A Heartbreaking Reason Ian Somerhalder Shipped Stelena on Vampire Diaries
Team Stefan or Team Damon? For Ian Somerhalder, the answer is clear.
Even though The Vampire Diaries ended more than 5 years ago, its fandom remains as strong as ever, still fueled by the eternal question: Stelena or Delena?
These are the names of the pairings that are still followed by millions of shippers. Ever since 17-year-old Elena Gilbert, still grieving the death of her parents, met the handsome and mysterious Salvatore brothers, fans had been wondering who she would end up with: the noble and responsible Stefan or the reckless and impulsive Damon.
This love triangle remained at the center of the supernatural series for eight seasons until the show's finale.
And even though the finale cemented Delena as a canon endgame, millions of Stelena fans still think it was a huge mistake. Even co-creators Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson admitted to being conflicted about how to end Elena's arc.
And as it turns out, just like Williamson and an enormous number of fans, the actor behind Damon Salvatore was rooting for Stelena. But the reason for his choice of pairing was not buried in the show's plot. It was much more heartbreaking.
At the 2019 The Vampire Diaries and The Originals Official Convention, Ian Somerhalder explained that while he was originally a Delena shipper, the toxic behavior of the fandom made him change his mind.
"I shipped Elena and Damon like crazy until the ship just got negative," the actor said. "Stelena was better for my life. Because Delena fans got really mean to me and my wife and my family and stuff. So I love Stelena."
Such unacceptable fan behavior probably had something to do with the fact that Somerhalder dated Nina Dobrev for three years, from 2010 to 2013, when seasons 2 through 4 of The Vampire Diaries aired on The CW.
After their breakup, which came as a tragedy to all Delena shippers, the actor began dating his longtime platonic friend Nikki Reed and popped the question just six months later. The couple has a five-year-old daughter together, and a few weeks ago they announced that they are expecting a second child.
Though it may seem weird to some fans, Nina, who is currently dating Shaun White, and Ian remained good friends after splitting up, just like all the cast members of the show.