If you spent any time on the internet between 2010 and 2013, you basically couldn't escape the whirlwind that was Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder. They were the "it" couple. Not just in Hollywood, but in that specific, obsessive corner of the CW fandom where every blurry paparazzi photo was analyzed like a crime scene. Everyone keeps asking when did nina and ian date because the timeline is actually a lot more interesting than just a few years on a calendar. It was a whole era.
They met on the set of The Vampire Diaries. Ian was the smoldering bad boy Damon Salvatore, and Nina was the girl-next-door-turned-vampire Elena Gilbert. The chemistry was undeniable. Honestly, it was so intense that fans started "shipping" them before they even went public. But Nina was hesitant. She actually told Seventeen magazine that her goal was to stay professional. She didn't want to date a costar.
Life had other plans.
The Secret Days: When Did Nina and Ian Date for Real?
The official-unofficial start of their relationship was in 2010. They were spotted snorkeling in Australia and wandering around the Great Barrier Reef. They tried to play it cool. They denied the rumors for ages. But by May 2011, when they were seen strolling through Paris with their moms, the secret was out. You don't take your moms to Paris with a "friend" from work. That's a serious move.
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They dated for about three years. During that time, they were everywhere. Coachella. The Met Gala. Environmental benefits. They even shared a cat named Moke. It seemed like the real-life version of the Elena and Damon endgame everyone wanted. But then, May 2013 happened.
The news hit that they had split. It wasn't messy. No one was throwing plates or posting cryptic shade on Instagram (well, Ian did tweet a Lillian Hellman quote about people changing, but that was about as dramatic as it got). Nina later told E! News that they didn't break up because of anything bad. They were friends long before they dated, and they stayed friends after.
Why did they actually break up?
The rumor mill had a field day with this one. The most common theory? The age gap. Ian was 34 and Nina was 24. A ten-year difference isn't a huge deal in your thirties, but in your twenties, it's a lifetime.
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Insiders at the time suggested Ian was ready to put a ring on it. He wanted to settle down and start a family. Nina, on the other hand, was just getting started. She wanted to travel, see the world, and expand her career beyond Mystic Falls. When you’re 24, the idea of being a "housewife" or even just being tied down to one person forever can be terrifying. Especially when your career is skyrocketing.
The awkwardness of the set
Imagine breaking up with your boyfriend of three years and then having to show up to work and make out with him for the next two seasons. That was their reality. They won the "Best Chemistry" award at the People's Choice Awards after they had already broken up. They even joked about it on stage.
- 2010: They meet and start dating privately.
- 2011: They go public in Paris.
- 2012: They are the golden couple of the CW.
- 2013: The breakup is confirmed in May.
- 2014: Ian starts dating Nikki Reed.
- 2015: Ian marries Nikki; Nina leaves The Vampire Diaries.
Some fans still blame the breakup for Nina leaving the show after Season 6. It’s a popular theory. Nina has always maintained she just wanted to move on to other projects, but you have to wonder. Watching your ex get married to a former friend (Nikki Reed) while you're still playing his soulmate on TV has to be exhausting.
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Where are they now?
It's been over a decade since they were a thing. Ian is a father now and has built a whole life with Nikki Reed. Nina has had several high-profile relationships, most notably her long-term engagement to Olympic legend Shaun White, though reports in late 2025 suggested they had recently hit a rough patch.
The most impressive part of the whole Nina and Ian saga is how they handled the aftermath. There was no public feud. In 2017, Nina even posted a photo of herself hanging out with Ian and Nikki to shut down the "mean girl" rumors once and for all. She called it "beautiful" and said there was no drama.
Most people can't even stand to see their ex's face on a LinkedIn notification. These two managed to keep a friendship alive in the middle of a global spotlight. That's the real takeaway here.
If you’re looking to revisit the "Nian" era, the best thing to do is watch the early seasons of The Vampire Diaries. You can see the shift in their energy from the early flirtation to the comfortable intimacy of a real-life couple. Just keep in mind that by the time they’re winning those chemistry awards in 2014, they were already living very different lives.
Keep an eye on archival interviews from the 2011-2012 PaleyFest panels. Those are the gold mine for seeing how they interacted when they were actually together. It’s a masterclass in trying to hide a relationship while being absolutely head-over-heels for each other.