Nina Dobrev Makes a Rare Comment About Former Partner Ian Somerhalder and Breaks Her Silence

The actress shared an unexpected link with the character way before Ian Somerhalder was picked.

It is very rare that Nina Dobrev would open up about her rapport with Ian Somerhalder when she was on The Vampire Diaries. She disclosed that she had been with an actor who had tried out for the role of Damon before the Lost star got the part.
As it turns out, her love connection with Damon Salvatore was actually way off-screen. The starlet confessed that during her audition for the CW show, she was going out with an actor who had tested for the role of Damon-which would later go to Ian Somerhalder, her ex.

The actress confessed that during the casting, she was dating Rob Mayes — and after that, she got into a real-life love affair with Damon.

“There was a lot of drama around that [audition] because I was dating Rob Mayes at the time, but they didn’t know that,” Nina, 36, told in the new book I Was Feeling Epic: An Oral History of The Vampire Diaries by Samantha Highfill. “We were trying to keep it really secret because we were afraid that if they found out, they wouldn’t cast one or both of us.”
However, Nina’s idea of working with her off-screen love partner did not come true when she later started a relationship with Ian Somerhalder.
“It got weird because I was cast but he wasn’t, and then we went our separate ways,” Nina said. “Then, eventually, I became Ian’s girlfriend, not the Damon one, years later.”

Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder Stayed Friends After SplitUp

As a matter of fact, the Degrassi alum and Ian, 46, were a couple from 2010 until 2013. After their breakup, Nina kept working with her ex on the show until she left the series in 2015. Although love was no longer between them, the two managed to be on the same level in the years following their separation.
Just a year after their split, in 2014, they playfully kissed onstage at the People’s Choice Awards while accepting the award for Best Chemistry.

Nina Dobrev Reflects on Honest Chemistry With Ian Somerhalder and Her Friendship With Him and Nikki Reed

“It’s simply the truth,” Nina, who is currently engaged to Shaun White, said when asked by E! News about her humorous exchange with Ian at the People’s Choice Awards. “That’s all it was, just plain truth. You call things what they are.”
Later on, Nina maintained the same transparency when talking about her relationship with Ian and his wife, Nikki Reed.
“What’s not weird at all,” The Reunion actress stated in 2019 while guesting on Watch What Happens Live. “Why couldn’t everyone be friends? In my opinion, they are a perfect couple having a lovely baby. They are very fortunate and so am I. What is the tragedy in that? I don’t see any problems with it.”

Stars Who Remain Friendly With Their Exes

Not only Nina Dobrev but also many other celebrities demonstrate the fact that breakups are not necessarily the end of a relationship. Several Hwood stars have been able to maintain ties with their exes, proving that the proper attitude can change a lost love into a long-lasting friendship.

Jennifer Aniston & Brad Pit

They will not, under any circumstances, get back together. However, after all these mutual friends, being in the same place at the same time, and even that very brief scene they performed together for the virtual Fast Times at Ridgemont High table read, the ex-golden couple from Hollywood does seem to be toying with the public by not being able to hide their connection.

Sarah Silverman & Jimmy Kimmel

You realize that you have a really good relationship with your ex when you can go into his late-night show without any permission and roast him in front of a huge audience. That is exactly what Sarah did when she unexpectedly appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to not only promote her show I Love You, America but also to mock Jimmy by calling his wife Molly Kimmel “cute,” “bright,” and “funny.”
“It’s not fair!” Sarah commented sarcastically. “She gets, like, new woke Jimmy. I had Man Show Jimmy.”

Chris Pratt & Anna Faris

Honestly, it’s possible that the exes are over it, but the split is still a bit fresh in the minds of the fans. Anyway, the past couple has repeatedly hinted at being on good terms after their separation. Upon Chris’ announcement that he was to marry Katherine, Anna, now married to Michael Barrett, even joked that she would be the perfect person to perform the ceremony. A source reveals that after the birth of Lyla to Chris and Katherine in 2020, Anna was ‘very supportive,’ sent a gift, and was delighted that Jack was going to become a big brother.’

Tarek El Moussa & Christina Hall

Their love story easily could have ended in disaster. The two ex-Flip or Flop stars, however, have been going strong for over four years since their chaotic breakup. Besides being co-parents (they share Taylor and Brayden), they are still in the business of renovating distressed properties to turn them into beautiful homes – hence, they are demonstrating that one can still reach the pinnacle of success after heartbreak.

Lisa Bonet & Lenny Kravitz

No one former couple is more like “best friends” than Lisa and Lenny. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2013, the rocker explained that they are not only co-parents but also two people who still see each other as family. “We’re one big happy family,” Lenny said about his ex, who went on to marry Jason Momoa and separated in 2020. “It’s wonderful, and it just tells you what’s possible.”

Julianne Hough & Brooks Laich

These two DWTS stars have not only managed to keep their separate paths after breaking up in 2020 but have also shown that they still have great relations. When Brooks made a decision to get engaged to athlete Katrín Tanja Davíðsdóttir last December, it was not only an approval from Julianne that he got but also a very warm welcome. “So happy for you both as you embark on this beautiful new chapter together. Wishing you two a lifetime of love, laughter, and never-ending adventures,” she commented on Instagram.
Then, she took off to join Brooks and his expecting fiancée for a delightful day at the lake, even sharing a lovely picture with the words: “Special day on the lake with these three cuties.”

Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner

Separated in 2015, the ex-spouses who are the parents of Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel have turned the separating without war technique into an art. They have been going “family first” all the way, from taking family trips together to sharing holidays. Ben, in fact, went out of his way to compliment Jennifer, referring her to as “an incredible mom” in a 2016 chat with E! News — a sign that respect and admiration, the main elements of their co-parenting partnership, still prevail.

Nina Dobrev & Ian Somerhalder

Although Nina and Ian broke up in 2013 after dating each other for three years, their friendship is said to be even better in 2017. In the following year, Ian got together with Twilight actress Nikki Reed, and they then went on to get married. So it goes without saying that Nina was not only friends with Ian but also with Nikki, which is evidence that there was no “team Damon drama” at the time when the cameras were off.

Lady Gaga & Taylor Kinney

On The Howard Stern Show, just a few months after their breakup, Gaga commented that she was still “very close” to her ex, and added, “He’s not only been my lover but also a friend for so long. We love each other. That’s all.”
In July 2016, Lady Gaga and Taylor Kinney reportedly parted ways after being together for five years. However, they never pointed out that they no longer cared for each other.

Mindy Kaling & B.J. Novak

The fan-favorite former cast of The Office, the on-and-off couple, have been so inseparable after the show ended in 2013 that even Mindy herself admits why people still cheer for them. “If I were an outsider looking in, I would probably come to the same conclusion,” she said in a 2019 interview with Good Housekeeping, while talking about her choice of B.J. as the godparent of her kids. “But actually, B.J. is so much closer to me like family than just a friend.”

Ashlee Simpson & Pete Wentz

The divorce of Ashlee and Pete was legally done back in the year 2011, however, these two ex-partners have co-parented their child, Bronx, quite easily. It seems like a vitally important point that Pete has not only once but on several occasions said warm things about his ex, referring Ashlee to a “great mother” — a clear indication that their separation has never been an obstacle in their commitment to family.

Miley Cyrus & Nick Jonas

So, she has confirmed that she is no longer hung up over those “7 Things”, hasn’t she? It probably does! One of the Jonas brothers, Nick, has admitted that he is “really friendly” with his ex, Miley, and also said, “We have a good relationship.” It’s touching to see how it is possible for times to change but not for teenagers’ love to turn into a loyal friendship.

Michael C. Hall & Jennifer Carpenter

Back in 2006, the Dexter co-stars were filming their first project together. In 2008 their relationship began to blossom. Their separation in 2011 was a thing, however, Jennifer a while later was telling that they still had a lot of common saying, “love and respect” were the only things that existed between her and Michael.

Bruce Willis & Demi Moore

For a long time, Bruce and Demi have been regarded as the perfect model of exes living harmoniously together. They have maintained a strong relationship even after their separation. As the mother and father of Rumer, Tallulah, and Scout, the two are so inseparable that spending time together through the coronavirus lockdown in Idaho was such an easy decision for them. Anyone up for a quarantine dance party?

Jennifer Lopez & Marc Anthony

After their divorce in 2014, for many years, Jennifer has always been open about how positively her ex-husband Marc Anthony has influenced her life, with whom she is parenting twins Max and Emme. Talking about her relationship with him in a 2018 episode of Sunday Today, she said, “During my marriage to Marc, he really supported my confidence and he saw that I was going through it. He was constantly like, ‘You’re a great singer. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.’ And I really liked that he was very one of my most respected singers because I take him as one of the best singers of all times.”

Courteney Cox & David Arquette

On top of that, Courteney will never fail to stand by her ex-husband, Courteney Cox and Scream co-star, no matter how long it hasn’t been his day, his week, his month, or even his year. “Like, in the category of divorces, I would say it’s one of the better ones. For sure,” she stated on Running Wild With Bear Grylls, 8 years after their split in 2010. Talking about their daughter, Coco, she commented, “We are good co-parents.”

Cameron Diaz & Justin Timberlake

Their off-screen love relationship might have been over by 2007, but that was not the reason why these two stars didn’t collaborate to make a new movie and thus to create some more heat. Just a couple of years later, they got together again for the film Bad Teacher, a hilarious 2011 comedy, where they implied that there could still be some nice interactions between them as two ex-turned co-stars.

Peter Facinelli & Jennie Garth

The first few months after their 2013 breakup were not easy, but Peter and Jennie have since managed to turn their divorce into group vacations. One of the trips he mentioned during an interview with LaPalme Magazine was a 2017 trip to Cancun with Jennie and her husband Dave Abrams, Peter’s fiancée Lily Anne Harrison, and their three daughters Luca, Lola, and Fiona. He had only positive things to say about that experience. “I really like her husband, and I think he is a great guy,” was his comment to the magazine. Looking back, he added, “People come into your life for a reason and relations can change. Just because we aren’t living together doesn’t mean you can’t love each other.”

Will Arnett & Amy Poehler

Even though their separation shocked everyone in 2012, Amy and Will decided to continue being a team when it came to parenting. “As you know, Will and I are very, very good friends,” Amy said in an interview with Howard Stern in 2014. “We are managing very well. I do not think that a 10-year marriage is a failure. I think relationships are very difficult.”

Maren Morris & Ryan Hurd

Apart from being divorced (March 2023), the Grammy winner and her ex-husband have not only stayed friends but are also co-parenting their son, Hayes, in a very effective way. Being practically neighbors as they reside only five minutes away from each other, they have become quite efficient in their communication and joint parenting. “Our visits are very convenient,” Maren told The Zoe Report in May 2025, “and we get together for family dinners.”