Menu

Ian Somerhalder Height, Age, Wife, Girlfriend, Children, Family, Biography & More

Quick Info→
Height: 5′ 9″
Age: 45 Years
Wife: Nikki Reed

Ian Somerhalder

Bio/Wiki
Full nameIan Joseph Somerhalder
NicknameSmolderholder/SmolderHolder

Note: It means 'someone who looks as hot as fire.'
Profession(s)• Actor
• Philanthropist
• Humanitarian
Famous Role'Damon Salvatore' from the television series The Vampire Diaries (2009-2017)
Ian Somerhalder as 'Damon Salvatore' in a still from the television series 'The Vampire Diaries' (2009-2017)
Physical Stats & More
Height (approx.)in centimeters- 175 cm
in meters- 1.75 m
in feet & inches- 5’ 9”
Weight (approx.)in kilograms- 70 kg
in pounds- 154 lbs
Body Measurements (approx.)- Chest: 42 Inches
- Waist: 30 Inches
- Biceps: 14 Inches
Eye ColourLight Blue
Hair ColourLight Golden Brown
Career
DebutAs an Actor

TV: Young Americans (2000) as 'Hamilton Fleming'
Ian Somerhalder as 'Hamilton Fleming' in the television series 'Young Americans' (2000)
Film: Life as a House (2001) as 'Josh'
Ian Somerhalder as 'Josh' in a still from the film 'Life as a House' (2001)
As a Director
TV: The Vampire Diaries (2015) episode 'The Downward Spiral'
Awards2002: Exciting New Face - Male award at the Young Hollywood Awards

2006: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series award for the television series 'Lost' at the 12th Screen Actors Guild Awards

2010: Cast to Watch award (shared by Paul Wesley and Nina Dobrev) for the television series 'The Vampire Diaries' at the Young Hollywood Awards

2010: Choice TV - Villain award for 'The Vampire Diaries' at the Teen Choice Awards
Ian Somerhalder, along with Paul Wesely and Nina Dobrev, at the 2010 Teen Choice Awards
2011: Choice TV Actor - Sci-Fi/Fantasy for 'The Vampire Diaries' at the Teen Choice Awards
7 August 2011: Ian Somerhalder after winning an award at the Teen Choice Awards, held at the Gibson Amphitheatre, Universal City, California
2012: Humane Society award at the Genesis Awards

2012: Choice TV Actor - Sci-Fi/Fantasy and Choice Hottie - Male awards for 'The Vampire Diaries' at the Teen Choice Awards
22 July 2012: Ian Somerhalder, along with the cast of 'The Vampire Diaries,' after winning an award at the Teen Choice Awards held at the Gibson Amphitheatre, Universal City, California
2012: EMA Futures Award at the Environmental Media Awards
29 September 2012: Ian Somerhalder, along with Kat Graham, after winning an award at the Environmental Media Awards held at Warner Bros. Studios in Los Angeles
2012: Favorite Male - TV/Movie Vampire for 'The Vampire Diaries' at the Fright Night Awards

2012: Most Responsible Celebrity award at the International Green Awards

2013: Choice TV Actor - Sci-Fi/Fantasy for 'The Vampire Diaries' at the Teen Choice Awards

2014: Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Actor award for 'The Vampire Diaries' at the 40th People's Choice Awards

2014: Favorite On Screen Chemistry (shared by Nina Dobrev) for 'The Vampire Diaries' at the 40th People's Choice Awards
8 January 2014: Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev after winning the award at the 40th People's Choice Awards held at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California
2014: Ship of the Year award (shared by Nina Dobrev) for 'The Vampire Diaries' at the mtvU Fandom Awards

2014: Choice TV Actor - Fantasy/Sci-Fi and Choice Hottie - Male awards for 'The Vampire Diaries' at the Teen Choice Awards

2014: Best Threesome award (shared by Paul Wesley and Nina Dobrev) for 'The Vampire Diaries' at the Young Hollywood Awards
28 July 2014: Ian Somerhalder after winning the Best Threesome award at the 2014 Young Hollywood Awards held in Los Angeles, California
2015: Favorite TV Duo award (shared by Nina Dobrev) for 'The Vampire Diaries' at the 41st People's Choice Awards

2015: Choice TV - Liplock award (shared by Nina Dobrev) for 'The Vampire Diaries' at the Teen Choice Awards
Personal Life
Date of Birth8 December 1978 (Friday)
Age (as of 2023) 45 Years
BirthplaceCovington, Louisiana, United States
Zodiac signSagittarius
NationalityAmerican
HometownLouisiana
SchoolSaint Paul's Catholic School, Covington
ReligionChristianity (Roman Catholicism)
Food HabitNon-Vegetarian
TattooOn his right forearm: ‘HIC ET NUNC’ (a Latin phrase)
Ian Somerhalder's tattoo on his right forearm
ControversyDiscarding Birth Control Pills: In 2017, Ian revealed in a podcast that he threw out Nikki Reed's birth control pills while on vacation in Spain as they planned to have children. He said,

We decided that we wanted to have children together, and it was just time. But unbeknownst to poor Nikki, she didn’t realize that I was going to go in her purse and take out her birth control. By the way, it was the beginning of the pack, so I had to pop all those suckers out. It is a lot of work, especially after a little bit of sangria."

