“I have no interest in doing this”: Robert Pattinson’s ‘Twilight’ Almost Robbed Us of the Sexiest Vampire in History Before the Actor Changed His Mind

Starring in the fantasy romance film series Twilight, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart became household names. The franchise continues to be the source of comfort for many worldwide, as fans swoon over Bella and Edward’s love story.

The Twilight Saga | Credit: Summit Entertainment

However, it’s the immense popularity of the film series and its characters that almost deprived fantasy lovers of the charming, suave, and arguably sexiest vampire on screen, Damon Salvatore, portrayed by Ian Somerhalder in The Vampire Diaries.

Ian Somerhalder almost rejected The Vampire Diaries due to Robert Pattinson’s Twilight Saga

Ian Somerhalder took on the role of Damon Salvatore in The CW drama The Vampire Diaries. Starring alongside Paul Wesley and Nina Dobrev, his character quickly became a fan favorite with his charisma, witty sense of humor, and undeniable charm.

A still from The Vampire Diaries | Credit: The CW

However, before he brought the iconic vampire to life, Somerhalder almost rejected the offer for the show. In a previous interview with Entertainment Weekly, he revealed that he initially overlooked the supernatural drama, calling it “Twilight for TV.”

Having previously starred in the popular TV series Lost, he shared that he was looking for something “edgier.” He said,

I want to be edgier, have fun and do really cool weird sh*t. And I tried and I fell on my face a few times. I fell off the map for sure. It was a very rebuilding, humbling time, but the one thing I said I wasn’t going to do again was some network show.

Robert Pattinson in Twilight Saga | Credit: Summit Entertainment

However, when The Vampire Diaries came along, he initially dismissed it due to its similarities to the Twilight Saga. “So they sent me this pilot and I was like, ‘This is Twilight on TV, I have no interest in doing this,'” he recalled while revealing, “I didn’t read it.”

Thankfully, Somerhalder eventually read the pilot and was amazed, especially by his character, Damon Salvatore. Realizing the potential of both the show and the role, he decided to take the leap, and the rest is history.

Ian Somerhalder’s journey to becoming Damon Salvatore

Though Ian Somerhalder ultimately embodied the role of the elder Salvatore brother and the malevolent yet charming vampire perfectly, the actor had a hard time presenting himself as the perfect fit for the role when it came to the network executives.

Further in his interview with Entertainment Weekly, he shared that after reading the script, a moment of realization hit him. “Holy sh*t, this is an amazing piece of material, what the hell am I thinking?” he recalled.

Ian Somerhalder in The Vampire Diaries | Credit: The CW

Determined to secure the role, he reached out to the network and was promptly called in for a meeting the next day. “I’m sitting there thinking, “Oh my god I’m in Vegas,” the Lost actor recalled, as he reflected on his overnight drive from Vegas to Los Angeles for the show.

So I taped the [script] sides together from the business center at the hotel, put them on the dashboard of my car, and starting at like 5 in the morning, drove through the desert with the light on in my car because there was no light yet.

Kevin Willaimson | Credit: Gage Skidmore/C-BY-SA 2.0/Wikimedia Commons

However, his nerves got the better of him during the network test. “The first take I did was awful,” he shared, acknowledging that his initial impression left much to be desired.

However, the creator of the show, Kevin Williamson, was adamant about casting him as Damon Salvatore. “If he doesn’t get the part I’m going to have to leave the show,” Williamson recalled his firm condition to the executives.

And they eventually agreed, resulting in Ian Somerhalder landing the iconic role of Damon Salvatore in one of the best Vampire TV series.

The Vampire Diaries is available to watch on Max.