Ian Somerhalder Dishes On Dating Nina Dobrev, ‘Relationships Are Hard’ Says ‘Vampire Diaries’ Star

The fictional tumultuous love story between Damon and Elena on “The Vampire Diaries” may be closer to reality than we originally believed.

In a new interview with Entertainmentwise Tuesday, “Vampire Diaries” actor Ian Somerhalder dished on his on-again, off-again and on-screen, off-screen romance with his longtime co-star, actress Nina Dobrev. When prompted to discuss the future of the "Delena" relationship between his character, Damon, and Dobrev's Elena, the 34-year-old actor responded by hinting that their relationship had issues off-camera, as well as on.

“In Mystic Falls he did get her and he’s lucky to have that experience…” he said, but added, “Relationships are hard in life.”

While the Louisiana native didn’t confirm if he is officially back with Dobrev, his former girlfriend of three years, he did reveal subtle details regarding the future of his on-screen relationship with the brunette beauty. “Relationships are really had in Mystic Falls because if you don’t have conflict, you have no drama,” Somerhalder said, adding, “If you have no drama, you have no TV show, so relationships don’t last that long in Mystic Falls.”

The couple has been the subject of reconciliation rumors since September after Somerhalder publicly complimented Dobrev on social media following their split earlier this year in May. In response to Dobrev, 24, scoring the October cover of Cosmopolitan, Somerhalder posted an image of the magazine alongside a complimentary message towards his former love on Instragram.

“In a store this morning [and] who do I see? The one and only @NinaDobrev,” said Somerhalder. "These things are almost gone so if you haven’t gotten this magazine off of a self, get one. One world: stunning. Congrats Nina! Xo Ian,” he later added.

In June, the pair's mutual friend, “Teen Wolf” actor Colton Haynes, confirmed to Entertainmentwise that Dobrev and Somerhalder had ended their romance on "good terms." Following the split, Dobrev commented to Us Weekly that her romance and subsequent split from Somerhalder didn’t “define her.”