ETOnline has a chance to catch up with Ian Somerhalder. See what Ian has to say about Damon and Elena’s journey so far and the upcoming flashback.

ETonline: I think the show has really gotten it right this season with Damon and Elena’s romantic journey. What’s been your take on it all?

Somerhalder: It’s been kind of tragic. I mean, Damon finally got the girl he loves and it’s totally tragic that he has this moment of happiness and clarity only to learn that it’s fake. I did a show recently where they were talking about Catfish. It’s something I never realized is going on, but there’s this entire world out there about people falling in love with one another digitally only to find out it’s not real. I could have sympathized with that before, but through this storyline, I can also empathize with that. When you go through that emotion on screen you take a piece of it with you. I have such great respect for the people coming out to tell their story because it’s an awful feeling.

ETonline: It’s also got to be exciting as an actor that TVD allows you to play your character at various points in their life. We’ve seen Damon throughout the decades, and next week shows him circa 1970.

Somerhalder: Yeah, you hit the nail on the head. Our artisans and production design team went in and not only re-built CBGB’s but recreated the feeling of the ’70s [in Because the Night, airing March 21]. It’s so cool because you get to experience so many times in [Damon's] life. Now mind you, because there were so many decades, I think he evolved slower than most. I also love that because we get to go back and romanticize the social happenings of that time, we’re really reminded of The United States’ deep history and what Damon lived through is just a drop in the bucket compared to the other characters, who can go back thousands of years.

Read the rest of the interview over at ETOnline.