Ian Somerhalder is done with 'The Vampire Diaries;' what's next for the actor?

Actor Ian Somerhalder, who plays Damon Salvatore on "The Vampire Diaries," took to Twitter on Thursday to reveal he was saying goodbye to the show after Season 8. However, that does not mean the vampire drama was coming to an end after the next season.

The actor had sparked speculation of "The Vampire Diaries" ending after Season 8 during a chat with WalkerStalker Con in Nashville on Sunday. The actor was quoted as saying that they've decided to do one last season to do justice to Damon's storyline.

But on Tuesday, the actor clarified that he was talking about his last season. "Hey all, so... Last weekend I talked to an audience at a Q&A about the end of #TVD and how excited I was to make what I believe - my last year - be as great as possible. Somehow in my infinite wisdom and end-of-season foggy brain, I managed to make it sound like the show was coming to an end."

He also added that the people who have to decide when the show would end, that is, The CW and WB, are yet to make that decision. "So let's take things one step at a time: Season 7 wrap, vacation, lots of sleep, let the writers get started on Season 8, and then we'll all see where we go from there," Somerhalder said.

It remains to be seen what the future holds for the 37-year-old actor, but it looks like he will soon be busy with a baby. Earlier this year Somerhalder told Entertainment Tonight that he and wife Nikki Reed were indeed trying for a baby. "Well, you know, those are the coolest little things in the world," he said coyly when asked about plans to expand their family. "Standby."

Somerhalder and Reed got married on April 26, 2015 in a private ceremony attended by close friends and family. "The Vampire Diaries" actor was previously linked to his co-star Nina Dobrev, whom he dated for about three years before splitting up in 2013.