Contrary to erroneous rumors about salary negotiations, Erin's departure from
The L Word (2004) was purely a creative decision from the show's creators, in particular
Ilene Chaiken and
Rose Lam. The creators wanted to tell an impacting story about death from cancer, and believed that Erin's immensely popular character - tennis player Dana Fairbanks - was well-liked enough to send a very strong message about mortality. The decision to kill Dana was met with great opposition from cast members and Erin herself. To this day, this remains the show's most controversial storyline.