“That was it. I walked away,” the “Vampire Diaries” alum shared.

Ian Somerhalder reveals the ‘controversial’ reason he ‘pulled the plug’ on his acting career

“That was it. I walked away,” the “Vampire Diaries” alum shared.

By Shania Russell

Shania Russell

Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

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July 15, 2026 2:04 p.m. ET

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Ian Somerhalder. Credit:

Gregg DeGuire/Variety via Getty

- Ian Somerhalder is delving into his decision to walk away from acting.

- The* Vampire Diaries* alum is revealing the project that prompted him to “pull the plug” after a negative experience with a major studio.

- “These executives are bitching at each other, and I’m like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ Done. I’m out,” he recalled.

Ian Somerhalder is getting brutally honest about the reason why he decided to leave acting behind.

The *Vampire Diaries* star hasn’t appeared onscreen since 2019, having departed Hollywood to focus on various business ventures with his wife Nikki Reed. Reflecting on his career pivot during a recent visit to the *Haley on the Go* podcast, the actor noted that some might find his reasoning “controversial,” sharing that he chose to step away after a frustrating experience with his Netflix series, *V Wars*.

“I wanted to do *V Wars *because it was me, not as a vampire, it was me as a scientist,” he said of the series on which he was also an executive producer. “[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.”

Somerhalder said that upon reviewing the final product, he tried to prevent the series from being released. “I said to the studio, ‘I don’t want to put my name on this. I’ll give you the money back — I’ll give you millions of dollars,’” he recalled. “And they were like, ‘What? What are you talking about?’”

Ian Somerhalder on ‘V Wars’.

In an effort to compromise, Somerhalder claimed that he and his producing partner, James Gibb, requested “creative control of the show” so they could fix it. The actor said that although Netflix agreed, he was told, “‘We’re not giving you a dollar more.’”

Somerhalder said he ultimately raised more than $6 million in funds to do reshoots for six days, resulting in the 10 hours of footage that he needed to revamp the show. He said that the reshoots took so much effort that he ultimately ended up “in the hospital” from overworking his body.

The silver lining was that when* V Wars* premiered in December 2019, it was “a hit,” according to Somerhalder. The series — which followed a doctor pitted against his best friends in his efforts to prevent an ancient disease that turns people into vampires — seemed to find its audience. But in March 2020, the series was canceled after one season.

“The execs were fighting, and someone quietly canceled the show,” Somerhalder said, claiming that he was later told that though the cancellation was a mistake, it could not be undone.

Ian Somerhalder on ‘V Wars’.

“The powers that be at Netflix were like, ‘It’s unfortunate. Yes, it shouldn’t have happened [but] we can’t go back, because it would set a precedent that would be terrible, so the show is done,’” Somerhalder continued.

* *has reached out to Netflix for comment.

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In the aftermath of the *V Wars* drama, Somerhalder said he came to a realization.

“I looked at myself in the mirror, and I said to my wife, I was like, ‘Man, I’m 40 years old. I don’t want to spend two years of my life doing something, working this hard’ — one year fully unpaid — ‘for this executive who had issues in high school so they want to exert power now,’” Somerhalder 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.”

He continued, “So I pulled the plug. That was it. I walked away. These executives are bitching at each other, and I’m like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ Done. I’m out.”

Since walking away from Hollywood, Somerhalder has put his efforts toward the businesses that he started with his loved ones. The former actor is busy as the co-founder of the Absorption Company, a brand that specializes in high-absorption supplements for sleep and energy, which he began with his wife. He is also the co-founder of Brother’s Bond Bourbon with his* Vampire Diaries *costar (and onscreen brother), Paul Wesley.

Ian Somerhalder and Nikki Reed.

Kayla Oaddams/Getty

Back in 2024, Somerhalder told PEOPLE that acting is “in the rearview mirror” for him — but also offered fans a sliver of hope in sharing, “We got the rights back for *V Wars*. But I just don’t know how the hell we would ever make a TV show.”

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Months prior, Somerhalder told the outlet that acting just wasn’t conducive to his life anymore, explaining, “I say this in all humility, in all respect, but I would much rather do this than go spend two months in some city, shooting a TV show away from my family or transporting my family back and forth.”

He added, “Once you reach a certain level, you’re like, ‘Okay, I want to focus on family and the future of farming and food and energy and the big things. I don’t need to chase awards and anything that would make me feel better about myself.”

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