With his shiny dark hair juxtaposed against his startling blue eyes, it's no wonder this genetically blessed Southern boy broke into the biz as a model for brands such as Versace, Gucci and Calvin Klein. Although he began appearing in print ads at age 10, he took a few years off to be a normal kid before returning to the fashion world in his teens. Despite his success — he was the face of Guess? Jeans for two years running in the late '90s — Somerhalder longed to be seen as more than a perfect face so he took up acting. Legend states that while appearing as an extra in the movie
Black & White he was spotted and signed by an agent. Even if this tale sounds slightly exaggerated, there's no question that he had the looks to stand out in a crowd. In 2000, he landed a regular role on the short-lived drama
Young Americans as a moody prep school student. After the series' cancellation, he won guest spots, a recurring role as a romantic rival of Clark Kent's on
Smallville and big-screen supporting roles, notably his turn as a bisexual college student in
The Rules of Attraction. But it wasn't until he got
Lost on an island that Somerhalder found stardom as a plane-crash survivor secretly in love with his spoiled brat of a step-sister. (Gossip rags claimed that off screen, he was involved with Maggie Grace, the actress who played his step-sibling, but they both denied the rumors.) Although his character was killed off in the first season, Somerhalder continued to appear in flashbacks.
Ian Somerhalder Fast Facts:
- Produced and starred in the 2004 short Recess.
- Appeared in the 2005 Off-Broadway comedy Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead.
- Ian Somerhalder Relationships:
- Edna Somerhalder - Mother
- Robert Somerhalder - Father
