Ian Somerhalder To Leave ‘The Vampire Diaries’ After Season 7? Already Distancing Himself From His Costars?

Fans of the hit series The Vampire Diaries may soon see another cast member cut ties with the show. Following Nina Dobrev’s departure from The Vampire Diaries at the end of Season 6, it now appears as though Ian Somerhalder is getting ready to follow her lead. However, unlike Dobrev, who managed to leave the series on good terms, Somerhalder is leaving under less than desirable circumstances.

According to Yibada, The Vampire Diaries star has experienced some difficulty working with his co-stars following Dobrev’s exit from the show. The biggest issue between Somerhalder and other cast members centers on working together with some of the cast members not enjoying their time on set now that Dobrev is gone.

Somerhalder plays the role of Damon Salvatore in the series, and his character has become a focal point now that Dobrev’s character is no longer a part of the show. As far as his co-stars are concerned, Paul Wesley, Candace King, and Kat Graham are all thought to have issues with Somerhalder during Season 7.

Although the details concerning the beef between the cast members and Somerhalder have not been revealed, it is thought that they simply enjoyed working with Dobrev over Somerhalder. Furthermore, all of them reportedly pushed hard for Dobrev to make a return, leaving their relationship with Somerhalder even more strained.

In addition to his conflicts with other cast members, Movie News Guide is reporting that Somerhalder and Dobrev were not on the best terms prior to her exit. Apparently, their strained relationship was one motivation for Dobrev’s decision to leave the series as the actress was not willing to work with Somerhalder any longer.

With so much controversy surrounding Somerhalder, the actor has started to distance himself from his co-stars. Although it is unknown how his co-stars are reacting to his decision, things don’t look good for Somerhalder’s future on The Vampire Diaries. Given the current circumstances, Somerhalder appears to be getting ready to cut ties with the series following the end of Season 7.

That being said, there may be other motivations for Somerhalder wanting to leave the show. According to Movie News Guide, there may be problems in Somerhalder’s personal life that are contributing to his decision to leave. Apparently, Ian Somerhalder’s romantic history with Dobrev has caused issues between him and his wife, Nikki Reed.

However, neither Reed nor Somerhalder have addressed the speculation regarding their relationship. Even more, it is not clear if Reed still holds something against Dobrev or if she has moved forward with her life.

Meanwhile, according to Vine Report, the series is expected to undergo some major changes moving forward. As far as the main storyline is concerned, fans expect to see a shift in time as the series jumps ahead three years when it returns to television in 2016.

At the same time, Melty is reporting that Leslie Anne Huff’s character, Rayna, is set to play a larger role in the lives of the Salvatore twins. With the character proving to be a dangerous threat to Stefan, the Salvatore twins will need to work together in order to take out Rayna and remove the threat.

The changes in plot are meant to take the series in an entirely different direction now that Dobrev’s storyline is over. Furthermore, with the series seeing a fall in ratings this season, it is hoped that the new direction will help attract more viewers and keep the show on air as long as possible.

The seventh season of The Vampire Diaries is set to return to television in the early part of 2016.

Tell us! Do you think Ian Somerhalder is really ready to leave TVD? Let us know in the comments below.

[Image via The CW]