Lost And Vampire Diaries Star Reveals Why He Stopped Acting

Considering how much he enjoyed that platform, why did Ian Somerhalder walk away from acting? Eventually, though, he came to the surprising revelation that he’d rather balance time between these passion projects and his family rather than between Hollywood and environmentalism. “That path has gotten me to where I feel most authentic anyway,” he said, “which is in a pair of cowboy boots, feeding the cows and running horses.”

The decision may seem baffling to fans, and Ian Somerhalder is very aware of how crazy it sounds: “at this sort of peak, [I] could have gone and done anything, but these partnerships mean way more to me.” He was hesitant at first to walk away from the “only thing I’ve ever known that’s ever sustained my family,” but eventually realized that this is what he is most passionate about. “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 said.