Ian Somerhalder, best known to millions of fans as Damon Salvatore from the hit series «The Vampire Diaries», has opened up for the first time about why he chose to leave his acting career behind and largely step away from the entertainment industry. According to the actor, it was his experience working on the series «V Wars» that ultimately left him disillusioned with Hollywood and became his final major project.

The 47-year-old star admitted that he even relocated his family for the production and spent nearly a year working with virtually no breaks. However, as Somerhalder explained on the podcast «Haley on the Go», the final result fell far short of what he had hoped for.

At one point, he and his team even decided to independently reshoot parts of the series and succeeded in raising more than $6 million for the effort. The workload became so overwhelming that the actor was eventually hospitalized for exhaustion.

Despite all the dedication and hard work, the show lasted only one season before being canceled. According to Somerhalder, this happened despite the series delivering solid viewership numbers.

That experience ultimately prompted the actor to reassess his priorities in life.

«I looked at myself in the mirror and said: buddy, you’re 40 now. I don’t want to spend two years of my life working this hard – including a year without pay – only for everything to depend on someone else’s personal ambitions or insecurities», the actor shared.

Somerhalder added that after that experience, he completely lost the desire to return to the demanding lifestyle dictated by Hollywood. His last on-screen appearance was in 2019, after which he consciously stepped away from acting.

Today, the star leads a very different life. Together with his wife Nikki Reed, also an actress and best known for portraying Rosalie Hale in the «Twilight» saga, and their two children, Ian lives on a farm, where he focuses on environmental initiatives, business ventures, and family life.

Photo: Instagram @iansomerhalder

On the eve of the release of his memoir We Made It, Boy, set to come out on November 4, 87-year-old Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins appeared on The New York Times podcast. In conversation with the journalist, the actor reflected on one of his most destructive addictions – alcohol.

Hopkins, who has been sober for nearly half a century, admitted that he once got behind the wheel drunk and nearly caused a serious accident.

«I was drunk, driving here in California. Half-conscious, not realizing where I was going, when suddenly I realized I could kill someone. Or myself – I didn’t care. It was exactly eleven o’clock, I looked at the clock. And then something strange happened: a deep, powerful voice sounded from within – like a radio announcer. It said, «It’s over. Now you can begin to live». And I understood: this was a sign», the actor recounted.

According to him, it was this very «inner voice» that completely freed him from the craving for alcohol and marked the beginning of his journey toward healing:

«The craving for alcohol vanished. Now I have no theories – only faith in some divine force, the force that lives in each of us and shapes us from birth. I believe it is consciousness. That is all I know».

Photo: Instagram @anthonyhopkins, depositphotos.com

The day before, actor Ed Westwick, best known for his role as Chuck Bass in the TV series «Gossip Girl», celebrated his birthday. He turned 38. The British actor chose not to throw a lavish party. Instead, he preferred a family dinner outdoors, surrounded by flowers and greenery.

In the photos Ed Westwick shared on his social media, you can see his wife, model and actress Amy Jackson, their son Oscar, and their pet.

The birthday celebrant greeted guests in a total white look. His beloved also chose light tones, wearing a long sand-colored dress.

As a reminder, the couple’s romance became public in the fall of 2022. They appeared together at the Venice Film Festival, and at the end of January this year, the couple announced their engagement.

The actor proposed to his beloved in a small town called Gstaad (Switzerland), where they were vacationing together. In August 2024, Ed and Amy got married in Italy. A year later, their son was born.

Photo: Instagram @edwestwick

American actor Eric Christian Olsen, best known for his role as Detective Marty Deeks in the series NCIS: Los Angeles, has become a father once again. His wife, actress Sarah Wright, gave birth to a baby girl. The couple named her Ocean.

The 48-year-old actor shared the joyful news on his social media, posting a series of photos from the hospital.

«She’s here! Ocean Rae Olsen: born June 17 at 12:37 PM», reads the caption under the photos.

This is the couple’s fourth child – they already have two daughters and a son.

A reminder: Eric Christian Olsen and Sarah Wright have been married since 2012.

Photo: Instagram @swrightolsen

Hollywood actor Val Kilmer passed away on April 2 at the age of 65, according to The New York Times. Later, the news was confirmed by his daughter, Mercedes.

According to her, Kilmer died following a battle with pneumonia. She also revealed that in 2014, her father was diagnosed with throat cancer, which he later managed to overcome.

Val Kilmer was born in Los Angeles on December 31, 1959. Throughout his career, he appeared in dozens of films. He made his screen debut in 1984 in the Cold War-era spy parody Top Secret!.

In 1986, Kilmer was cast in Top Gun, an action drama about fighter pilot trainees, where he played the brash rival of Tom Cruise’s character. The film turned Kilmer into a globally recognized star.

He is also remembered for his leading role in Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever (1995), where he donned the cape and fought Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones) and The Riddler (Jim Carrey).

That same year, he starred in Michael Mann’s cult crime thriller Heat, alongside Robert De Niro and Al Pacino.

