Chris Carmack Exits The O.C.

[Emma]

Last week, fans of The O.C. were majorly bummed, dude. How could the teen soap's best-looking bad boy, Luke Ward, be packed off to Portland? At the season's start, he made a big bang with his signature catchphrase: "Welcome to the O.C., bitch!" He bullied Ryan, cheated on girlfriend Marissa — after taking her virginity — then seduced Marissa's mom, Julie Cooper. He was bad, but he looked damn good doing it. Here, TV Guide Online asks 23-year-old Chris Carmack why Luke had to go, and learns what's next for the fan fave.

TV Guide Online: Though the producers deny it, rumor has it a salary dispute made them decide against bringing you back next season.

Chris Carmack: There was no salary dispute. They were unsure where the character was going to go. He started out as an antagonist, became a bit of a protagonist — a character you cared about — and that grew. I don't know what precipitated the choices the writers made about writing him off. But they talked to me about it, and I understand how that goes.

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Source: TVGuide.Com