Actor Ian Somerhalder has detailed his departure from Hollywood, attributing his decision to leave acting to his experience with Netflix, particularly the cancellation of his 2019 series "V Wars." Somerhalder, known for his roles in "The Vampire Diaries" and "Lost," stated in a recent podcast appearance that the streaming service canceled "V Wars" after one season, despite significant investment in its production.
Somerhalder expressed disappointment with the final product, recalling that he did not want his name associated with the show and offered to return his salary. When Netflix declined this offer and granted him and his producing partner, James Gibb, creative control over "V Wars," they were denied additional funding. According to Somerhalder, they raised over $6 million and filmed additional footage to salvage the series, a process that led to him being hospitalized from overwork.
Despite their efforts, Somerhalder alleged that the show was subsequently "canceled quietly." He stated that Netflix executives acknowledged the cancellation was unwarranted but refused to reverse the decision, citing the potential for setting a problematic precedent. This experience prompted Somerhalder to pivot his career away from acting.
Somerhalder and his wife, actress Nikki Reed, now operate a regenerative agriculture farm north of Los Angeles. He explained his motivation for leaving the industry, stating he did not want his livelihood dictated by streaming executives. "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 said. "I’m not going to base my life on having television or streaming executives dictate what and how I can make a living. And so, I pulled the plug."
In 2023, Somerhalder and Reed executive produced the documentary "Common Ground," which explored the regenerative agriculture movement. Somerhalder has expressed no regrets about his career change, stating he loved his time in acting but is content with his current path.