Exclusive: Samaire Armstrong Out of Money

• Mar 27, 2008 09:27 PM ET
• by Michael Ausiello

Dirty Sexy Money will be down a Darling next season.

Samaire Armstrong, who plays Juliet, brat-astic celebutante and fraternal twin to Jeremy, will not be returning to the series full-time, sources confirm to me exclusively. A spokesperson for ABC Studios declined to comment, but a Dirty Sexy insider tells me that producers decided not to pick up Armstrong's contract option. The actress is, however, expected to appear on a recurring basis, her schedule permitting.

Last October, Armstrong entered a treatment facility for undisclosed reasons. Producers were forced to write her out of an episode, but she was back on air the following week. Whether or not Armstrong's personal issues contributed to her demotion from series regular to occasional guest star is anyone's guess.

Hey, I just thought of something: This probably explains why Seth's onetime O.C. crush was conspicuously missing from Tuesday's Dirty Sexy Money panel at Paley Fest. That's what they call putting two and two together.