Former teen idol Ian Somerhalder is finally breaking his silence on the decision that left fans wondering for years.
After stepping away from Hollywood at the height of his career, the former The Vampire Diaries star has now revealed the deeply personal and unexpectedly controversial reason he quit acting.
During a recent podcast appearance, Somerhalder revealed how the fallout surrounding his Netflix series became the turning point that made him walk away from acting.
The Vampire Diaries star opens up about behind-the-scenes conflict
Image credits: The CW
Ian Somerhalder is best known for playing Damon Salvatore in the hit supernatural drama The Vampire Diaries. After the series concluded in 2017, he collaborated with Netflix for another vampire-centric project.
Based on Jonathan Maberry’s comic book of the same name, V Wars premiered in 2019, with Somerhalder starring as Dr. Luther Swann and serving as an executive producer.
The 47-year-old star recently appeared on the Haley on the Go podcast, where he opened up about the creative frustrations he experienced while working on the series.
Image credits: Netflix
“[We] shot the show, moved my whole family to Northern Ontario. Worked really hard on this thing for almost a year, and the show that got turned in wasn’t even watchable,” he said.
After initially trying to remove his name from the series, Somerhalder convinced Netflix to give him and his producing partner “creative control” to salvage it. However, the streamer refused to fund the necessary reshoots.
As a result, Somerhalder raised more than $6 million to salvage the production, filmed hours of additional footage in less than a week, overworked himself, and ultimately landed in the hospital—only for the show to be canceled.
Ian Somerhalder reveals the real reason he walked away from Hollywood
Image credits: Victoria Sirakova/Getty Images
During the conversation, the actor said that although the show was a “hit,” significant disagreements among Netflix executives ultimately sealed its fate.
“The execs were fighting, and someone quietly canceled the show,” he stated.
Somerhalder, who is married to actress Nikki Reed, recalled venting his frustrations to his wife.
Despite spending nearly two years bringing the series to life, he was disappointed that an executive could “exert power” and have it canceled for reasons unrelated to its quality.
Image credits: Paul Archuleta/Getty Images
He said, “I am not here for my career and livelihood to be dictated by someone who has mommy or daddy issues, or they weren’t popular in school.”
Somerhalder credited the overall experience of working on the project, particularly the infighting among the executives, as the “really honest” and “controversial” reason he decided to quit acting.
“So I pulled the plug. That was it. I walked away,” he added.
The actor previously talked about dealing with an eight-figure debt
Image credits: Paul Archuleta/Getty Images
The Lost alum announced his retirement from acting back in 2024 after moving out of Los Angeles with his family. Earlier this year, Somerhalder spoke about the challenges of leaving behind an “insanely lucrative career in television.”
In an interview with E! News, the 47-year-old revealed that he experienced a financial setback while trying to build a business.
However, fraudulent business dealings left him in what he described as an “eight-figure hole.” To recover financially, Somerhalder sold off assets including homes, paintings, cars, and watches.
Image credits: The CW
“I should’ve been retiring off of one of the biggest TV shows in the world,” he said of his eighth-season run on The Vampire Diaries.
Despite the turbulent period, Somerhalder said he had no desire to return to acting.
“I think it’s in the rearview mirror,” he told People in 2024.
The former actor has since focused on business ventures and environmental advocacy while raising his two children away from the Hollywood spotlight.
The Vampire Diaries is currently streaming on Peacock and HBO Max.
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