Ian Somerhalder was the first actor cast in the series; while the role required him to find life living in the wild foreign and difficult, the actor was raised on a Louisianan ranch and was thus used to "learn[ing] how to survive."
Ian Somerhalder was the first actor cast in the series; however, the character's requirements necessitated him to find life in an unfamiliar, rugged, and exotic environment. Having been raised on a Louisianan ranch, the actor developed valuable skills for self-sufficiency.