Vampire Diaries Ian Somerhalder Quit Acting
Vampire Diaries Ian Somerhalder Quit Acting(Photo Credit –Instagram)

Ian Somerhalder became a household name thanks to his performance as Damon Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries. The series ran from 2009 to 2017 on The CW and became very successful. Ian also appeared in several other films and shows in his career.

However, the actor quietly left the limelight and decided to live off the radar. Let’s find out the reason behind Ian’s retirement from acting.

Did Ian Somerhalder Quit Acting For Farming?

In 2014, Ian Somerhalder appeared in a British sci-fi action film called The Anomaly. It remains his last feature film to date. The actor subsequently played the lead role in Netflix’s V Wars, as per Collider. This proved to be his last acting gig. The actor moved out of Los Angeles to live with his wife, Nikki Reed. In a 2024 interview with People, Ian revealed that he wanted to focus on his family and pursue farming.

Talking about his acting career, Ian said: “I think it’s in the rearview mirror. I do.” Both Ian and his wife Nikki had shared the screen on V Wars and the duo subsequently got together. “Well, I dunno, we got the rights back for V Wars, but I just don’t know how the hell we would ever make a TV show. We’re building three companies at the same time, raising kids,” he said.

Reed also informed that she does not want to return to acting, as she was managing two companies. She told the publication, I don’t make any definitive statements about anything. I don’t look at anything. I work over 90 hours a week right now. I’m running a company full-time and just launched another, a shared company with the Absorption Company, and I just can’t imagine being able to pivot my energy away, but there’s no door closed.”

According to Variety, the actor also went into eight-figure debt after one of his businesses didn’t work out. He attributed it to a fraudulent incident.

Ian Somerhalder Turns Producer After Acting Exit: Backs Environmental Films

After stepping away from acting, Ian kept in touch with the entertainment business. According to Slate, Ian served as an executive producer on the Netflix documentary Kiss the Ground. It was about regenerative agriculture and the importance of soil for a healthy lifestyle.

Ian also worked on the production of other titles, such as Ground Swell and Common Ground. In the same People magazine interview, Ian recalled telling his management company about his decision to leave at the peak of his career. He added, “I say this in all humility, in all respect, but I would much rather do this than go spend two months in some city, shooting a TV show away from my family or transporting my family back and forth. Once you reach a certain level, you’re like, ‘Okay, I want to focus on family and the future of farming and food and energy and the big things,’” Somerhalder added. “I don’t need to chase awards and anything that would make me feel better about myself.”

Fans of Ian can revisit his earlier work, such as The Vampire Diaries and Lost, if they miss him on screen.

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