Thanks to his work on The Vampire Diaries and Lost, Ian Somerhalder has a legion of loyal fans. When his role as brooding vampire Damon Salvatore ended in 2017 after 171 episodes, Somerhalder mostly disappeared from the entertainment industry. He opted for a quieter pace of life and focused on a new passion: raising his children and creating awareness about the future of farming.
In a recent interview with People, Somerhalder reflected on the end of two of his most memorable performances and how they ultimately impacted his life. This included both the conclusion of his role on The Vampire Diaries, and the killing of his character Boone on Lost.
“Losing that, I was the first one cast and the first one killed,” the actor said of his time on Lost, “that was a sort of tough pill to swallow.” However, his early exit also created an unexpected silver lining, since he was able to focus on conservation.
“I got to work on a lot of soil and water conservation,” Somerhalder — who has been active in conservation efforts since 2004 — told People. “I was already doing this, my voice just wasn’t as big.”
“Cut to 2005, [I] left Lost, which was humbling. And then very beginning of 2009, came Vampire Diaries. And that was a rocket ship.”
The success of both shows, specifically The Vampire Diaries, gave Somerhalder a platform and a way to share his voice with the world, and for this he expressed his gratitude. “That path has gotten me to where I feel most authentic anyway, which is in a pair of cowboy boots, feeding the cows and running horses,” he told the publication. I’d personally love to see pictures of the heartthrob in that get-up.
Somerhalder speaks with humility and respect, and although fans would love to see him return to their TV screens, they also understand why he no longer wants to pursue an acting career and instead wishes to focus on other things, as he expressed in the interview.
“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,’” he shared. “I don’t need to chase awards and anything that would make me feel better about myself.”
He also reflected on how important it has been for him to partner with initiatives like the Greater Ground program, focusing on healthy soil. “These farmers are actually creating this food that our pets and us eat,” he explained.
This is a motivation for Somerhalder that is far more pressing than a television or film role. “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,” the actor explained.
It’s not the glitz and glamor of Hollywood, it’s not being celebrated for his acting talent or good looks. As the actor himself put it, it’s the “grounding stuff that matters.”
Fans can keep up to date with Somerhalder’s efforts on Instagram, where he gives his 25.1 million followers a glimpse into how he lives his life and his conservation efforts. Oh, they can also find him still being best buds with his Vampire Diaries co-star Paul Wesley, who when pictured together cause my phone (and myself) to overheat.
