Lowe Leaves Door Open to 'Wing' Return

By Stephen M. Silverman

Friday August 30, 2002 01:00 AM EDT

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Rob Lowe, who plays White House Deputy Communications director Sam Seaborn on NBC's hit political drama "The West Wing," informed a TV interviewer on Thursday that he still plans to leave the series when his contract expires in March, but that the door shall remain open regarding the possibility of his coming back, Reuters reports.

Lowe had announced his departure in July amid reports that he was unhappy with his lack of a suitable pay raise -- or any pay raise, at all. (He reportedly earns $75,000 per episode.)

"Nothing would make me happier, but at the moment, no one has told me that anything has changed. We'll see," Lowe said during a brief interview on local Los Angeles Fox station KTTV, as reported by Reuters. The star, 38, did not answer a question about why he's leaving the show.

Only the day before Lowe's appearance, "West Wing" leading man Martin Sheen, 62, who plays President Bartlet on the series, spoke on the syndicated program "Access Hollywood" and urged Lowe to reconsider his decision.

"He's terrific in the show. I don't think he has ever been better in anything else, frankly. Are you listening, Rob?" Sheen said.

Lowe apparently was -- but told KTTV that while he appreciated Sheen's support, he was sticking to his earlier decision to move on, despite the realization that it might be difficult to find better work elsewhere.