Gilmore Girls: 10 behind-the-scenes facts only true fans know

Gilmore Girls isn't your regular TV show; it is a caffeine-fueled cultural experience that everyone needs to go through once in their lives. If you think you love coffee, then you will be sad to know that there is an entire town called Stars Hollow that eats, sleeps, and breathes coffee. And Lorelai and Rory Gilmore are the brand ambassadors of this lifestyle.

Over the years, Gilmore Girls has become a comfort show thanks to Lorelai's quips, Rory's endless reading list, and the town's overall magical aura. It has become a go-to show for anyone who loves pop culture, quick-witted banter, and sarcasm.

But even if you are a die-hard fan who watches the show every chance you get, there are still some things you don't know about what went down behind the scenes. There are so many secrets that need to be revealed, and lucky for you, today is the day.

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10 behind-the-scenes Gilmore Girls facts only true fans know

From secret casting choices to trouble with dialogues to an interesting story behind Luke's hat, Gilmore Girls is full of behind-the-scenes stories that make the show even more lovable. So, grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and enjoy these surprising facts about your favorite show.

1) Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel weren't always BFFs

The heart and soul of Gilmore Girls was Lorelai and Rory's bond. Seeing them as such a perfect mother-daughter pair made viewers wish for a bond like theirs. But did you know that behind the scenes, Lauren Graham (Lorelai Gilmore) and Alexis Bledel (Rory Gilmore) weren't always BFFs?

Alexis was a shy newcomer, and Lauren was an experienced, outspoken Hollywood actress, sort of like their on-screen personas. It took them a while to bond, but over time, they got close, and by Season 2, they were finishing each other's sentences. Graham even referred to Bledel as her "TV kid" once.

2) The show's dialogue was hard

Have you ever tried reciting Gilmore Girls dialogue? If it resulted in you catching your breath midway, then imagine what the real actors must have gone through. The show's creator, Amy Sherman-Palladino, wrote 80-page scripts, which are 20%–30% longer than average hour-long dramas.

To keep the pace up, the actors had to speak fast. This explains the outrageous use of coffee on the show — the poor actors were just trying to keep up. If there were a competition for fast talking, Lauren Graham would remain undefeated.

3) Alexis Bledel never liked coffee

Speaking of coffee, would you imagine someone living in Stars Hollow wouldn't love the beverage? It's hard, but it's true. Alexis Bledel, aka Rory Gilmore, the Princess of Coffee Town, actually hates the taste of coffee in real life. So, every time you saw her chug a java, it was either Coca-Cola or colored water.

Every time Rory said "I need coffee," what she really meant was "I need anything but coffee." That was some great acting by Alexis Bledel.

4) Luke was originally a woman

Luke Danes, the grumpy diner owner of Stars Hollow and Lorelai Gilmore's lobster, was originally a woman named Daisy. In the original pilot, Amy Sherman-Palladino created the character as female. However, the network wanted more male energy in the script, so Palladino changed a few genders, and voila, Luke was born.

It turned out to be one of the best decisions for the show, as Luke and Lorelai's relationship became one of the best slow-burning TV romances ever.

5) Stars Hollow isn't a real town in Connecticut

If you thought that Stars Hollow is a real place in Connecticut, then you will be disappointed to know that Hogwarts and Narnia aren't real either. It was a fictional town created by Sherman-Palladino, and the places you see are actually the Warner Bros. backlot in Burbank, California.

In fact, it is the same place where several other hit shows like Pretty Little Liars, Gremlins, and The Dukes of Hazzard were filmed. So, before Lorelai stood near the gazebo, a demon, a gremlin, and a sheriff stood there.

6) Melissa McCarthy almost missed the chance of playing Sookie

It's hard to picture anyone else as the cutie Sookie St. James other than Melissa McCarthy, but the role was originally supposed to be played by another talented actress, Alex Borstein. She was the original choice for Sookie, and come to think of it, had things gone the other way, the character would have had a completely different energy.

But due to scheduling conflicts because of prior commitments, Borstein couldn't continue to be a part of Gilmore Girls, and hence the role fell into McCarthy's lap. Melissa did a fantastic job and gave a memorable performance. But it does make you think that if Alex Borstein had played the character, would she, too, have set the kitchen on fire?

7) Several Parenthood crossovers

After Gilmore Girls, Lauren Graham starred in a hit show called Parenthood, where she also played a single mother with a complex love life. The writers of Parenthood included several Gilmore Girls references during its run. In fact, there was one scene where her character was making fun of Gilmore Girls while sitting across from her on-screen dad, Richard Gilmore.

8) There was almost no Revival

By the time Gilmore Girls ended in 2007, Amy Sherman-Palladino had already left the show due to contract disputes. What was sad about her departure was that she took her alternate ending for the show with her, leaving fans begging for closure for years.

Finally, in 2016, Netflix came to everyone's rescue and resurrected the show as A Year in Life, spearheaded by Sherman-Palladino herself. It is then that she finally got to use her long-awaited ending to the show with those four iconic words:

"Mom?" "Yeah?" "I'm pregnant."

9) Amy and Daniel: The pop culture prodigies

When you are passionate about something, you tend to include it in your life as much as possible, and that’s exactly what Amy Sherman-Palladino and her husband Daniel Palladino did. Both husband and wife are pop culture prodigies, and that is why you see actors blurt out so many references on the show.

The cast had zero idea about what they were saying, but the two co-creators were all smiles behind the camera. Lauren Graham even said that she would memorize the names without even knowing the references.

10) The Gilmore house and the Dragonfly Inn were the same

Did you know that Lorelai's house and the Dragonfly Inn were the same? Well, not according to the script, but set design. The exterior of the house was repurposed as the Dragonfly Inn in the later seasons. The set designer simply tweaked the designs, did some repainting, and moved some stuff here and there to change the look.

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So, now that you know some insider details about Gilmore Girls, do you feel more connected to the show? These details make the show even more lovable and perfect in its own unique way. So, next time you binge-watch the show, you can share this knowledge with other fans and earn the title of number one superfan.