'The Originals' PaleyFest panel: Claire Holt's 'temporary hiatus,' Joseph Morgan talks 'Klaroline' and more scoop revealed

When the cast of The CW's "The Originals" took to the stage for their PaleyFest panel on Saturday (March 22), the main question on every fan's mind was about Rebekah's recent exit from New Orleans and the show in general. Claire Holt decided to put the topic to rest once and for all, explaining how it was actually her decision to leave the series, and that had been the plan since the very beginning of "The Vampire Diaries" spinoff.

"As far as I'm concerned, this is a temporary hiatus," Holt says. "I'm taking a little vacation in the sun but I'm going to return to my New Orleans family. I just want to make it clear to everyone that these incredibly talented writers did not run out of story. They never will."

In fact, Holt made sure to let fans know that she wasn't "pushed out," or that she "quit mid-season."

"This was something that we'd discussed from the start, and I completed my initial commitment," Holt explains. "And I made a life choice, and not a career choice. I made a choice to come home for a little while and I realized that I hadn't seen people that I loved and cared about for a long time and it was so tough for me. And it really was a toss-up right to the very end, and even having this little space that I've had, I do realize that I am so not ready to let go of the Mikaelsons. And so I hope that there's many more stories to tell." See more