Other notable roles include Thunderheart (1992), True Romance (1993), The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996), The Saint (1997), Wonderland (2003), Alexander (2004), and Twixt (2011).

Throughout his career, Kilmer was known as a difficult actor for directors and co-stars. His behavior was said to cause disruptions on set.

Joel Schumacher, who directed Batman Forever, described him as «childish and impossible,» while John Frankenheimer, who worked with Kilmer on The Island of Dr. Moreau, said he had no respect for the actor’s work ethic and «never wanted to work with him again.»

Hollywood actor George Clooney, who is usually seen on screen as a heartthrob hero, is ending his career in romantic films. The actor admitted that he will no longer star in rom-coms because of his age, as he sees no point in «competing with 25-year-old actors» at the age of 63.

Clooney shared his decision on the 60 Minutes podcast, as reported by Deadline. According to the star, he does not feel suitable for such roles.

«I’m 63 years old. I’m not trying to compete with 25-year-old actors. It’s not my role. I will never do romantic movies again», Clooney stated.

However, the actor quickly assured that his film career is not over – he will simply focus on other roles.

The last time Clooney appeared in a romantic role was in the 2022 comedy Ticket to Paradise, where he played a married couple with Julia Roberts.

Photo: Instagram @GQ

On March 10, legendary American actor and martial arts master Chuck Norris celebrated his 85th birthday. The Hollywood icon marked the occasion on one of the Hawaiian Islands — Kauaʻi.

The actor shared photos from the resort on social media, where he is seen posing on the beach in a checkered shirt and his favorite cap.

«Today, I turn 85, and what better way to celebrate than having a great time here on Kauaʻi?» Norris captioned the photos.

Along with the pictures, the birthday celebrant reflected on his life. He noted that as time passes quickly, memories become the most valuable thing.

«Looking back on my life, I am incredibly grateful for the amazing adventures and the wonderful people I have met along the way. Time may pass quickly, but the moments we create together last a lifetime. Here’s to the journey ahead. May God bless you,» Norris added.

Photo: Instagram @chucknorris

Actor and director Jesse Eisenberg received a Polish passport from Polish President Andrzej Duda at a formal ceremony in New York. Eisenberg’s film A Real Pain, which won an Oscar this year in the Best Supporting Actor category (for Kieran Culkin), is based on the actor’s personal story.

The idea for the film came to Eisenberg in 2019 after the death of his great-aunt, a Polish Jew who managed to leave Poland in 1938 and move to the United States.

Receiving the passport from President Andrzej Duda, Eisenberg admitted that he was «incredibly moved» and sees this «the first step for my family in restoring a connection with this beautiful country.»

«When we were filming in Poland, I walked through the streets and started to feel a little more familiar with the country. A thought struck me: my family lived here much longer than they did in New York,» Eisenberg said during the official ceremony. «And, of course, that story ended tragically, but in addition to that tragedy, there was another one: my family no longer felt any connection to Poland. And that saddened me and convinced me that I should truly try to restore that connection as much as possible.»

Eisenberg applied for Polish citizenship in May last year, as he meets the official requirement: a Polish passport can be obtained by anyone who has direct ancestors who were born in the country or lived there after 1920. In an interview with the Polish outlet Głos Wielkopolski, he admitted that he is deeply saddened by the lost connection between Poles and Jews.

«My family is from here, my wife’s family is from here,» he said. «Poland made me feel a true connection to something historically significant, something greater than myself.»

In 2024, the news shook the internet that Zoë Kravitz and Channing Tatum had called off their engagement.

It seems that the 44-year-old American actor didn’t stay single for long, as he has been in a relationship for some time with another woman – 25-year-old Australian model Inka Williams. Rumors about their romance first emerged in January this year when paparazzi spotted them together at the Santa Monica Proper Hotel. At that time, Channing did not comment on his personal life, but now the truth has become clear without words.

The couple attended the CAA party ahead of the Oscar ceremony in Los Angeles. They stayed close to each other the entire evening and left the event hand in hand.

 

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For the photographers, Inka appeared in a black dress adorned with long fringe. Channing also opted for a total black look, layering a light-colored jacket over it.

The Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood officially bid farewell to bachelorhood. He married his beloved, producer Mette-Marie.

Recently, during the Inside of You podcast, the actor accidentally let it slip by referring to Mette-Marie as his wife. Following this, TMZ conducted a small investigation and discovered that the couple has a marriage certificate registered in Los Angeles County. However, the document is classified as confidential, so the exact wedding date remains unknown.

According to sources close to the couple, the wedding ceremony took place in Sweden just before the New Year, with around 80 guests in attendance.

 

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This secrecy is due to Elijah’s preference for privacy. The actor is one of those celebrities who choose not to put their personal lives on display.

It is worth noting that the couple has been together for over five years and is raising a 4-year-old son, Evan, and a 2-year-old daughter. Before this relationship, the actor dated actresses Pamela Racine and Franka Potente.