Breaking It Down‘Gilmore Girls’ Behind-the-Scenes Secrets — You Won’t Believe the Hollywood Stars Who Auditioned!

The Show Was Inspired by a Real Town in Connecticut

Amy Sherman-Palladino, the creator of Gilmore Girls was inspired by the town of Washington Depot, Connecticut, after staying in a bed and breakfast called The Mayflower Inn & Spa.

“At the time I was there, it was beautiful, it was magical, and [there was a] feeling of warmth and small-town camaraderie,”Amy told the Deseret News in 2001. “There was a longing for that in my own life, and I thought — that’s something that I would really love to put out there.”

Ryan Gosling and Chris Pine Almost Starred in ‘Gilmore Girls’

Both Ryan Gosling and Chris Pine almost starred in Gilmore Girls!

While Ryan auditioned for a small part as a “football character,” according to casting director Jami Rudofsky, his audition reportedly “fell flat.”

Meanwhile, one of Chris’ very first auditions was for the show.

Chris joked it was “nepotism at its finest” because his father, actor Robert Pine, asked if he could audition. While Chris couldn’t remember the exact Gilmore Girls role he read for, he thinks it was “maybe a boyfriend of someone.”

Liza Weill Originally Auditioned for Rory

Liza Weil initially auditioned for the role of Rory Gilmore — and although she didn’t land that part, the casting directors and Amy Sherman-Palladino were so impressed with her that they created the character of Paris Geller specifically for her.

“The younger version of myself was really freaked out that that’s what they wrote,” she said of her extremely intelligent, brash and now-iconic character. “I couldn’t fathom that they would think that they could do that! But now I think it’s really flattering, and I’m really glad.”

‘His Second Wife’

Kelly Bishop and Edward Herrmann developed a strong bond while working on Gilmore Girls, frequently sharing drinks and lunches together. Ed’s wife, Star Herrmann, affectionately called Kelly his “second wife.”

When Ed’s family decided to remove him from life support before his passing in 2014, Kelly was the only cast member invited to say her final farewell.

Adam Brody’s Departure

Before Season 4 of Gilmore Girls, Adam Brody departed to join the cast of The O.C., a transition that was cleverly written into the show. His character, Dave, was said to have left Stars Hollow to attend college in California.

Although Lane and Dave tried to maintain a long-distance relationship, their romance ultimately faltered due to a misunderstanding involving a marriage jug.

The ‘Gilmore Girls’ Creator Never Watched the Last Season

Unfortunately, Amy Sherman-Palladino has never watched the seventh and final season of Gilmore Girls. After she and her husband, Daniel Palladino, were unable to come to terms with The CW, the network that took over the show, they stepped down from their roles as showrunners and writers after the sixth season concluded.

Toughest Part of Filming ‘Gilmore Girls’?

Melissa McCarthy, who played Sookie, once shared that one of the toughest aspects of filming the show was enduring the layers of winter clothing while shooting on the Warner Bros. lot in sunny Los Angeles.

She even recalled a particularly memorable incident during a Season 1 poster photoshoot when someone fainted from overheating due to the excessive warmth.

What the ‘Gilmore Girls’ Took From Set

As filming wrapped inside Lorelai and Rory’s house for Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, Lauren texted Alexis to ask, “What do you want me to steal for you from the set?” In the end, Alexis chose Rory’s Yale banner that had been on her mirror, while Lauren snagged the pink flamingo that hung near the back door and an apple magnet featuring Rory’s face from the fridge.

Alexis Bledel Dropped Out of NYU (Not Yale)

Alexis was a student at New York University when she chose to audition for the role — and dropped out after getting her part on the show.

“I was a student at NYU, and they kept calling me back up to audition,” Alexis revealed during an appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

“I think I went, like, six times. Oddly, I wasn’t a very seasoned actor at all. I didn’t know the process. I grew a tad bit impatient. I had a little attitude and our boss really liked that a lot. She was like, ‘That’s our girl!’ I was like, ‘Are you guys going to bring me back again?’ and she was like, ‘I like that, that’s perfect.’”

Alexis Bledel and Milo Ventimiglia Dated IRL

Even though Rory Gilmore and Jess Mariano didn’t end up together on the show, the actors did actually date IRL!

After Jess was introduced in mid-season two, the two actors fell for one another and reportedly began dating for real in 2002. While they were in a relationship, the pair were extremely private and didn’t share many details into their romance.

However, after nearly four years together, the former flames sadly called it quits in June 2006.

In 2007, Milo opened up about his split with Alexis during an interview with Men’s Fitness.

“There’s an emotion that goes with that, and it’s reflected in you physically,” he said of how a breakup can effect your well-being and physique. “I didn’t really keep myself together as I should have. Once I got through that hardship and emotional hurt, I started wanting to take care of my body more and present myself as a better person.”