Date of Birth
8 December 1978, Covington, Louisiana, USA

Birth Name
Ian Joseph Somerhalder

Height
5' 9½" (1.77 m)

Mini Biography

The son of a massage therapist and a building contractor, Somerhalder was born and raised in the small southern town of Covington, LA. Boating, swimming, fishing and training horses filled much of his recreational time growing up, as did the school drama club and performing with the local theater group. With his mother's encouragement, at age 10 he began a modeling career that took him to New York each summer. By junior high, he opted to put modeling on the back burner and focus more on sports and school. A few years later, when the opportunity to model in Europe arose, Somerhalder grabbed it, embarking on an enriching path of work, travel and study that took him to cities including Paris, Milan and London. At 17, he began studying acting in New York, and by 19 had committed himself to the craft, working with preeminent acting coach William Esper. His fate was sealed while working as an extra in a club scene in the feature film _Black & White(1999)_. A talent manager visiting a client on the set spotted Somerhalder in a crowd scene of 400 and immediately signed him for representation. Happy to be anchored in New York, Somerhalder spends much of his time studying acting, writing and practicing yoga. His recreational interests include water and snow skiing and horseback riding.
IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous

Trade Mark

Bold blue eyes

Trivia

Began modeling at age 10, modeled for Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabanna, Gucci, Versace and Guess.

Was the face of Guess? for two consecutive Fall seasons.

He doesn't like to talk about his modeling career because of the impressions people might get of him as being just another pretty face.

Played varsity soccer and baseball.

Ironically, the first actor to be cast as one of the survivors in "Lost" (2004).

In 2005, he bulked up, adding about 20 to 30 pounds of muscle to his slim frame, so he would be considered for more leading-man-type roles.

Has said in an interview he was planning to buy a home in Hawaii when filming the hit show "Lost" but couldn't after his character was killed off in the show.

He has a brother, Robert (Bob), and a sister, Robyn. Their parents divorced when he was thirteen.

His father, Robert Somerhalder, was a building contractor of French and English descent, and his mother, Edna, who is of Irish and Choctaw descent, grew up on a pig farm in Mississippi.

Grew up with his mother, whom he has described as being "very spiritual".

Attended Catholic school.

The surname "Somerhalder" originates from his adoptive great-grandfather. His biological great-grandfather, a wealthy English landowner, got one of his mistresses pregnant and paid an immigrant worker of his to marry this woman and give the baby a name, which was Somerhalder. The biological great-grandfather's name was Hull.

Was compared to looking like "a young Rob Lowe" by Rosie O'Donnell on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (2009) (November 6, 2009).

Ian and his siblings own a pizza parlor in Idaho.

He didn't graduate high school because he traveled to Europe to pursue his modeling career.

Has his own foundation called "Ian Sommerhalder Foundation".

Personal Quotes

[on his reasons for becoming an actor] "To explore different parts of yourself and different emotional lives....not to hide from who you are but to actually explore who you are".

I have a million acquaintances but just two or three true friends. I can't hide anything from them.

"I kind of think too much, I try do too many things at once." [on his biggest weakness]

"This program teaches people that it only takes a single unlucky moment to lead to tragedy, if you come into contact with one really f***ed-up person, they can truly take your life away." [In regards to the Matthew Shepard killing and MTV's Fight for Your Rights: Take a Stand Against Discrimination campaign]

You can't get anywhere without the people who have come into your life.

[About his co-star Maggie Grace] "She's hateable in Lost, but really she's the sweetest, most adorable thing on the planet."

Where Are They Now

(December 2005) Playing "Matt" in the Off-Broadway play, "Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead", at the Century Center for the Performing Arts.

(September 2009) Starring as Damon Salvatore in the CW show "The Vampire Diaries".

izvor: IMDb

TVD - The Vampire Diaries _Damon Salvatore

Hats