Candice Rene King, born May 13, 1987, is a talented American actress, singer, and songwriter. She gained widespread recognition for her portrayal of Caroline Forbes on The CW's The Vampire Diaries.
Candice was born in Houston, Texas, to Carolyn Clark, an environmental engineer turned homemaker, and Kevin Accola, a cardio-thoracic surgeon. Her ancestry is a mix of English, Romansh-Swiss, French, and Norwegian. She grew up in Edgewood, Florida, and attended Lake Highland Preparatory School. Both her parents are active members of the local Republican political party, but Candice has shown support for President Barack Obama and gay rights.
In December 2006, Candice released her debut album, It's Always the Innocent Ones, independently in the United States. She co-wrote 13 of the 14 tracks on the record. The album was re-released in Japan in 2008, achieving greater success. Candice toured as a backing singer for Miley Cyrus's Best of Both Worlds Tour and appeared as herself in the 2008 3D concert film Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert.
Candice has made guest appearances in several television series, including How I Met Your Mother, Supernatural, and Drop Dead Diva. She starred in the independent horror film Deadgirl in 2009, which centers on two high school boys who discover an immortal woman in an abandoned asylum. That same year, she had a bit-role in The Hannah Montana Movie.
In 2009, Candice was cast as Caroline Forbes in The CW television series The Vampire Diaries. The show was an immediate success, with the series premiere reaching 4.91 million viewers. Critical reception for the show was mixed initially, but as the show progressed, critics were positive. Candice's performance received widespread acclaim, and she won numerous awards for her portrayal of Caroline Forbes.
Candice joined the YouTube series Dating Rules From My Future Self in June 2012, playing the role of Chloe Cunningham, a 26-year-old girl who believes love does not exist. The series centers on a girl receiving romance advice from herself ten years in the future via text message. The first season of the series received over 14 million views.
In her personal life, Candice began dating musician Joe King of The Fray in February 2011. They became engaged in May 2013 and married on October 18, 2014, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Upon her marriage, she became a stepmother to Joe King's two daughters from his first marriage. In August 2015, it was announced that Candice and Joe were expecting their first child together. On January 15, 2016, King gave birth to a daughter, whom they named Florence May.
Along with her The Vampire Diaries co-stars Michael Trevino and Ian Somerhalder, Candice is a supporter of the It Gets Better Project, which aims to prevent suicide among LGBT youth.
