Ian Somerhalder reflects on celebrity sports events, memorable gridiron matchups, and his ongoing work in conservation and spirits.
Ian Somerhalder spent eight seasons commanding the screen as Damon Salvatore on The Vampire Diaries, but when he sat down with Young Hollywood on the sidelines of a Super Bowl weekend matchup, his focus was locked entirely on avoiding full-contact collisions in flag football. Long before branching out into environmental advocacy and business ventures, the Covington, Louisiana native was regular roster talent at high-profile exhibition games where unscripted chaos always found a way onto the field.
Young Hollywood has tracked the actor across 111 stories since 2010, watching him move between intense serialized television sets and lighthearted game day appearances with equal energy. That versatility was on full display while catching up between plays in the middle of a crowded stadium. Watch our full sit-down with Ian Somerhalder below.
Taking Hits From Unexpected Competitors
Celebrity exhibition games often promise friendly, low-stakes competition, but putting competitive actors, musicians, and retired professional athletes on the same patch of sand or turf inevitably leads to full-throttle contact. Somerhalder knew firsthand that ordinary non-contact rules tended to dissolve the second the whistle blew.
Reflecting on previous charity tournaments and the wild physical plays that caught him off guard, Ian Somerhalder told Young Hollywood about one particularly aggressive opponent who left a permanent mark on his memory of celebrity sports. "Tom Arnold's got some juice. He checked me into a wall once playing Runtshuraige."
The memory stood out because nobody anticipates a physical wall check during what was supposed to be a casual recreational exhibition. Somerhalder took the bump in stride, treating the collisions as part of the unpredictable nature of live events where competitive instincts take over completely.
Navigating Legends on the Field
Playing alongside professional sports veterans brings an entirely different level of intimidation to a weekend flag football match. While television production requires memorizing scripts and hitting precise camera marks, sharing turf with Super Bowl champions demands rapid situational awareness.
During the conversation, Somerhalder gestured directly toward the defensive line where genuine football greatness was standing just yards away. "See that giant man right there that says Strahan?" Pointing out Michael Strahan anchored the reality of the matchup: casual players were sharing space with dominant athletes built for contact.
Managing that disparity required humor, quick footwork, and a willingness to stay out of the direct path of players who spent decades dominating professional offensive lines. For Somerhalder, surviving the contest intact was the primary objective.
Balancing Acting, Business, and Conservation
The energy Somerhalder brought to athletic showcases mirrored the pace of his extensive screen career. After early breakout performances in The Rules of Attraction and Lost, he anchored one of television's longest-running supernatural dramas, navigating complex ensemble dynamics and demanding filming schedules in Atlanta year after year.
Following his long run on network television, Somerhalder redirected his schedule toward entrepreneurship and environmental initiatives. He co-founded a bourbon label with former co-star Paul Wesley, channeling their shared background into building an independent spirits company, while simultaneously dedicating substantial resources to global conservation campaigns.
Whether taking hard checks in charity football games or overseeing new ventures far away from soundstages, Somerhalder approaches every unscripted project with the same direct, full-contact enthusiasm.
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