When it comes to the gothic and horror supernatural genre, vampires have consistently been explored in both shows and movies. Over the years, there have been multiple interpretations ranging from romantic fantasies and action to comedy and supernatural horror. Among many notable entries has been the CW teen drama starring Ian Somerhalder, Paul Wesley, and Nina Dobrev, which has earned acclaim as one of the best vampire TV shows.
However, the concept of a teen drama revolving around supernatural forces did not seem appealing to Somerhalder, who played the role of Damon Salvatore in the series, when he first received the script. The actor recalled throwing it away believing the makers were attempting to bring The Twilight Saga to the small screen.
Ian Somerhalder Was Skeptical of The Vampire Diaries
Based on L. J. Smith’s book series of the same name, the show follows Elena Gilbert in the supernatural town of Mystic Falls as she gets intertwined between two vampire brothers Damon and Stefan. And Ian Somerhalder, who took on the role of Damon Salvatore in the teen drama, soon became a fan favorite.
However, initially, he was skeptical about the show, seemingly due to the series revolving around vampires and a teenage girl. In a conversation on The Drink with Kate Snow, he shared that when he initially received the script of the show, he threw it away, calling it “Twilight on TV.”
“They sent me a script of The Vampire Diaries. I picked it up, and I said, ‘This Twilight on TV,'” he said before adding, “And I threw it on the ground.” However, he decided to give it a read a few days later and was intrigued not only by the pilot but also by his character Damon Salvatore.
“I read the pilot and realized this is really fricken awesome. And this character [Damon Salvatore] is unbelievable. This guy has the potential to be the coolest character on television.”
Upon reaching out, he was told to be in for his audition sharply at 10:00 AM. “I had to fight tooth and nail,” he shared while recounting his drive through the Mojave Desert and how he worked on Damon Salvatore’s character throughout his drive.
Ian Somerhalder Addressed Leaving Hollywood
His role as Damon Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries has been the most popular role of his career, and Somerhalder has admitted that it was the decision that changed the “entire trajectory of anything my life would ever be.”
He continued starring in shows and movies following the show’s success. However, the 45-year-old actor stepped back from acting in recent years following his involvement in the Netflix series, V Wars. At the Los Angeles premiere of Common Ground earlier this year, the actor reflected on leaving Hollywood.
“I love what I did for a really long time,” he told E! News before adding, “I love making films, I just did it for so long. We had an amazing run.” The Anomaly star, however, has been more focused on producing documentaries in recent years.
He has featured in and produced several documentaries about climate change and regenerative agriculture, including Years of Living Dangerously, Kiss The Ground, and most recently Common Grounds, which advocates for sustainable and eco-friendly farming practices.
The Vampire Diaries is available to stream on Prime Video.
