Biography
Who is Ian Somerhalder?
Early life and education
Ian Somerhalder was born on December 8, 1978, in Covington, Louisiana. He grew up as the middle child in a family with an older brother and a younger sister. His father, Robert Somerhalder Sr., worked as an independent building contractor of Cajun descent. His mother, Edna, is a massage therapist of Irish and Choctaw descent.
He attended Mandeville High School and graduated from Saint Paul's School. Before focusing on acting, he worked as a model between the ages of 10 and 13. At age 17, Ian began training with acting teacher William Esper to pursue a career in performance.
Career highlights
His television career included a role as Hamilton Fleming in the series Young Americans in 2000. In 2002, he appeared in the film adaptation of The Rules of Attraction alongside Jessica Biel. His major breakthrough occurred in 2004 when he joined the ABC drama Lost to play Boone Carlyle. Although his character died early in the first season, he returned for several episodes through 2010.
In 2009, he began his role as Damon Salvatore in the CW series The Vampire Diaries. This show became a big success for the network and earned him several awards, including a People's Choice Award. He also directed episodes of the series and produced it during its eighth season. His other work includes the Netflix series V Wars and the documentary Kiss the Ground, which he helped produce in 2020.
Family and personal life
Ian Somerhalder married Nikki Reed on April 26, 2015, in Malibu, California. The couple had a daughter in 2017 and a son in 2023. He previously dated his former co-star Nina Dobrev between 2010 and 2013.
After a long career in television and film, he announced his retirement from acting in 2024. He moved to a farm near Los Angeles to focus on his interests in environmental activism and production work.
Philanthropy and activism
He established the Ian Somerhalder Foundation on December 8, 2010, to support animal welfare and environmental protection. He has been active in cleanup efforts following the Deepwater Horizon disaster and supports the St. Tammany Humane Society. He also participates in the Mardi Paws parade in his hometown of Covington.
His activism includes supporting the It Gets Better Project to help LGBT youth. He has also campaigned against factory farming and GMO foods while working with ecologist Allan Savory to promote biodiversity through natural grazing methods.
Birthday and age
Ian Somerhalder was born on December 8, 1978, which makes Ian 47 years old today. That birthday falls under the Sagittarius sign. Ian shares the date with 60 other famous people.
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