The Vampire Diaries has been widely popular for many years, and its romantic storylines played a vital part in the show’s success – especially Elena Gilbert’s iconic love triangle with the vampire brothers, Stefan and Damon Salvatore.
Many have been devoted to the love story between Damon and Elena, aka Delena, while others were obsessed with Stefan and Elena, aka Stelena.
Both of those relationships made such a huge impact on the fanbase that the debate about which pair was a better match lasted for years, with fans arguing to this day. But there came a point when fans got so extreme that it caused one of the main actors to ship Stelena instead of Delena.
It’s been 14 years since TVD made its first debut, and since its conclusion in 2017, the cast has been revealing unexpected secrets that might not make some fans very happy, including some that involve two of the show’s biggest ships.
Both Salvatore brothers bring something completely different to the dynamic they each have with Elena – one brings more passion and danger, while the other puts the people he cares about first. In the end, only one of them could be with her, and after a long struggle, Delena was the end game of the show.
The Stelena vs Delena debate is one of the greatest among the show’s fans, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to reach a verdict anytime soon (or ever for that matter). However, actor Ian Somerhalder, who portrayed the infamous Damon in the hit series, made it clear where he stands, and not everyone’s going to like it.
Contrary to what many may think, Somerhalder stopped shipping Delena. In fact, he revealed at The Vampire Diaries and The Originals Official Convention in 2019 that he loved Stelena because it was better for his own life. That’s because fans were so invested in Delena that they became very mean to him, his real-life spouse, and even his family.
He also added that he thought Stelena was fun and the fans of the ship were cool, whereas Delena fans were problematic.
“I shipped Elena and Damon like crazy until the ship just got negative. So I love Stelena. It is easier for my life. And I got to see Paul shirtless all the time ’cause he and Elena were always making out and stuff,” he explained jokingly.
Somerhalder’s statement may have hit a nerve among some die-hard Delena fans. However, it’s important to remember that our favorite characters and on-screen relationships are fictional, and actors have separate lives outside of the show.