Ian later received massive backlash for his statement. Some netizens even claimed that he forced Nikki into pregnancy. They later apologised together to the netizens and explained that they had mutually decided to have children and did not expect their casual interview to become a serious issue.
Ian Somerhalder's post on X about his statement regarding getting rid of Nikki Reed's birth control pills
Relationships & More
Marital StatusMarried
Affairs/Girlfriends• Kate Bosworth (actor) (2002)
Ian Somerhalder and Kate Bosworth
• Nicky Hilton (socialite, fashion designer) (2004)
Ian Somerhalder and Nicky Hilton
• Maggie Grace (actor) (2006-2007)
Ian Somerhalder and Maggie Grace
• Megan Auld (an NYU alum) (2007-2010)
Ian Somerhalder and Megan Auld
• Lupita Jones (2008) (rumoured)
Ian Somerhalder and Lupita Jones
• Ashley Greene (actor) (2009)
Ian Somerhalder and Ashley Greene
Nina Dobrev (actor) (2010-2013)
Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev
• Malese Jow (actor) (2013)
Ian Somerhalder and Malese Jow
• Nikki Reed (actor) (2014)
Ian Somerhalder and Nikki Reed
Engagement Date15 January 2015
Marriage Date26 April 2015
Ian Somerhalder and Nikki Reed on their wedding day
Marriage PlaceMalibu, California
Family
Wife/SpouseNikki Reed (actor)
Ian Somerhalder and Nikki Reed
ChildrenSon- Name Not Known (born on 29 June 2023)
Daughter- Bodhi Soleil (born 25 July 2017)
ParentsFather- Robert Somerhalder (building contractor)
Ian Somerhalder with his father
Mother- Edna Somerhalder (massage therapist)
Ian Somerhalder with his mother, Edna Somerhalder
SiblingsBrother- Robert Somerhalder aka Bob Somerhalder (co-founder of Built of Barnwood)
Ian Somerhalder with his mother and brother
Sister- Robyn Somerhalder
Ian Somerhalder with his sister
Favourites
FoodFish
ActorSean Penn
FilmThe Graduate (1967)
Colour(s)Blue, Red, Yellow
Style Quotient
Car Collection• Audi A4
• Audi Q5
• Audi Q7 TDI
Money Factor
Net Worth (approx.)USD 12 million (as of 2022)

Ian Somerhalder

Some Lesser Known Facts About Ian Somerhalder

  • Ian Somerhalder grew up in Louisiana, United States.

    A childhood picture of Ian Somerhalder clicked in 1979

    A childhood picture of Ian Somerhalder clicked in 1979

  • He used to perform with a local community theatre group when he was a child.
  • He started a career in modelling at the age of 10 and moved to New York from Louisiana when he was 16 to work as a full-time model.
    Ian Somerhalder modelled for Versus, Versace's secondary line, at the age of 16

    Ian Somerhalder modelled for Versus, Versace’s secondary line, at the age of 16

    April 1955: Ian Somerhalder as the face of Versus

    April 1955: Ian Somerhalder as the face of Versus

  • He has often avoided discussing his modelling career in interviews because he did not want to be seen as just “another pretty face.”
  • Ian decided to pursue acting at the age of 17 after which he began taking lessons from actor William Esper.

    Ian Somerhalder at the age of 17

    Ian Somerhalder at the age of 17

  • He initially did some jobs in Milan and Paris to pay his bills, which made it difficult for him to focus on studying acting. Ian, in an interview, said,

    I was trying very hard to focus on acting, but I had to pay bills. I realized I couldn’t do it halfway. So I had to just work for a while, save up money, and say, ‘Okay, I can sustain myself on this; I can just focus on the work.’ I’m thankful that I had the gall to do that. It was definitely not the easiest thing I’d ever done, but it was the most rewarding.”

  • In 1997, he appeared as ‘I.Q.’ in USA Network’s ‘The Big Easy,’ and in 1999, he appeared as ‘Brian’ in CBS’ ‘Now and Again.’

    Ian Somerhalder as 'I.Q.' in a still from the television series 'The Big Easy' (1986)

    Ian Somerhalder as ‘I.Q.’ in a still from the television series ‘The Big Easy’ (1986)

  • In 1998, he played an uncredited role in the American film ‘Celebrity.’
  • In 2002, Ian started dating American actor Kate Bosworth, whom he first met while they worked together for the 2000 television series ‘Young Americans.’ They broke up the same year later.

