After Retiring From Acting, Ian Somerhalder Fights For The Environment In New Documentary ‘Common Ground’

It’s been four years since Ian Somerhalder’s last acting role, but that doesn’t mean he’ll no longer be around film screenings.

The Vampire Diaries actor attended the premiere of the documentary Common Ground. He posed for the cameras at the event in a simple white dress shirt, black pants and a Common Ground ballcap while holding a cardboard sign with the words “Common Ground” written on it.

Asked about his decision to retire from acting, he told E! News that he did so to “raise [his] kids, build [his] companies and get these films launched.”

The films Somerhalder spoke of are Common Ground and its prequel, Kiss the Ground, in which Somerhalder serves as executive producer. Both films center around saving the climate and providing a better environment to enable healthy farming and appease world hunger. While the documentaries are similar in foundation, Common Ground will focus more on the “unjust practices” in American agriculture.

Somerhalder is joined by Laura Dern, Rosario Dawson, Jason Momoa, Donald Glover and Woody Harrelson in the film.

Common Ground is now in select theaters.