Ian Somerhalder facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ian Somerhalder
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Somerhalder in 2023
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Ian Joseph Somerhalder
December 8, 1978 Covington, Louisiana, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1997–2024 |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 2 |
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Ian Joseph Somerhalder (born December 8, 1978) is an American actor who has now retired from acting. He is famous for playing Boone Carlyle in the TV show Lost and Damon Salvatore in the supernatural teen drama The Vampire Diaries.
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Early Life and Start in Acting
Ian Joseph Somerhalder was born in Covington, Louisiana, on December 8, 1978. He is the second of three children. His mother, Edna, was a massage therapist, and his father, Robert Somerhalder Sr., was a building contractor. Ian has an older brother named Robert and a younger sister named Robyn. His parents divorced when he was 14, and he lived with his mother.
Ian went to Saint Paul's School, a private school in Covington. He started modeling when he was 10 years old and continued until he was 13. By the time he was 17, he decided he wanted to become an actor.
Acting Career Highlights
In 2000, Ian Somerhalder starred in the TV series Young Americans. He played Hamilton Fleming, the son of a boarding school's dean. In 2002, he appeared in the movie The Rules of Attraction.
His big break came in 2004 when he played Boone Carlyle in the popular show Lost. Even though his character died in the first season, he returned for several more episodes. Being part of Lost was a very important experience for him.
In 2009, Ian starred in the movie The Tournament. In the same year, he began his most famous role as the vampire Damon Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries. This show became very popular and was the highest-rated series on its channel. Ian's acting in the show received many good reviews. He also started directing episodes of The Vampire Diaries in its third season and later became a producer for the show. He won several Teen Choice Awards and a People's Choice Award for his work on the series.
Later, Ian played Dr. Luther Swann in the Netflix science fiction horror series V Wars, which ran from 2019 to 2020. In 2020, he was an executive producer for the documentary film Kiss the Ground, which is about regenerative agriculture. He also worked on its follow-up documentary, Common Ground, in 2023.
In 2024, Ian Somerhalder shared that he had stopped acting and moved away from Los Angeles. However, he continues to be involved in producing and working on environmental causes.
Helping the World: Foundations and Causes
Ian Somerhalder cares a lot about the environment and animals. He helped with the cleanup after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. He helped clean animals affected by the oil and made public service announcements to show people how they could help too.
He also supports the St. Tammany Humane Society, which helps animals. In 2010, he hosted a charity event for them. Ian also supports the It Gets Better Project, which helps young people.
On his 32nd birthday, December 8, 2010, Ian started the "Ian Somerhalder Foundation". He hopes this foundation will teach people how important it is to protect our environment and animals. He said, "Instead of gifts this year, my birthday wish is that we come together and raise funds to support projects that protect our habitat and nurture our furry friends." To spread the word about his foundation, Ian often takes part in Mardi Paws, a parade in his hometown. He is against GMO foods and factory farming. He supports ecologist Allan Savory's ideas about letting cows graze naturally to help the soil and fight climate change. In 2011, Ian visited Allan Savory in Africa and announced he was making a documentary about him.
Ian is also a celebrity supporter for RYOT, a media company that focuses on news and causes.
Personal Life and Interests
Ian Somerhalder married actress Nikki Reed on April 26, 2015. They have two children, a daughter born in 2017 and a son born in 2023.
While working on Lost, Ian and his co-star Maggie Grace adopted a wild cat they found on set. Ian is still good friends with his former Vampire Diaries co-star Paul Wesley. In 2020, they launched their own bourbon whiskey brand called Brother's Bond Bourbon.
Images for kids
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Somerhalder in 2023
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Somerhalder at the 2015 Wizard World Convention.
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Paul Wesley, Nina Dobrev and Somerhalder in 2012
See also
In Spanish: Ian Somerhalder para niños
