Laura Prepon to Depart Orange is the New Black?

Alex has many years remaining on her sentence in Orange is the New Black.

But Laura Prepon may be checking out of the Netflix hit soon than expected.

In news broken by Buzzfeed, the actress - who appeared in all 13 opening episodes as Piper Chapman's imprisoned ex-girlfriend, Alex - does not have a contract for Season 2.

The plan for now is to have Prepon appear on a handful of installments in order to wrap up Alex's storyline before departing for good. HOWEVER, a Netflix rep tells The Huffington Post that negotiations are ongoing and any confirmation of Prepon’s departure is "not accurate. Our season is still developing and nothing is confirmed.”

Orange is the New Black was renewed for Season 2 before Season 1 episodes were even released to the public.

It tells the story of Taylor Schilling's Piper, a woman sent to jail years after she committed a drug-related crime and the transformation she undergoes while interacting with a number of fascinating, diverse characters. It's absolutely terrific.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.