Ian Somerhalder is best known for his portrayal of vampire, Damon Salvatore in the hit TV show The Vampire Diaries. In discussing his approach to the character, he has said: “I think being able to pool from your life’s past, present and future and knead the thread of life into that text is always a good idea.” This revelation begs the question - is Ian closer to the character of Damon then we might like to think? Certainly, like his on-screen alter ego, Ian has dated a string of beautiful women but seems unable to settle down. Is where the similarity ends or could it be that the waters separating Ian and Damon are muddied? By looking at the stars that govern both Ian and Damon’s lives, we may be able to see where life imitates art and where their respective stories part.

Equine Contradictions

Ian was born on the 8th December 1978, making him a Sagittarian, born in the Chinese Year of the Horse. His character’s birth date is the 31st October, 1839. ‘Damon Salvatore’ is a Scorpio by Western astrology and a Pig by Chinese Astrology. Ian is a combination of two extremely contradictory signs. The Horse is particularly difficult to pin down, as he exists in two worlds, presenting one face to those around him and keeping the other behind closed doors. Horses are proud, yet sweet natured, arrogant yet oddly modest in their approach to love, envious but tolerant and conceited yet humble. They want to belong, but they are burdened by their need for independence. They need love and crave intimacy yet often feel cornered and pressured. However, Sagittarius is a much more carefree sign. They are able to master their animal instincts in the search for higher sustenance. The Archer’s arrows symbolise his quest to launch his thoughts into more divine, spiritual spheres. Sagittarians are incurable optimists, although they can fall foul of material excesses.

Similar to the Horse, the Scorpion has built itself a bony carapace to hide its often-intense emotions. Scorpions learn early on that their emotional intensity can be difficult for others to handle and so protect themselves from ridicule beneath their shell. Where the Horse has a powerful kick with which to defend itself, the Scorpion is armed with its sting. However, the sting serves an important role in the Scorpion’s evolution through the three animal totems it is associated with. What begins as poison is ultimately transformed into the peaceful, yet powerful wisdom of the Dove.

This is certainly true of ‘Damon’ who, despite appearing as a cold, manipulative character, has on occasion displayed depths of humanity that are obviously part of his inherent psychic make-up. As a Pig, ‘Damon’ is a logical creature and concerned with achieving his goals at the expense of anything and anyone that gets in his way. Although he may once have had a caring and friendly nature, his perceived betrayal by Katherine will inflame his porcine nature to a cold and destructive rage.

Sharing secrets

The trait that Ian and ‘Damon’ both share is that of secrecy. In order to present a character as extreme as ‘Damon’ in a believable way, Ian is accessing his equine experiences and creating a psychic template for his character. While ‘Damon’s’ experiences are not his own, Ian is able to establish an unconscious link with the vampire, allowing him to sympathise and empathise with the forces that drive him. However, while Ian and Damon may not be cut from exactly the same cloth, they do behave similarly in relationships. Both the Horse and the Pig fall very deeply and very quickly in love. However, the Horse has a very low boredom threshold and can quickly tire of a relationship. It is not unusual for Horse people to marry several times. Despite this, Horses are usually able to settle down in later life and enjoy a contented life with their partner. Pigs, however, are usually made fools of in love. They wear their hearts on their sleeves and are easily taken advantage of.  However a Pig who finds himself deceived will not easily forget the experience and Pigs are not above exacting revenge – even a long time after the relationship is over.

However, Ian has a quality in his psychic make up that his on-screen persona could never posses: altruism. Guided by his Archer, Ian is seeking to add a touch of divinity to his earthly surroundings. He has set up an environmental protection group, the IS Foundation, as a reaction against the Deep Horizon oil spill. While ‘Damon’ may occasionally commit to an apparently altruistic act, he always has an eye on what that act might bring him in the future.

As an actor, Ian is able to draw on the astrological similarities between himself and the fictional character of Damon. Off-screen, however, Ian is a much more stable individual with good psychic foundations for a happy life.