Ian Somerhalder, 47, Left Hollywood for Regenerative Farming After Zimbabwe Trip

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 28

Ian Somerhalder said a Zimbabwe trip with regenerative agriculture pioneer Allan Savory pushed him to step back from acting and focus on farming advocacy.
Living in military tents, taking malaria pills and waking to lion tracks, he said he saw degraded land restored into wetlands and grasslands, footage that later fed the 2020 documentary "Kiss the Ground."
That film became the first in a three-part series, followed by 2023's "Common Ground" and "Groundswell," released June 5, as Somerhalder shifted from TV stardom to environmental producing.
The 47-year-old said he misses the camaraderie of sets more than acting itself and feels Hollywood has grown more politically divided since his time on shows like "The Vampire Diaries."
Now living a farm-centered life with wife Nikki Reed and their two children, Somerhalder framed regenerative agriculture as part of a broader return to nature, family presence and long-term optimism.

Sources

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