Actor Ian Somerhalder largely stepped away from the lights and cameras after wrapping his work on The Vampire Diaries, playing Damon Salvatore. He married Twilight actor Nikki Reed, started up some businesses, and decided to focus more on his family. For a while, he kept fans up to date with the basics of his personal life.
That included sharing regular pictures and video clips of his wife on his social media accounts. But that kind of content mysteriously dried up in October 2021 — over a year ago. That has fans of the vampire drama wondering if the man who played Damon might be struggling in his personal life since the end of the show.
Ian Somerhalder has moved beyond ‘The Vampire Diaries’
Moving on from The Vampire Diaries wasn’t a difficult choice for Somerhalder. The series had run its course by 2017 when the eighth and final season had wrapped. Old fan favorites returned for the goodbye, major plots were wrapped up, and the cast and crew have continued to speak glowingly about their time on the set.
For the one-time Damon actor, the next step was toward business. TVD alum Paul Wesley — who played his on-screen brother Stefan Salvatore — collaborated with Somerhalder on a bourbon brand, Brother’s Bond. The Courier-Journal reports that the whiskey line launched in May 2021. This is Somerhalder’s primary concern as of late, rather than a side project like some celebrity brands are.
Somerhalder hasn’t posted a single photo with Nikki Reed since 2021
The two former TVD actors regularly promote the brand via their social media. Somerhalder’s Twitter and Instagram accounts, in particular, are regularly packed with information about events, private tastings, and general excitement over his burgeoning booze business. That has been the case since early 2021.
Among all that, a conspicuous absence took shape in late 2021. After an October Instagram post featuring Reed, her regular appearances on his social media pages abruptly stopped. The two have been noted for having one of the most wholesome celebrity relationships to come out of the CW drama scene — so was something wrong?
Read Related Also: Rick Ross’s surprise appearance on AEW Dynamite
Fan concerns were understandable but apparently unfounded, according to Just Jared. The former Twilight actor debuted her first photography exhibition in Los Angeles a month later. Her husband was present, with full and enthusiastic support for her work. It seems a greater drive for privacy might be the true explanation for Reed’s social media disappearance.
Somerhalder and Reed’s marriage led them away from the spotlight
Somerhalder has always been an enthusiastic, regular presence on the daytime TV interview circuit. But notably, he’s always been a bit reticent to talk much about personal details regarding Reed. Every so often, he simply declines to answer.
According to People, the pair has always preferred a friendly but firm approach to privacy. After their romance began in 2014, they were engaged in 2015. They had a daughter, Bodhi Soleil, in 2017. Then, the pandemic changed their perspective on their family life, leading the happy family to move out of the city and into a farm outside of Los Angeles.
Somerhalder explained the couple’s reasoning, saying, “People have realized that their time and the value of their time and the value proposition of time has shifted a bit. Be more engaged, be outdoors more, spend more time with one another.” Neither intends to take on major on-screen work anytime soon.
Reed intends to focus on art and photography, while Somerhalder prefers to spend his time on his bourbon business. Both participate in charity work, with a particular focus on cleaning up the environment. Fans may be disappointed by the couple’s absence in film or on television, but the couple appears to be happier than ever, living a quieter life away from the city.
RELATED: Ian Somerhalder Once Revealed His 1 Regret That Led to Him Getting Killed off ‘Lost’
