Jasmine Guy joins 'Vampire Diaries'

Jasmine Guy has signed up to join the cast of The CW's The Vampire Diaries.

The former A Different World star will portray the grandmother of Katerina Graham's Bonnie character, helping the high school student discover that she is from a long line of witches, according to the show's website.

"It's a timeless role," executive producer Kevin Williamson explained. "She looks so young because she's a witch! She's a college professor at the local university who teaches the occult. Bonnie starts to think she may be a witch, and it turns out they have a lineage of witches in their family dating back to Salem.

"Bonnie thinks it's all crazy until she starts doing things like lighting fires."

Series star Ian Somerhalder recently admitted he was hesitant to sign for the show because of its comparisons to Twilight.