    Ian Somerhalder (second from the left) and Kate Bosworth (third from the left), along with the cast of 'Young Americans' (2000)

    Ian Somerhalder (second from the left) and Kate Bosworth (third from the left), along with the cast of ‘Young Americans’ (2000)

  • Ian has worked in many other television series like CBS’ ‘CSI: Miami’ (2003), ABC’s ‘Lost’ (2004-2007; 2010), and HBO’s ‘Tell Me You Love Me’ (2007).

    Ian Somerhalder as 'Nick' in a still from the television series 'Tell Me You Love Me' (2007)

    Ian Somerhalder as ‘Nick’ in a still from the television series ‘Tell Me You Love Me’ (2007)

  • In 2004, he appeared as ‘U.S.S. Swordfish Danny Miller’ in the American submarine film ‘In Enemy Hands.’

    Ian Somerhalder (left) in the film 'In Enemy Hands'

    Ian Somerhalder (left) in the film ‘In Enemy Hands’

  • He met American actor Maggie Grace on the sets of the television series ‘Lost’ in 2004 and began dating her in 2006. They reportedly adopted a cat together and named it ‘Roo.’ They, however, broke up in 2007 and remained friends.
    no way baby, i'm it. — iansomerhalderdaily: Ian Somerhalder and Maggie...
  • He had a fluctuating relationship with Megan Auld, an NYU alum, between 2007 and 2010.
  • Ian has appeared in many other American films like ‘Pulse’ (2006), ‘Wake’ (2009), and ‘How to Make Love to a Woman’ (2010).
  • In 2008, he was romantically linked with Mexican actor Lupita Jones as they were often seen displaying affection at public events. Their relationship, however, was never confirmed officially.
  • He has also worked in some British films including ‘The Tournament’ (2009) and ‘The Anomaly’ (2014).

    Ian Somerhalder as 'Miles Slade' in the film 'The Tournament' (2009)

    Ian Somerhalder as ‘Miles Slade’ in the film ‘The Tournament’ (2009)

  • He played the role of ‘Damon Salvatore’ in the television series ‘The Vampire Diaries’ (2009-2017), which is considered his most iconic performance.
    Damon Salvatore GIFs From The Vampire Diaries | POPSUGAR Entertainment
  • He charged about USD 40,000 per episode for The Vampire Diaries.
  • Ian started dating actor Nina Dobrev during the making of the show ‘The Vampire Diaries.’ Their onscreen and offscreen chemistry, named ‘Delena’ by fans, added to the show’s popularity.
    Damon Elena dance by kwiku001 on DeviantArt
  • His dialogue ‘Hello Brother’ from The Vampire Diaries soon became a favourite among viewers and fans.
    Hello Brother. | 8x16 ❤ - image #5175689 on Favim.com
  • He not only acted in The Vampire Diaries but also worked as a director and executive producer.

    Ian Somerhalder while directing an episode of 'The Vampire Diaries'

    Ian Somerhalder while directing an episode of ‘The Vampire Diaries’

  • Ian is a philanthropist who has dedicated his efforts to various causes.
  • On 22 April 2010, he participated in the clean-up drive after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster, which occurred in the Macondo Prospect in the Gulf of Mexico on 20 April 2010.
  • He established the ‘Ian Somerhalder Foundation’ (ISF) on his 32nd birthday, i.e., on 8 December 2010, to promote environmental awareness, eco-friendly innovations, and policies to protect the planet. Ian Somerhalder promoting his foundation
  • He often promotes ISF by funding and attending Mardi Paws, a Mardi Gras parade which is held in Covington, Louisiana, for animal welfare.

    Ian Somerhalder at the 2020 Mardi Paws parade, held in Covington, Louisiana

    Ian Somerhalder at the 2020 Mardi Paws parade, held in Covington, Louisiana

  • Ian is also a supporter of the ‘It Gets Better Project’ along with actors Candice Accola and Michael Trevino; the project is aligned with ‘The Trevor Project,’ and it focuses on preventing suicide among LGBTQ youth.
  • He is an avid animal lover and calls himself a cat person. He cares for a range of pets including cats and dogs.

    Ian Somerhalder while posing with his cat Moke at People's Sexiest Man Alive shoot

    Ian Somerhalder while posing with his cat Moke at People’s Sexiest Man Alive shoot

  • Ian actively supports many animal welfare societies such as the ‘St. Tammany Humane Society’ aka ‘Northshore Humane Society’ located in Covington, Louisiana.
  • He served as the UNEP Global Goodwill Ambassador from 2012 to 2019.

