Vampire Diaries Star Ian Somerhalder Brings His Brand of Bourbon to the Rio

^{Ian Somerhalder brought his Brother’s Bond Bourbon brand to the Rio for a meet-and-greet during NFR Week. Long gone are his days of being the “bad boy” vampire brother in The Vampire Diaries. (Photo: Vanessa Alves-Johnson / Casinos.com)}

LAS VEGAS 一 During a busy night of NFR Week, a long line wound its way through Masquerade Village at the Rio in Las Vegas. You might not expect it would be for hundreds of guests waiting to meet actor Ian Somerhalder, best known for his role as Damon Salvatore on The Vampire Diaries

Somerhalder was hosting a meet-and-greet to promote Brother’s Bond, the bourbon brand he co-founded with his former co-star Paul Wesley. The line was full of fans and casino guests eager to get a photo with him and talk about his brand, helping to bring in additional foot traffic through the casino during one of the city’s busiest weeks.

His choice to host this at the Rio was a specific choice and marked Somerhalder’s second time coming back here to host an official event for Brother’s Bond. This return showed off his personal connection to the casino as part of their refresh going into 2026. Casinos.com spoke with Somerhalder about why he continues to bring his brand back to the Rio and how casinos in Las Vegas fit into Brother’s Bond’s brand strategy.

From Vampire Show Stardom to Bourbon Entrepreneur 

Somerhalder has built quite literally a global following on Instagram through his roles in The Vampire Diaries and Lost, garnering over 25 million followers on Instagram alone. Though he’s been retired from acting for a few years now, he continues to have a massive following as he takes on his business ventures with Brother’s Bond at the center of his career.

Las Vegas quickly became a natural extension of that next chapter. Over the last year, Somerhalder and Wesley have made multiple appearances across the city at various casino resorts including Golden Nugget, Circa, Aria, and Fontainebleau. At the Wynn, he even hosted a live master class with the property’s renowned mixologist Mariena Mercer Boarini. 

According to Somerhalder, Las Vegas offers something that few cities can match. 

“Las Vegas is literally the epicenter of food, beverage, and entertainment on the planet,” he said.

What keeps him coming back, though, is the connection of meeting fans face to face at the meet and greets he hosts at casinos. 

“A lot of ladies may have heard of us from The Vampire Diaries, and they might drink whiskey and love it,” he said. “But everyone has dads, uncles, partners, or brothers who might be interested in our brand. I love all the different touch points where you can interface with people. It’s about building that customer experience.”

Coming Back to the Rio for Another Year

Somerhalder said hosting this event at the Rio was a deliberate choice. He hosted a similar Brother’s Bond meet-and-greet here in 2024 and was happy to return again this year.

“We love this property and it’s really special to be back here,” Somerhalder said. “I’ve been coming here for almost 25 years. I was quite a young buck running around back then. This team is so amazing to us and just treats us like family.”

The timing also made a difference. The event took place during the Rio Round Up for NFR Week, full of western-themed decor and music. It was a strategic move to attract a crowd that naturally likes whiskey and bourbon culture, making for a good mix of casino visitors who already would be inclined to dine, drink, shop, and explore the property.

Somerhalder expressed optimism about Rio's transformation under new ownership.

“There’s a lot of new things happening, a lot of new management, and just revitalizing this gem of Las Vegas,” Somerhalder said. 

That transformation includes several visible updates, such as refreshed marquee signs, upgraded LED lights on the casino exterior to make the property stand out at night, and the remodeling of Ipanema Beach Club. The Rio has also refreshed more than its 1,500 suites and is preparing to open the first off-Strip location of Eggslut, the popular LA-based breakfast restaurant.

Brother’s Bond and the Vegas Market

Brother’s Bond traces its roots back to The Vampire Diaries, when the two Salvatore brothers were often seen sipping bourbon on screen. Off screen, Somerhalder and Wesley developed a genuine interest in whiskey, eventually taking it to the next level with their own personal brand.

“This isn’t some BS celebrity brand,” Somerhalder said. “We blended this in my kitchen. The Bottled-In-Bond we released last year is rated among one of the top five whiskeys in the world.”

While no official partnership with Rio has been announced yet, Somerhalder made it clear he hopes to see it poured at Rio restaurants and bars in the future. 

“This team has been so incredible to us. I just have to twist some arms to make that happen,” he joked.

He also hinted at a bigger vision for wider placement across the Strip, including more tasting events and additional appearances on the Strip. In our conversation, he also mentioned a recent meeting with executives in Wynn’s Resort Events and Partnerships department, suggesting Brother’s Bond footprint at the Wynn and throughout Vegas may continue to grow.

Casinos Betting Big on Celebrity Brands

Casinos are no stranger to hosting celebrity-driven activations for years, but events like this are effective to attract younger audiences into the casino. The Bella Twins hosted a similar meet-and-greet for the launch of their wine brand at Virgin Hotels earlier this year, with just as good of a turn out like this.

Even friends of mine who had no idea about Somerhalder’s events in Las Vegas saw TikTok videos or Instagram reels of him on the Strip, wishing they would’ve visited one of those casinos that weekend. Whether it was during a formal meet and greet, during his time at Komodo at Fontainebleau or just walking around the Aria, it gained him tons of social media coverage.

A personality like his with a devoted fanbase helps to bring in guests who may not otherwise step onto the property. Once they’re there, restaurants and bars see spikes in traffic and a portion of those visitors inevitably explore the gaming floor. In my own case, to get to The Wine Cellar inside the Masquerade Village at the Rio, I had to walk through the gaming floor, past the food courts and bars, and even saw a few shops on my way.

Somerhalder is fully aware of that dynamic, and his team is using it to the fullest to grow the brand’s footprint in Vegas. A handful of Vegas casinos are contributing to his second career after retiring from acting. 

“Vegas is constantly innovating and changing,” Somerhalder said. “The city is always reinventing these spaces in casinos, so it’s a big thing for us to be a part of that reinvention.”