Laura Prepon Back As Alex Vause On ‘Orange Is The New Black’

Laura Prepon plays one of the most popular characters on Orange is the New Black, and after some initial doubts it’s become clear that her Alex Vause character is returning for real.

Prepon plays the lesbian inmate on the popular Netflix series, but reportedly hadn’t signed on as a series regular for the show’s second season. But a new set of official photos released this week by Netflix show that Alex Vause is indeed back.

The photos didn’t give away much of the plot for the return of Orange is the New Black, but did show Laura Prepon and the other characters expanding their horizons a bit. In one shot the women are dressed in business attire for a job fair, and another shows Vause with character Piper Chapman smiling and wearing normal clothes, implying that it may be a flashback scene.

Laura Prepon will have a new castmate for Season 2. Lorraine Toussaint has joined the cast in a recurring role as Vee, who according to Deadline is a “long-time street tough who ran her own drug business, recruiting children to serve as runners.”

Taryn Manning has also been upgraded to a series regular. Her character, Tiffany ‘Pennsatucky’ Doggett, is a meth addict who was born into a family of six kids and drug and alcohol addicted parents.

“It’s a true ensemble. In season two, we’ll see how Piper’s story continues, but the show also gets wider and deeper to tell the stories of even more of the women,” Taylor Schilling told People magazine.

Orange is the New Black gave fans a surprise last month with the announcement that the second season will premiere in late spring. Fans who want to catch Laura Prepon and the rest of the ensemble cast will get that chance on June 6, when all the episodes will be released in their entirety.