Ian Somerhalder has reflected on his successful career with roles in Lost and The Vampire Diaries, but ultimately admitted he decided to leave Hollywood in search of something more fulfilling.
The actor looked back on his time on “Lost” as “a very humbling experience” in a recent interview. peoplePublished on September 23rd.
“Losing it, being the first one to be cast and the first one to be killed, was a hard truth to swallow,” he said, but it also gave him the opportunity to film in Hawaii and further his passion for conservation.
“I got to do a lot of work on coral reef conservation,” he said, “and I also got to do a lot of work on soil and water conservation there.”
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 08: Ian Somerhalder was spotted out and about in New York City on November 8, 2023. (Photo by Patricia Schlein/StarMax/GC Images) Getty Images
Somerhalder said he looks back on his time as an actor with “enormous gratitude” because “Lost” and “The Vampire Diaries” gave him the opportunity to highlight projects that are close to his heart.
“That path led me to a place where I felt most authentic: putting on my cowboy boots and feeding cattle and riding horses,” Somerhalder told People magazine.
Once he began on that path, the famous actor realized his main goal and most authentic experience was off-screen.
“After V Wars, I started my own company, made films like 'Kiss the Ground,' 'Common Ground' and 'Ground Swell,' and then I stepped away from that to raise my kids. I remember having a discussion about it with my management and at the height of my power I said, 'Hey, this is the only thing that's kept my family going, but I'm letting this go.' I was free to do whatever I wanted, but these partnerships mean so much more to me,” he said in an interview.
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 14, 2024: Ian Somerhalder attends the first ever Farmers Market for Dogs hosted by natural pet food brand NUTRO at The Grove in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Natasha Campos/Getty Images, Courtesy of NUTRO™)
The famous actor put his life into perspective and spoke about the pure attraction he feels towards his true calling.
“I say this humbly, in every sense, but I think doing this would be so much better than spending two months in some city away from my family filming a TV show and shuttling my family back and forth a lot,” he told People magazine.
“Once you get to a certain level, you think, ‘OK, I want to focus on the big things: my family, the future of agriculture, food, energy.’ You don’t have to chase awards or things that make you feel better about yourself.”
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 14, 2024: Ian Somerhalder attends the first ever Farmers Market for Dogs hosted by natural pet food brand NUTRO at The Grove in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Natasha Campos/Getty Images, Courtesy of NUTRO™)
Somerhalder reiterated that the activities closest to animals and the planet are what most ignite his passion. (Related article: “I Could Have Been a Movie Star”: David Schwimmer reveals why he turned down role in 'Men in Black')
“I actually get to partner with people who are creating things like the Greater Ground Initiative, who are literally joining hands to invest in the farmers who actually grow the food that we eat and that our pets eat, which is huge,” he told People magazine.
“So you try all these fancy things and then you realize in the end that it's the basics that matter.”
