Ian Joseph Somerhalder was born on December 8, 1978 in Covington, Louisiana, U.S. The son of Edna Somerhalder and Robert Somerhalder, who worked in building construction. He has a brother, Bob, a former professional cyclist, and a sister, Robin, a broadcast journalist.
"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]
Height: 5' 9½" (1.77 m)
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."
[IMDB]
Filmography
Cradlewood (2011) (pre-production) .... Josh
The Vampire Diaries (TV) .... Damon Salvatore (44 episodes, 2009-2011)
Lost (TV) .... Boone Carlyle (30 episodes, 2004-2010)
How to Make Love to a Woman (2010) .... Daniel
The Tournament (2009) .... Miles Slade
Fireball (2009) (TV) .... Lee Cooper
Wake (2009/I) .... Tyler
Lost City Raiders (2008) (TV) .... Jack Kubiak
The Lost Samaritan (2008) .... William Archer
Tell Me You Love Me (TV) .... Nick (6 episodes, 2007)
Marco Polo (2007) (TV) .... Marco Polo
The Sensation of Sight (2006) .... Drifter
Pulse (2006/I) .... Dexter
TV: The Movie (2006)
... aka "National Lampoon's TV the Movie" - USA (complete title)
Recess (2004) .... Cooley
The Old Man and the Studio (2004) .... Matt
Smallville (TV) .... Adam Knight (6 episodes, 2004)
In Enemy Hands (2004) .... U.S.S. Swordfish: Danny Miller
... aka "U-Boat" - Europe (English title) (DVD box title)
Fearless (2004) (TV) .... Jordan Gracie
CSI: Miami (TV) .... Ricky Murdoch (1 episode, 2003) ...Ricky Murdoch
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" .... Charlie Baker (1 episode, 2003)
The Rules of Attraction (2002) .... Paul Denton
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (TV) .... Tony Del Nagro (1 episode, 2002)
Changing Hearts (2002) .... Jason Kelly
Life as a House (2001) .... Josh
Anatomy of a Hate Crime (2001) (TV) .... Russell Henderson
Young Americans (TV) .... Hamilton Fleming (8 episodes, 2000)
Now and Again (TV) .... Brian (1 episode, 1999)
Celebrity (1998) (unconfirmed) (uncredited)
The Big Easy (TV) .... I.Q. (1 episode, 1997)
Producer: Recess (2004) (producer)
