Ian Somerhalder's Real Name: Ian Joseph Somerhalder

Quick answer: Ian Somerhalder's real name is Ian Joseph Somerhalder. He is an American actor, born December 8, 1978, in Covington, Louisiana, later of Lost and The Vampire Diaries.

Real name and early life

He is known professionally as Ian Somerhalder. Because Encyclopedia.com, TV Insider, and Digital Spy independently record the fuller form Ian Joseph Somerhalder, that form is used in the title. All three also date the birth to December 8, 1978, in Covington, Louisiana. Encyclopedia.com says he studied acting at the William Esper Studio in New York City and worked as a model from the age of 10 for companies including Guess?, Esprit, Persol, and Versace. Digital Spy independently says his career started at the age of 10 when he started modeling, and that he has an older brother and a younger sister. TV Insider independently says he started out as a successful model before moving into acting.

Career highlights

Encyclopedia.com lists an early series credit as Hamilton Fleming on Young Americans (The WB, 2000), a recurring role as Adam Knight on Smallville (The WB, 2004), and Boone Carlisle on Lost (ABC, 2004–2005). Digital Spy independently calls Young Americans a short-lived Dawson's Creek spin-off and says he later had roles in Smallville and Lost. TV Insider independently dates Young Americans to 1999–2000 and says that after an early departure from Lost (ABC, 2004–2010) he became a fan favorite on The Vampire Diaries (The CW, 2009–17). The 2004–2010 span on TV Insider is the series' run; Encyclopedia.com dates his Lost credit to 2004–2005. TV Insider says his character, over-protective brother Boone Carlyle, was killed during the first season. This page records Encyclopedia.com's spelling Carlisle and TV Insider's Carlyle rather than treating them as the same form.

Encyclopedia.com lists film credits including Josh in Life as a House (2001) and Paul Denton in The Rules of Attraction (2002), and a 2002 Young Hollywood Award for exciting new face—male. Digital Spy and TV Insider independently name The Rules of Attraction among his film credits. TV Insider identifies his Vampire Diaries role as Damon Salvatore; Digital Spy, in a 2012 piece, independently says he was then playing Damon on that series. Encyclopedia.com's entry, which stops with mid-2000s credits, does not list The Vampire Diaries.

Name notes for searchers

People looking up Ian Somerhalder or Ian Joseph Somerhalder are looking for the same American actor. Independent sources support the fuller form used in the title.