<Tr> <Th> Significant other (s) </Th> <Td> Elena Gilbert (wife) Katherine Pierce (ex-girlfriend) Caroline Forbes (ex-fling) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Status </Th> <Td> Alive </Td> </Tr> <P> Damon Salvatore is a fictional character in The Vampire Diaries novel series . He is portrayed by Ian Somerhalder in the television series . Initially, Damon is the main antagonist in the beginning of the show and later became a protagonist . After the first few episodes, Damon begins working alongside his younger brother, Stefan Salvatore, to resist greater threats and gradually Elena begins to consider him a friend . His transition was completed after his younger brother Stefan, who is also a vampire, convinces him to drink blood . Damon thus vows to make his brother's life sorrowful--thus further causing a century - long rift between the two brothers, centering around Katherine and eventually a love triangle with Elena Gilbert . After on - again / off - agains with both brothers, Elena chooses to be with Damon in the finale episode . </P> <P> Ian Somerhalder was cast as Damon Salvatore at the end of March 2009, six months before the premiere of the series . The initial casting call for the character required an actor in his early - to mid-twenties to play a "darkly handsome, strong, charming, and smug vampire who can go from casual and playful to pure evil in less than a heartbeat ." Somerhalder had not read the books until filming began . </P>

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