She won rave reviews for her portrayal of jailbird Alex in the Netflix original series Orange Is The New Black.

But Laura Prepon will not be reprising her role as a series regular in the second series of the show, according to new reports.

Sources told Buzzfeed that Prepon 'did not sign a contract tying her to the show' for the forthcoming season. 

However, she will still appear in several season-two episodes in order to close out Alex's storyline, particularly her relationship with series protagonist Piper (played by Taylor Schilling). 

Alex, a drug runner, was initially responsible for Piper's imprisonment but also served as an unstable love interest of the series star.

It's unclear whether Prepon's departure as a series regular is based on a decision by showr boss Jenji Kohan (who previously won kudos for his Showtime dramedy Weeds) or if it her own choice. 

Either way, there is nothing to suggest that Prepon can't potentially return in the future to reprise her regular role.

The actress is best known for her long stint as Donna on That 70's Show and recently appeared on ABC’s October Road and NBC’s Are You There, Chelsea?

Meanwhile, several cast members have been upgraded to series regulars, including Danielle Brooks, Taryn Manning, Kate Mulgrew and Uzo Aduba, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Aduba, who plays Crazy Eyes, has become a fan favourite for dropping hilariously memorable lines and living up to her nickname. 

Orange Is The New Black, produced by Lionsgate TV for Netflix, has brought big accolades and attention to the streaming service since its July 11 premiere.

It follows in the successful footsteps of chilling political thriller House Of Cards, which was released in February and racked up nine Emmy nominations for Netflix including for stars Kevin Spacy and Robin Wright

But in a surprise turn, Orange topped House Of Cards in the first-week ratings battle despite very little marketing hype and the lack of star name according to All Things SD.

Overall, Netflix's growth in the original programming sphere has been astronomical, both in terms of dollars but also industry respect.