'Vampire Diaries' star says farming is 'in my blood,' reflects on growing up poor in Louisiana
During an interview with Fox News Digital, the "Common Ground" star said his father is from the Bayou in Louisiana and his accent is so thick he has to translate the English he speaks to other English-native speakers. On the other hand, his mother comes from a long line of Mississippi farmers who "understood the aspect of farming in a holistic regenerative way."
The Brothers Bond Bourbon co-founder explained that he was raised "super poor" and wasn't introduced to the finer things in life until he became the face of Versace at 16.
"My dad taught me about the wetlands in Louisiana. When you take more than you give back, there's an imbalance. And guess who loses? We do. Nature will always find a way to regenerate. It's us who loses because, look man, we were super poor, but we were so rich. We had, I'm talking freezers full. We had a shed of boxes of Louisiana blue crab, Gulf shrimp, red fish, speckled trout, Amberjack.
"I'm talking fresh tuna. I'm talking all the good stuff. And it wasn't until I was 16 as a model – I was the face of Versace when I was 16 – and you walk into a restaurant, even in 1994, and you order a dozen Louisiana blue crabs or oysters, and it was $100. And I thought… I have a thousand of these things in freezers. I was like, 'Oh.' So while we didn't have a lot of money, we were rich in culture and the things that we needed," Somerhalder said.
"We were super poor, but we were so rich."
The actor recently wrapped the "Common Ground" documentary, which "unveils a dark web of money, power, and politics behind our broken food system."
WATCH: Ian Somerhalder reflects on growing up poor in Louisiana
"The film reveals how unjust practices forged our current farm system in which farmers of all colors are literally dying to feed us. The film profiles a hopeful and uplifting movement of White, Black, and Indigenous farmers who are using alternative 'regenerative' models of agriculture that could balance the climate, save our health, and stabilize America's economy – before it's too late," the summary states.
Somerhalder was eager to be a part of the project due to his roots in farming.
"My family on both sides are multigenerational farmers going back to the 1700s. So this is very much in my blood. This is what I'm about."
When addressing health in America, Somerhalder explained that he grew up in "Cancer Alley," which is an 80-mile stretch along the Mississippi River. "There's about 150 petrochemical plants or facilities, whatever you call them. And they call it cancer alley for a reason, right?"
According to Somerhalder, once you fix problems like "Cancer Alley," you will have healthier people, healthier economies and a healthier planet.
"When you heal and build nutrient density, you build healthier people. You also build healthier, robust economies. Then you build a healthier planet because you balance the climate. It does not matter what side of the aisle you sit on or if you sit in the middle of it. If you sit on the top left or the bottom right, it does not matter. We have a massive climate issue. Whether you believe it's man-made or not, that doesn't matter."
Somerhalder has the solution, and it all ties back into farming.
"Well, I mean, that's the re-industrialization of middle America, that's how we rebuild the United States of America. We do it through soil, and we do it for money. Let's be honest, man, money talks, BS walks. You tell a farmer that their constituents, I mean, that their elected officials in Congress are allowing these agrochemical companies to just pillage. You know what they're going to do? They're going to say enough is enough. I want my family to be healthy. I want money in my bank account. This is not fair."
"And that is how we do it," Somerhalder said.
WATCH: 'Vampire Diaries' star says farming is 'in my blood'
During a previous interview with Fox News Digital, Somerhalder explained that there's a certain level of "respect" that comes with living on a farm that "populated, urban areas" just don't understand.
"It's a lot of work, but the reality of it is like, especially with these fires that just happened in California. You know, for me, that's how I grew up, right here in Louisiana. For me, it gives me a sense of balance."
"But what people don't realize is, a vast amount, a pretty large percentage of Americans, live that way. They respect and love that lifestyle. We live here now," he said.
Somerhalder continued, "While … the very populated urban areas may not get it, they still benefit from it because they benefit from the quality products and produce that these people produce. So there's this amazing sort of flow of commerce and business and sort of like mutual respect that I love."
Along with Somerhalder, Jason Momoa, Laura Dern and Woody Harrelson make up the "Common Ground" cast. The documentary, which is a sequel to the 2020 "Kiss the Ground," is available for streaming worldwide on Earth Day, April 22.
During his interview with Fox News Digital, Somerhalder thanked Amazon and its founder, Jeff Bezos, for "sucking up" the rights to stream the documentaries and said "Common Ground" is going to "change the freaking planet."
WATCH: Ian Somerhalder says new documentary 'Common Ground' is going to change the planet
A special live global event will be held on April 22 at 10 a.m. PST/1 p.m. EST on YouTube for one hour.
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