Asked what they made of fans who thought Rory and Lorelai Gilmore were a bit “awful” and “selfish” in the Netflix revival, “Gilmore Girls” actors Lauren Graham and Scott Patterson fiercely defended at a SAG-AFTRA panel discussion in New York City on Tuesday night.
At the specific mention of Paul, the boyfriend Rory keeps forgetting to break up with over the course of a year, Graham rolled her eyes and shook her head.
“We don’t pay attention to anything. We don’t know,” said Graham, who plays Lorelai. “None of us are on the internet, almost at all. So I know what you mean, but the show has a sense of humor, and that’s its sense of humor. And I think maybe [the revival] feels a little different. Rory’s not in high school anymore, so yes, as grown women, constantly forgetting [about Paul], I just thought it was a funny runner.”
Graham pointed to the show’s “heightened, theatrical” qualities. “I mean, just like Donald Trump, don’t take it literally,” she said. “But unlike that, to me it was more of a metaphor for, ‘This isn’t the right guy,’ and this is how they communicate about it.”
She continued jokingly, “And does it go 10 steps too far? I don’t know, but it was 90 minutes. We had a lot of time to fill!”
Patterson, who plays Luke, jumped in, too. “Paul was a sacrificial lamb, and he knew it! The audience knew it,” he said.
But while fans might have been a little disappointed with the youngest Gilmores’ decisions, the eldest became something of a fan favorite this time around. Which surprises Kelly Bishop, who plays Emily Gilmore.
“I’ve always been baffled by that,” Bishop said about the idea that fans consider Emily likable. “I kind of enjoy playing these, what I consider these nasty rich women, because I don’t like them. Personally I can’t stand women like that, and we see a lot of them in New York. And Florida. And Hollywood. So really I just try to make them as awful as possible, because that’s just my comment on them.”
Maybe it’s the writing. In “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life,” Emily is grappling with the sudden loss of her husband, Richard, played by the late Edward Herrmann ― as beloved on set as his character on screen. She may still be “nasty,” but she figures things out for herself. And yet not everyone seemed pleased with her character this season.
Alexis Bledel, who plays Rory, admitted that she really wanted to see hers score some wins. Throughout the season, however, Rory struggles with romance, family, and her floundering career in journalism.
“I really wanted her to have some great rewards, or enjoyed quite an interesting life from all her hard work. I wanted her to be on top of the world,” Bledel said. “So to learn that we were picking up with her sort of scrambling a bit and trying to find her footing, I don’t know. I think I wanted to imagine that she got there after having some success and a lot of personal triumphs. I just had to imagine that for her.”
Later, Bledel revealed that she’s “always trying to understand where Rory’s coming from, and the choices she makes in her romantic life.” (You and us both, girl.) She continued, “I think Amy [Sherman-Palladino, series creator] just didn’t want her life to be wrapped up with a bow by the end of these stories, at least, because she’s so young.”
Watch the whole discussion above.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.