Is Katharine McPhee's career in trouble after cheating scandal?

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Will affair hurt Katherine McPhee?

Married Katherine McPhee was caught kissing her married 'Smash' director. Oops.

Katharine McPhee has been considered a Hollywood good girl since she hit the scene on on ‘American Idol.’ But with photos recently surfacing of her lip-locked with her married ‘Smash’ director Michael Morris, some are now calling her a home wrecker.

Page Six reported that Morris’ wife and the mother of their three children, Mary McCormack, kicked her straying spouse out of their Los Angeles home last Saturday. Morris has also reportedly already lost a directing gig on an upcoming pilot. Should McPhee be scared, too?

“This probably won’t affect Katharine McPhee’s sales or her ability to get roles in the near future but her likability factor will be seriously tarnished," Jamie Krauss – PR Director at the Narrative Group, todl FOX411. "When female stars act as home wreckers , the American public, but particularly women, tend to sour to them very fast.  Look at Kristen Stewart or Leann Rimes or even Angelina Jolie. All of them took a lot of heat for their famous affairs.”

But Ken Shadford, Director at Maxim TV, has a slightly different take.

“Katharine McPhee having an affair with this director, this sort of thing usually helps someone’s career in this day and age,” he said. “Just this side of a sex tape, getting in the scandal sheets is sort of the way to go to help your career.”

Could the former ‘Smash’ star actually use the media attention to bolster her celeb status?

“Katharine McPhee isn’t exactly Angelina Jolie and I think when you have that superstar status, you have a little more back-story to work off," Kruass acknowledged. "But Katharine McPhee was kind of coined as an American sweetheart after ‘American Idol’ and that’s kind of what she’s been working with ever since and that’s really what she needs to perpetuate her career."

So should the actress come out and apologize?

“Katharine McPhee should come out with a statement. It’s always important to be ahead of a story you don’t want to let the rumor mill run wild but the problem is and why everyone is so upset is because even though she was apparently separated from her husband and has been for about six months," Krauss continued. "Michael Morris, we hear, was not.”

In fact Morris' wife is a well known actress in her own right. How should she handle the situation?

“A cheating scandal in Hollywood can really go both ways.  For someone like Katharine McPhee it probably will be damaged by this but Michael Morris’ wife, Mary, might actually benefit so there’s a glimmer of hope for her,"Krauss said. "Look at Sandra Bullock when she was cheated on it kind of cemented her role as America’s sweetheart because people had a lot of sympathy for her.”

Shadford advises McCormack to "take this and turn it into a Lifetime movie. It would be a great follow up to her amazing role as Howard Stern’s movie wife.”

And McPhee?

“The way that Katharine McPhee could really make this work for her is if she goes out an adopts a bunch of children.”