    Ian Somerhalder as the UNEP Goodwill Ambassador during a panel discussion

    Ian Somerhalder as the UNEP Goodwill Ambassador during a panel discussion

  • On 21 August 2012, he launched the ‘Let’s Get Dirty’ campaign under ISF as a clean-up drive in Santa Monica, California.

    Ian Somerhalder during the 'Let's Get Dirty' campaign in Santa Monica, California

    Ian Somerhalder during the ‘Let’s Get Dirty’ campaign in Santa Monica, California

  • In 2013, he became a member of the advisory board for the media company ‘RYOT’ to support their cause.

    Ian Somerhalder with the RYOT staff

    Ian Somerhalder with the RYOT staff

  • Ian was spotted getting cosy with American actor Malese Jow at the 2013 BloodyCon event, which sparked speculation about them being in a relationship; they, however, never confirmed their relationship.
  • In July 2014, he began dating actor Nikki Reed. She, however, faced backlash from ‘Delena’ fans who favoured his relationship with Nina Dobrev.
  • He launched a t-shirt campaign for charity in collaboration with actor Paul Wesley in 2015. The t-shirts, launched in partnership with the brand ‘Represent,’ featured the logo ‘Blood Brothers since 1864’ and over 10,000 shirts were sold.

    Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley while wearing the 'Blood Brothers since 1864' merchandise

    Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley while wearing the ‘Blood Brothers since 1864’ merchandise

  • He played the role of Dr. Luther Swann in the television series ‘V Wars’ in 2019; the series premiered on Netflix. He also worked as an executive producer for the series.

    Ian Somerhalder as Dr. Luther Swann in the television series 'V Wars' (2019)

    Ian Somerhalder as Dr. Luther Swann in the television series ‘V Wars’ (2019)

  • After appearing in ‘V Wars,’ he retired from acting and relocated to a farm outside of Los Angeles, California, to live life as a “farm manager.” While talking about his decision to quit acting in Hollywood, Ian, in an interview, said,

    I loved what I did for a really long time. I don’t miss any of it. I love making films, and I just did it for so long. We had an amazing run.”

    Ian Somerhalder at the farm

    Ian Somerhalder at the farm

  • On 1 May 2021, Ian and Paul Wesely launched ‘Brother’s Bond Straight Bourbon,’ a whiskey brand.

    Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley at the Brother's Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey office

    Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley at the Brother’s Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey office

  • He often expresses his concerns about Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and factory farming while supporting livestock farming and organic methods like allowing cows to graze naturally to benefit the ecosystem.
  • Ian supports a livestock farmer named Allan Savory with whom he shot the initial footage for the documentary ‘Kiss the Ground’ in Africa in 2011; the documentary, for which he worked as an executive producer, was released in 2023.
  • He also worked as an executive producer for the 2023 film ‘Common Ground,’ which aimed to educate people about the ecosystem.

    Ian Somerhalder's Instagram post about the film 'Common Ground' (2023)

    Ian Somerhalder’s Instagram post about the film ‘Common Ground’ (2023)

  • Ian is an avid traveller and prefers road trips. He often shares his travelling experiences on social media.

    A picture of Ian Somerhalder from a road trip

    A picture of Ian Somerhalder from a road trip

  • He began building muscles at the age of 26 for a lead role in a television show.
  • His looks and physical transformation over the years have amazed fans, who believe he never ages and looks even better with time. Ian Somerhalder's transformation over years
  • He is very spiritual.
  • Ian believes ‘food is medicine and medicine is food’ and avoids fast foods. In an Instagram post, he once shared an incident where a woman at a grocery store found his basket filled with only vegetables “unusual.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by iansomerhalder (@iansomerhalder)

  • His secret desire is to visit Mars.
  • He often smokes cigars.

    Ian Somerhalder while smoking a cigar along with Paul Wesely

    Ian Somerhalder while smoking a cigar along with Paul Wesely

  • He consumes alcohol occasionally.

    Ian Somerhalder while having whiskey

    Ian Somerhalder while having whiskey

  • Ian owns a family pizza parlour in Mandeville, Louisiana, USA. He also co-owns a furniture shop called “Built of Barnwood” (BOB) with his brother, Robert Somerhalder aka Bob Somerhalder.

    Ian Somerhalder with his brother, Robert Somerhalder

    Ian Somerhalder with his brother, Robert Somerhalder

  • Ian has a profound love for aircraft and has flown many of them; he developed his love for aircraft when he used to fly with his uncle in a Cessna aircraft as a child.
    Ian Somerhalder while posing with the King Air 350i

    Ian Somerhalder while posing with the King Air 350i

    Ian Somerhalder while flying the Beechcraft Baron near the Gulf of Mexico in 2011

    Ian Somerhalder while flying the Beechcraft Baron near the Gulf of Mexico in 2011