In our final episode of season 3, actor Ian Somerhalder shares some behind the scenes secrets from his days on Vampire Diaries and what he’s looking forward to from his show V Wars.
In our final episode of season 3, actor Ian Somerhalder shares some behind the scenes secrets from his days on Vampire Diaries and what he’s looking forward to from his show V Wars.
Catherine Cohen Oh, hi there. Welcome back to I Hate Talking About Myself. A podcast where your favorite star from Netflix series and films face their toughest interviewer ever: themselves. We write the questions and then our guests pull them out of a bowl, read them out loud and answer them also aloud. Can you imagine? You don't have to because you're about to hear it. This is very exciting. In this episode, we have Ian Somerhalder, professional actor and possibly a vampire. He's known for the TV show Vampire Diaries. And now he's producing and starring in the Netflix original series V Wars. But today, he's here to answer a few questions and to teach us all about the history of the middle finger.
Theme Song
Ian Somerhalder Hi. I'm Ian Somerhalder and I hate talking about myself.
Ian Somerhalder What's the most random fact or weirdest piece of history, you know? Huh? You know what? OK, so The Bird. The bird is slightly offensive to some, telling to others. Fun to do. But you know where this bird came from. (flips middle finger) So the archers, the English, used two hands to hold their strings back to fire arrows at the offending army. Right. Well, when they would get caught by the French, they would cut off the middle finger. So as an archer, you can no longer fire arrows at them. So when they would get away, they would do this. They would say "Ah!" They would flip them the bird. Meaning you didn't get me, pal. I've still got this finger and I'm probably going to fire more arrows at you. Pretty cool, huh?
Ian Somerhalder What is the most memorable prank you've pulled off or has been pulled on you?OK. So it's a prank. But the prank, it didn't go through, but it would have been amazing on the first season of Vampire Diaries. It's like July in Georgia, really hot by 8:00 a.m, it's real, it's like a hundred and two degrees. It was our first day of production. Paul Wesley is pulling up in about two minutes. I ran into his trailer. I turned on the heat and I got Saran Wrap from craft service. And I expertly would like an Exacto knife, wrapped it on his toilet. And I figured this is the best way to start the show because I figured it might be with this guy for like five years. But as he was pulling up, I had this realization, like this is how I really want to start this relationship with this guy? It's probably going to punch me, but I can only imagine him like running into set and just plopping down and getting a really unique surprise. So I ran into his trailer. I ripped it off and I turned the heat off and put the A.C. on. But I really dream about the fact that it was really a missed opportunity in my life. That would have been amazing.
Ian Somerhalder What do you wear to bed? Nothing. Who was clothes to bed? Oh, sorry, you guys? My bad.
Ian Somerhalder What about the future excites you? The craft services on Season 2 of V Wars.
Ian Somerhalder Natasha Lyonne asks Dracula or Frankenstein. Please do choose. Well, the thing is, it would be really hard to get a date as Frankenstein. Dude was probably very sweet, but he was busted. He had electrodes and shit coming out of, I mean, it would be hard. I used to go Dracula. He's smooth. Slept in coffins. Killer wardrobe. Dracula. What did Natasha Lyonne say?
Ian Somerhalder OK, we're getting through these. These are fun. What's the most adventurous thing you've ever done? Have you ever set out to make a fucking television show? Pretty passionate about that one.
Ian Somerhalder What was your first job? I used to dog sit, but the dog used to shit all over my house.
Ian Somerhalder What was your first extravagant purchase? Oh, my gosh. My first extravagant purchase I purchased with money that I made I think was a pellet gun when I was a little kid. And they shot lead bullets and we used to walk around with them in our mouth to hold them. Answer any questions you might have about me and how stupid I am.
Ian Somerhalder Where would you time travel, year and place? Oh, my gosh. I would go somewhere safe and beautiful like ancient Greece or somewhere.
Ian Somerhalder What restores your faith in humanity? Oh, my gosh. Our youth, our kids. To see them right now marching and taking back their planet. That restores my faith in humanity. Boom.
Ian Somerhalder Ben Affleck wants to know what's your biggest regret? This is a deep one, of course, Ben, you would ask this. Here's the crazy shit. I know my parents or my wife might kick me in the balls for saying this. I live a life, I swear to you, that I don't really have regrets because every mistake has been a journey or a lesson. I guess my biggest regret is I didn't make more regrets. Maybe I'd be a more interesting person like a Oscar-winning director and shit. That's all, folks.
Catherine Cohen Wow, wow, wow, wow. Well, thank you, Ian Somerhalder. That's it for I Hate Talking About Myself. Season 3, it was produced by Pineapple Street Studios and Netflix. Our music was by Hansdale Hsu. And it's been really, really, really beautifully hosted by me, Catherine Cohen. Good night.
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Ian Somerhalder Guys, these mushrooms are just kicking in. This is amazing.