Photo: (ABC News)
You know he's an Emmy-worthy brooder on "The Vampire Diaries" and lover of animals, but we know some things about Ian Somerhalder that just might surprise even his biggest fans.
Has your heart stopped beating yet? Everyone's favorite vampire sat down with film critic Peter Travers to talk about the inspiration for his foundation, what products he's newly obsessed with, and way more.
When you stop salivating, get ready to watch Ian in all his do-gooder glory below. But first, here are five things we learned from his interview:
+ ISF: The Origin Story
Sure, Ian has always been vocal about saving the planet and giving back to worthy causes, but what really inspired him to start the Ian Somerhalder Foundation? According to the actor, "It came out of necessity…It came from a place of extreme vulnerability. During the BP oil spill…I knew what we were seeing on the news was not most likely what was going on down there." He said he never wanted to feel that helpless again, and that's when the idea for the foundation was born.
+ Social Media = A Global Family
It's no secret that the future Mr. Christian Grey (or so we hope) is a fan of social media, but he truly believes his foundation wouldn't be where it is today without it. It would be "impossible to move this amount of information in a nanosecond." He calls the ISF supporters all over the world an unbelievable "global family," saying they give each other "a lot of digital hugs." Um, can we get a hug from you, Ian?
+ His Responsibility
Some celebs are concerned with finding the right roles and making sure they line up super lucrative endorsement deals, but Somerhalder approaches his fame with a different perspective. He talks about having "access to the public through this thing we call entertainment" and how he has "a responsibility to use that public share of attention for the greater good." Rest assured, Ian: mobilizing your fans around the world to save the environment definitely accomplishes that goal.
+ What He Loves Now
Besides a woman who volunteers? We already wrote about Ian's newest obsession, CREE light bulbs. Outside of those energy-saving, shatterproof bulbs, the actor is also vocal in his support of RYOT. The news site encourages readers to "become the news" and lets readers donate directly to causes from the site. That means if you read an article about say, a hurricane affecting the Gulf Coast, you can donate directly to the organization that is doing the most good in the affected area. Pretty revolutionary, right?
+ What We All Need
At the end of the interview (6:30 mark y'all) Travers asks the star to sing a few notes of a song. We won't spoil it for you, but make sure you keep watching after the song ends: Ian tells everyone watching what he really wants and it's gotta do with love. Can we call Somerhalder the next Love is Louder champion?
Now that you know what inspired Ian to start ISF, how are you going to get more involved? Check out our action widget below to find out how you can be a part of the global ISF family.
