Industry insiders are saying that Tom Cruise is the reason behind Laura Prepon’s decision to leave the hit Netflix show “Orange is the New Black.”
On the show, Prepon plays the sexy, drug-dealing lesbian who is responsible for the show’s preppy protagonist, Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), going to prison.
The Church of Scientology frowns upon homosexuality, despite the fact that some of its most prominent members are alleged to be closeted gays.
“With all [Cruise’s] baggage, it doesn’t help his image to be dating a woman who plays a lesbian,” said one source. “He doesn’t want kinky, he wants wholesome.”
Cruise is known to be controlling. He reportedly called the shots on Katie Holmes’ career when she was married to him. And there was speculation even before news broke in November of Prepon’s dinner dates with Cruise that she was leaving “Orange Is the New Black” because of her own Scientology beliefs.
Still, many weren’t impressed with the move. “Only an idiot like Dan Stevens (“Downton Abbey”) leaves a hit show just as it’s peaking,” noted one industry insider.
Prepon will be written out after the first four episodes of the second season, which starts on June 6.