Did Nina Dobrev Quit 'TVD' Because of Ian Somerhalder's Engagement to Nikki Reed?

After six seasons on TVD, Nina Dobrev shocked fans by confirming that she will be quitting the show. It is always tricky for writers and fans alike when a core character and fan favorite decides to move on, but Dobrev's situation had become pretty complicated behind the scenes. She dated costar Ian Somerhalder for two years only to watch him hook up with and then become engaged to her former best friend Nikki Reed right under her nose. That had to sting and it likely served as a catalyst for Dobrev's departure.

The actress took to her Instagram to post the news herself, saying, "I've just spent the most beautiful weekend on Lake Lanier in Georgia with my own TVD Family, the cast and crew of The Vampire Diaries. I want to be the first to tell you that it wasn't just a holiday celebration, it was a goodbye party. I always knew I wanted Elena's story to be a six season adventure, and within those six years I got the journey of a lifetime.

"I was a human, a vampire, a doppelganger, a crazy immortal, a doppelganger pretending to be human, a human pretending to be a doppelganger. I got kidnapped, killed, resurrected, tortured, cursed, body-snatched, was dead and undead, and there's still so much more to come before the season finale in May. Elena fell in love not once, but twice, with two epic soulmates, and I myself made some of the best friends I'll ever know and built an extended family I will love forever."

While it was hard for the actress to watch Somerhalder fall in love and get engaged in under a year, it has reportedly been equally difficult on Reed because she knows her exes still share a strong connection. Working together may have been the kind of temptation that she would rather her man not have to deal with, so news of Dobrev's departure likely comes as a huge relief to Reed.

Did you see the writing on the wall here with either Dobrev or Somerhalder likely to leave at the end of Season 6? Dobrev mentioned making the decision back in October of last year, just two months after Somerhalder and Reed's romance went public. Do you think the timing was a coincidence?

Tell us your thoughts on Dobrev's departure from TVD in the comments section below.

Tags

Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder, Nikki Reed, The Vampire Diaries, Engaged