Malarkey then went on to explain:

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize that was Starbucks coffee. I do not drink Starbucks coffee. I boycott Starbucks, and you all should, too."

Many in the audience clapped and cheered at his remarks. The British-American musician and actor Michael Malarkey is well-known for his role as Lorenzo "Enzo" St. John in the television series The Vampire Diaries.

---

Michael Malarkey played a vampire named Enzo and Bonnie’s love interest in The Vampire Diaries

Michael Malarkey has pro-Palestine views. (Image via Getty Images)

In The Vampire Diaries, Michael Malarkey's character, Lorenzo "Enzo" St. John, served as an anti-hero and a key character. He was introduced in season five with the episode What Lies Beneath, which aired on May 1, 2014.

Prior to being elevated to being a main character in the sixth season of the show, he was a major recurring character in the fifth season.

Enzo was a vampire and Damon Salvatore's cellmate in the 1950s, before being taken prisoner by the Augustines, a covert organization centered at Whitmore College that experimented on vampires.

Enzo and Stefan, another one of the show's key characters, engaged in a heated argument during the fifth season's Man on Fire episode. Stefan grabbed hold of Enzo's heart and inserted his hand within him when Enzo tried to burn him.

However, Stefan declined to kill Enzo, but he backed off and had his heart extracted. Nevertheless, Enzo later returned to life with the help of Bonnie, who was a witch. In the last season of the show, Stefan killed Enzo, putting an end to their tense relationship.

---

Michael Malarkey isn't the first one to boycott Starbucks

In the months following the October 7 Hamas attacks, pro-Palestinian campaigners have called to boycott Starbucks due to the company's alleged support for Israel during the war in Gaza.

The corporation became embroiled in the controversy after Starbucks' workers published a post on X expressing their solidarity with Palestinians. Many customers boycotted the company as a result of the legal action the company took against the workers.

Later, the company claimed that the workers uploaded the post without the business executives' consent. It further said that:

"People were mistakenly tying these remarks to us, because Workers United, its affiliates and members continue to use our name, logo and intellectual property."

Michael Malarkey, on the other hand, is a pro-Palestine actor and has shared several Instagram posts to demonstrate his support for Palestine.

In one post, Malarkey wore a T-shirt with the Palestinian flag and the words "luv ya fam x" to encourage his fans to purchase a pro-Palestine T-shirt as part of a fundraiser for those affected by the war in Gaza. The Vampire Diaries actor also published a post, during the #artists4ceasefire movement, which saw several celebrities calling on authorities to implement a ceasefire in Gaza.