On March 11, BuzzFeed reported that Claire Holt had chosen to leave The Vampire Diaries spin-off, The Originals, after her 16-episode contract was up. At the time, Holt and creator Julie Plec chose not to comment, but now, both the actress and executive producer are breaking their silence, speaking exclusively to BuzzFeed, in order to squash inaccurate reports.

"It's ludicrous," Holt stated of reports that the writers had run out of ideas for her character and forced her out of the show. "I want to be very clear that they didn't run out of material, I wasn't pushed out, I wasn't fed up with Rebekah, I didn't quit mid-season, there was no drama, there was no rift between cast members; it really came down to the fact that I completed my initial commitment and made a life choice, not a career choice."

Holt's decision to leave, which she said solely stemmed from a desire to be back in Los Angeles with her loved ones, did not come easily. "This show has been so amazing for my career, and I've had such unbelievable material, it was just never my intention to be away from home this long," she said of the atypical route that brought her to The Originals, which began as a three-episode guest role on Season 3 of The Vampire Diaries, but quickly evolved into so much more.

"It was a tough choice that I didn't fully make it right up until the end, because I was enjoying myself so much. But three seasons later, I realized I hadn't been home to Australia in years, I hadn't seen my family, and I hadn't spent time with the people I loved," she explained. "But I want to make it so clear that this show has such a special place in my heart. I am so glad I was able to do The Originals, and I want to be a part of that family for a long time. I am simply looking at this as a temporary absence."