‘Vampire Diaries’ star Ian Somerhalder details financial crisis

Ian Somerhalder is speaking candidly about a difficult financial chapter that he says dramatically altered the course of his life and career.

The Vampire Diaries actor revealed in an interview with E! News that a failed business venture left him and his family in severe financial distress, forcing them to make major lifestyle changes.

“I left an insanely lucrative career in television after financial upheaval from building a business that I didn’t build properly,” Somerhalder said, reflecting on the moment he stepped away from acting nearly seven years ago.

The actor claimed the fallout from the venture, which he described as involving fraud, pushed him and his wife, actress Nikki Reed, into what he called an “eight-figure hole.” The financial strain, he said, was unlike anything he had experienced before.

“Eight figures is a hard hole to climb out of, but Nikki and I did it,” he said. “We sold houses, paintings, cars, watches, everything.”

Somerhalder credited Reed for helping him navigate what he described as a “true nightmare,” adding that the experience ultimately reshaped how he approaches business and risk.

Looking back, he admitted he could have expected a very different trajectory following his success on one of television’s most popular series.

“I should have been retiring off one of the biggest TV shows in the world,” he said.

Despite the setback, Somerhalder said the experience became a turning point. 

He is now applying those lessons to new ventures, including a bourbon brand he co-founded with former Vampire Diaries co-star Paul Wesley.