Ian Somerhalder revealed the cancellation of his Netflix series, “V Wars,” sparked his decision to quit acting.
On the July 9 episode of the “Haley on the Go” podcast, Somerhalder recalled that he “worked really hard” on the 2019 show, and even moved his whole family to Ontario, Canada for the job.
But according to Somerhalder, the final product of the sci-fi horror series “wasn’t even watchable.”
“I said to the studio, ‘I don’t want to put my name on this. I’ll give you the money back. I’ll give you millions of dollars,’” the “Vampire Diaries” alum recalled.
Netflix refused to give Somerhalder, 47, any money, he said, even when he and his producing partner, James Gibb, asked for “creative control of the show.”
The pair took matters into their own hands by raising over 6 million dollars and shooting “10 or 12 hours of footage in 6 days,” which landed Somerhalder in the hospital after his body “just shot down.”
“You give everything, and then the show was a hit,” Somerhalder explained. “We built a show that was number one in 103 territories out of 120 territories. It was a big deal.”
Despite that, “the execs were fighting, and someone quietly canceled the show,” Somerhalder said.
“And the powers that be at Netflix were like, ‘It’s unfortunate. Yes, it shouldn’t have happened. We can’t go back, because it would set a precedent that would be terrible, so the show is done,’” he recalled.
The “Lost” actor said the decision made him realize he didn’t want his “career and livelihood to be dictated” by more powerful figures in the industry.
“So I pulled the plug. That was it. I walked away,” he shared. “These executives are bitching at each other, and I’m like, are you kidding me? Done. I’m out.”
Somerhalder added, “That’s really the honest, kind of controversial way of why I walked away from the business.”
After quitting acting, Somerhalder and his wife, Nikki Reed, moved to a Southern California farm and began focusing on other business ventures, including their Absorption Company, which offers high-absorption powdered supplements.
Somerhalder also co-founded Brother’s Bond Bourbon with his “The Vampire Diaries” co-star Paul Wesley.
In April, Somerhalder revealed he and Reed, 38, ended up in an eight-figure debt because of a failed business.
“Eight figures is a hard hole to climb out of,” he told E! News. “But Nikki and I did it. You know, she really negotiated us out of this deal, but we sold houses, paintings, cars, watches, everything.”
Somerhalder, who is now seven years removed from his last acting role and prioritizing his businesses and family, previously said he has no plans to restart his Hollywood career.
“I think it’s in the rearview mirror. I do,” he shared.
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