'The Vampire Diaries' star Ian Somerhalder opens up about choosing farm life over Hollywood
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Actor Ian Somerhalder has opened up about the life-changing decision to step away from Hollywood and dedicate himself to regenerative agriculture, describing the shift as one that transformed the course of his life.
The 47-year-old, best known for 'Lost' and 'The Vampire Diaries,' has largely left acting behind to focus on environmental advocacy. Speaking to Fox News Digital while promoting his new documentary, 'Groundswell,' he reflected on the experiences that led him to embrace a life centered on farming, sustainability, and land restoration.
Ian Somerhalder recalls life-changing Zimbabwe trip
During the interview, Somerhalder described an eye-opening trip to Zimbabwe, where he witnessed regenerative farming practices restoring degraded landscapes and entire ecosystems. Calling the experience life-changing, he said, "It shifted my life forever."
'Groundswell,' directed by Josh and Rebecca Tickell and released earlier this month, is the third installment in the filmmakers' regenerative agriculture documentary series, following 'Kiss the Ground' (2020) and 'Common Ground' (2023).
Somerhalder, who grew up in rural Louisiana, explained that he comes from a family of farmers dating back to the 1700s. He recalled witnessing two different agricultural approaches while growing up, with one side of his family practicing regenerative farming while the other relied on conventional methods and crop-dusting operations.
After achieving success in Hollywood, he met regenerative agriculture pioneer Allan Savory, who invited him to Zimbabwe to observe his work firsthand. Traveling with a small film crew, the actor documented Savory's land restoration efforts while living in military tents on the property.
"That's how it started, where I realized and saw firsthand how regenerative practices cannot just fix land, heal them, and rebuild them into verdant oasis, like wetlands, grasslands," he said, adding, "And then once I learned from Alan that grasslands have the potential to be the most enormous carbon sucks right? That's how the world used to work."
Reflecting on the experience, he added, "And I learned that at like 32-years-old. I got the best form of it. Living in a freaking military tent." He also recalled taking malaria medication, saying it caused "horrific, insane dreams and night sweats," while he continued filming and learning.
Ian Somerhalder explains why he left Hollywood
'Kiss the Ground' marked the beginning of Somerhalder's work in a trilogy of regenerative agriculture documentaries. He later executive produced and appeared in 'Common Ground' before serving as an executive producer on 'Groundswell,' signaling a new direction away from acting and toward environmental advocacy.
Looking back on his acting career, he admitted there is only one part of Hollywood he misses. "I don't miss the work," he said, adding, "I loved what I did. I did it for a long time. I miss the people."
He reflected on the close-knit environment of productions, recalling that while filming 'The Vampire Diaries,' the cast and crew functioned like "our own city," with around 400 people working together. "And I do miss that," he added.
However, he also said the industry has changed significantly since his acting days. "It's changed a great deal since I was an actor," he said, adding, "It's really politics became such a hotbed on these sets, and it's very divided."
He contrasted that with his own experience, saying, "There was no division when I was there, it was all just together and that's sort of like where humans really work their best, you know?" He concluded, "So, I'm happy I got out when I did, and I got to go do these other things that have really been so magical."
