When the long-awaited trailer for season six of Orange Is the New Black aired, fans noticed that a major character was missing: Alex Vause. Alex, played by Laura Prepon, was last seen at the end of season five in a bunker alongside Piper, Suzanne, Taystee and Red. That being said, she is the only one of the aforementioned characters who didn’t appear in the new promo.
“Where is Alex?” asks Piper, played by Taylor Schilling. “Don’t you think it’s weird we’re the only people in here?” As the release date for season six approaches, the uncertainty over whether Alex will return has only increased. Fans have gotten on Twitter to voice their confusion over Alex’s absence, and what her possible absence could mean for her romance with Piper.
Laura Prepon attends the “Orange Is The New Black” premiere.
“Why isn’t Alex in the new #OITNB trailer??,” asked one user. “Maybe she’s out in the real world trying to find me after realising [sic] IM the real love of her life ??????????” Another wrote: “The whole fandom is crying out for Alex and damn, I miss this woman.
Was at least hoping to see her once in the trailer…”
The writers and producers of the show have capitalized on these reactions by playing up the mystery of Alex’s whereabouts. They tweeted out a video on the Orange Is the New Black Twitter account tweeted that shows Piper playing the classic game show Jeopardy. The caption read: “We’ll take TELL US WHERE ALEX IS for $200 please.”
We’ll take TELL US WHERE ALEX IS for $200 please.
Fortunately, there are a few clues that suggest Alex will be returning. This past February, Prepon tweeted a photo of herself and Schilling with the caption: “Last day shooting #OITNB season 6 with my beautiful co-star. Until the next one!” There is also the evidence presented on Prepon’s IMDb page, which, in addition to her credits on seasons 1-5, confirms that she will appear in at least four episodes, including one titled “S**tstorm Coming.”
There has been speculation that Prepon’s appearances could be relegated to flashbacks, or visions within the mind of Schilling’s character. Another theory proposed by Fansided is that Alex is simply being held else in the prison. Alex’s arm was broken in the season five finale, so her seeking medical attention may explain her absence from the events shown in the promo.
Last day shooting #OITNB season 6 with my beautiful co-star. Until the next one! #orangefamily 🍊❤️
Prepon spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about the emotional state that we last saw Alex in. “When you look at what they just went through with Piscatella, it puts things into perspective,” she said.
“They just went through this insane thing where they almost died. They saw what happened to Red and Alex’s arm is broken and all these things, and they realize: Life is short, I love this person, let’s just do this. When something like that happens, it makes people really reevaluate. You realize what’s important.”
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Is Alex Vause on ‘Orange Is the New Black’ Season 6?