'Lost' stars losing the plot?

Living on an idyllic island isn't necessarily paradise, as the activities of the Lost cast have highlighted in recent times. The characters on the hit show have had to contend with smoke monsters, The Others and numerous brain-draining flashbacks, but life off the Hawaii set has been equally eventful for certain actors. Cult Spy looks at the turbulent history of the law-breaking misdemeanours behind the scenes and examines the potential causes.

Alcohol appears to be the one consistent factor throughout the indiscretions, with Daniel Dae Kim being arrested for drink driving in October. In a statement, he said: "It saddens me to know that I jeopardised the welfare of the kind people of Hawaii, a community that I love and call my home."

Perhaps playing a character called Jin gave him ideas?

The most notorious offender has been Michelle Rodriguez, who played ex-cop Ana Lucia. In late 2005 the volatile star was caught driving under the influence on the streets of Honolulu, Hawaii. This was particularly careless given that she was already on probation for a similar offence in 2003 and she learnt the hard way not to mess with the law after being sentenced to 180 days in jail. Whatever her crimes, Rodriguez undoubtedly brought a real gritty, morally ambiguous edge to Ana Lucia before her shocking demise.

Now here's time for a bit of a conspiracy theory. Who was killed off alongside Ana Lucia in the episode 'Two For The Road'? Why, Libby of course, who was also shot by the Walt-craving Michael Dawson. What does Cynthia Watros, who played Libby, have in common with Rodriguez? You guessed it – making those Hawaiian roads unsafe with a bit of post-booze cruising.

Arrested on the very same morning as Rodriguez on December 1, 2005, Watros later pleaded guilty and was ordered to go to counselling and pay a $500 fine. What happened to both actresses five months later? Their characters were both killed off in quick succession. One can imagine that Daniel Dae Kim might be in panto before long.

Being isolated on Hawaii, away from friends and family for long stints of filming may well be a testing time for cast and crew, leading to escapist pursuits like drinking. Matthew Fox, who plays Jack, also lifted the lid on the frustration felt by the thespians. Speaking in October 2005, he revealed: "There's a perception among the guys that we're busting our asses on the island and not getting a lot of recognition for it. I've told the cast to keep their heads down, stay positive and it will all work out in the end."

Some obviously decided to head to the bar instead…