Ian Somerhalder’s Darkest Hour: The Vampire Diaries Star Almost Quit Over Damon’s Love Interest Role
I’m Avery Sinclair, a no-nonsense journalist with a healthy dose of skepticism. Let’s get down to business. Ian Somerhalder, the brooding heartthrob from The Vampire Diaries, had a major crisis of faith during season three – he actually considered quitting the hit show over concerns that his character Damon Salvatore was being steered into a sappy love interest role.
According to an excerpt from the upcoming book I Was Feeling Epic: An Oral History of The Vampire Diaries, obtained by Variety, Ian Somerhalder was at his wit’s end. He had a heart-to-heart with co-creator Julie Plec, pouring out his frustrations and fears that Damon’s character was being watered down. “I was so upset about the trajectory of Damon, so much so that at one point I was sitting across from Julie in her office in Atlanta almost in tears—actually, my eyes were quite misty—and asked out of the show,” Ian, now 46, reveals in the book.
It seems Ian was worried that his character’s bad-boy image was being compromised, and he didn’t want to be typecast as a one-dimensional love interest. He confessed to Plec that he felt Damon’s character was heading in a direction that would make him “a sappy character.” Plec, however, was quick to reassure him that there was a bigger plan in place, one that would see Damon’s character evolve over the course of the show.
Julie Plec reminded Ian that he was contractually obligated to stay on for six years and that his character’s story arc was far from over. She convinced him to trust the process, and Ian eventually came around to the idea that Damon’s character would have its ups and downs, just like any real person. “She said, ‘Dude, I get it, Damon cannot be a one-trick pony,’” Ian continued. “‘This is a one-hundred-episode arc of a man, there are ups and there are downs, and there are times when he’s the villain, there are times when he’s the hero.’ I had to trust in that process.”
Fast forward to 2022, and Ian Somerhalder looks back on his time on The Vampire Diaries with fondness. He took to Instagram to mark the five-year anniversary of the show’s wrap, gushing about the experience and the community that formed around it. “Holy s–t, five years ago, on this day we wrapped The Vampire Diaries forever,” he wrote. “This journey has been truly incredible. And now look what we’ve been able to build together with you all.”
While Ian may have ultimately appreciated his time on the show, he’s not missing the spotlight. In a January 2024 interview with E! News, he confessed that he’s happy to be out of the Hollywood bubble, focusing on his personal life with wife Nikki Reed and their two kids. “I love what I did for a really long time,” Ian told E! News. “I love making films, I just did it for so long. We had an amazing run.”
The Vampire Diaries may have had its fair share of drama, but it’s not the only show to have experienced cast member exits. Other stars have walked away from their shows, citing various reasons. For instance, three Saturday Night Live cast members – Michael Longfellow, Emil Wakim, and Devon Walker – announced they wouldn’t be returning for the show’s 51st season. Jax Taylor, a star of The Valley, also exited the show amid concerns about his behavior.
And that brings us to the end of this particular tale of woe. It’s clear that Ian Somerhalder had a tough time on The Vampire Diaries, but ultimately, it was worth it.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and E! News, Variety
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
