There is sad news for fans of The Mindy Project. On Wednesday, it was announced that Chris Messina, who plays Dr. Danny Castellano and the love interest of Mindy Kaling's character, will not be seen much in the Hulu comedy next season.

Messina is still part of the romantic comedy, but will only appear as a guest star in some episodes of the upcoming fifth season, TV Line reported. The actor has been with the show since its pilot episode but has gradually appeared in fewer scenes as the show went on.

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When Season 4 premiered, Danny and Mindy were still engaged, but a change in plot forced for the couple to split, pushing Danny away from Mindy's orbit in the remaining episodes. Although fans can still see Danny next season, Messina's demotion from the series may be regarded as a signal that Danny and Mindy will not reconcile in the future.

In theory, Messina's participation in Season 5 may just be solely about Danny and his responsibilities to baby Leo.

Over its four year-run, The Mindy Project has already gone through some major casting shakeup. In Season 1, cast members Amanda Setton, Stephen Tobolowsky, and Anna Camp exited, and later were filled in by Adam Pally and Xosha Roquemore in early Season 2.

While we do not know for sure if Messina will eventually depart from The Mindy Project, it can be upsetting for longtime followers to imagine that the show's most beloved couple will not end up together in the long run.

As for Mindy Kaling, she has portrayed the clumsily likable doctor for four years and has since established that her character is an independent woman with a weak spot for romance. It is possible that losing Danny as her one great love can only catapult her into more success.

The Mindy Project concludes its fourth season on Tuesday, July 5 on Hulu.

A photo posted by The Mindy Project (@mindyprojecthulu) on May 3, 2016 at 10:49am PDT

TagsChris Messina, the mindy project season 5, Hulu, Mindy Kaling, danny castellano