Ian Somerhalder Shares Why He “Pulled The Plug” on His Acting Career AfterV WarsDrama

And while the version of V Wars that hit Netflix in 2019 was one Somerhalder was proud of, it was ultimately still canceled before a second season could be shot. 

“You give everything and then the show was a hit,” he continued. “The powers that be at Netflix were like, ‘This is unfortunate. This shouldn’t have happened. We can’t go back because that would set a precedent that would be terrible so the show is done.’”

For the Smallville alum, it was a turning point in his life. 

“I looked at myself in the mirror and I said to my wife, ‘I’m 40 years old, I don’t want to spend two years of my life, doing something, working this hard, one year fully unpaid,’” he detailed. “I’m not gonna base my life on having television or streaming executives dictate how I can make a living. So, I pulled the plug. That was it. I walked away. I said, ‘I’m not gonna do this.’”

E! News reached out to reps for Netflix regarding Somerhalder’s comments but has not heard back. 

In the years since, Somerhalder has transitioned fully into entrepreneurship—and he hasn’t looked back even when Hollywood calls his name. 

“That’s a really honest, kind of controversial way I walked away from the business,” he admitted. “It wasn’t like this parting. I got offered things, but it was time.”

For more stars who have left Hollywood, keep reading…