In the 2000s, Ian Somerhalder was being lined up as one of the next bright young things – the actor breaking through with memorable roles in Roger Avary’s “The Rules of Attraction” and the first season of “Lost”. He then landed the lead role in The CW’s “The Vampire Diaries” which he held for nearly a decade, and came back briefly to vampire tales with the short-lived “V Wars” in 2019. Now, in a new interview with , the actor revealed that he’s been retired from acting since the end of “V Wars” when he relocated outside of Los Angeles and is now pursuing his passion for environmental conservation.
Discussing the 20th anniversary of “Lost” and 15th anniversary of “The Vampire Diaries” with the outlet, he says he feels “enormous gratitude” for the shows as they’ve helped get him to where he feels most authentic – “which is in a pair of cowboy boots, feeding the cows and running horses...
I don’t need to chase awards and anything that would make me feel better about myself.” The new 45-year-old former actor is still producing though, namely the regenerative agriculture documentary “Kiss the Ground” and its follow-up “Common Ground”. He and his “Vampire Diaries” co-star turned “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” actor Paul Wesley also launched the Brother’s Bond Bourbon whiskey brand.
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