Ian Somerhalder is explaining why he stepped away from acting, and his answer comes back to one painful Netflix experience.
People reported that the Vampire Diaries alum said on the Haley on the Go podcast that the cancellation of V Wars helped push him out of Hollywood. Just Jared reported that Somerhalder has not appeared onscreen since the 2019 Netflix series aired and was canceled after one season.
He Wanted V Wars to Be Different From Vampire Diaries
Somerhalder said he wanted to make V Wars because it let him play a scientist instead of another vampire.
He said the production required a major commitment from his family, including moving to Northern Ontario while the show was being made. According to People, Somerhalder said he worked on the project for almost a year and was deeply unhappy with the version of the series that was first turned in.
Somerhalder Said He Helped Raise Millions to Fix the Show
Somerhalder claimed he told the studio he did not want to put his name on the show in that state. He said he and producing partner James Gibb needed creative control to fix it, but Netflix would not provide more money.
People reported that Somerhalder said he and Gibb raised more than $6 million themselves and shot 10 to 12 hours of new footage in about six days. He said the pace was so intense that he ended up in the hospital from overworking his body.
The Cancellation Changed How He Saw Hollywood
View this post on Instagram
When V Wars premiered in December 2019, Somerhalder said it performed well, but the show was still canceled. He alleged that internal executive conflict contributed to the decision and said he felt his livelihood was being controlled by people outside the creative process.
People reported that Somerhalder said he looked at himself, thought about the years he had put into the project and decided he was done.
He Has Built a Different Life With Nikki Reed
Somerhalder and his wife, Nikki Reed, have since focused more on business ventures and family life away from Los Angeles. People noted that the couple moved to a California farm with their children before he fully stepped away from the spotlight.
People reported that he previously said acting is in the rearview mirror, but he also revealed that he got the rights back for V Wars.