Gilmore Girls: Five Fun Facts About Casting You Didn’t Know

After watching “Gilmore Girls” on repeat for several years, I started to notice some interesting trends about the casting. Some actors return to play new characters, and there are some familiar faces among the extras in the show. Here are five facts about the casting you may not know!

1. Kirk appears in the first couple of episodes of “Gilmore Girls” as two separate characters with just a few lines. In episode two, he appears as “Mick” and is attempting to install the DSL at Lorelai’s house. In the episode three, he delivers swans for the wedding at the Independence Inn. It isn’t until episode five that he is established as “Kirk,” or as Miss Patty calls him, “Kirk the Jerk,” the assistant manager at Doose’s Market. The jobs he has do align with his character’s personality. Kirk says in his own words he has had “5,000 jobs” throughout the show. However, the plot does become slightly misaligned as it is further established that everyone in Stars Hollow has known Kirk since he was a child.
2. Sherilyn Fenn plays the roles of both Anna Nardini and Sasha. Anna Nardini is the mother of Luke’s daughter, April. They do not enter the show until season six. But if Anna Nardini seemed familiar to you, it is because you recognized her from Jess’s trip to see his father in California. Sasha is Jimmy’s girlfriend and has a significant impact on Jess’s visit to California. How did the show manage this repeat in talent? Sasha’s character has short blond hair, is very energetic and has a laid-back lifestyle. Anna Nardini has long, brown and curly hair. She is much more formal, organized and calm. Their demeanors, in combination with their extreme wardrobe changes, made this casting possible! Not to mention their appearances are seasons apart.
3. One of the most surprising repeat-castings I learned about was that of Alex Borstein who plays Drella, the harpist, in season one and returns as Miss Celine in seasons three and five! Her costume and make-up as the elderly personal stylist, Miss Celine make her nearly unrecognizable.
4. While watching the episode with Dean’s bachelor party, I noticed a familiar face in his group of friends. Max Greenfield, most famously recognized for his role as Schmidt in “New Girl,” was cast as an extra in this episode of Gilmore Girls! You can see him sitting with Dean’s friends at a table in Luke’s diner. His three lines are, “Hey, my name’s Luke too. We should start a club or something,” “How much do you give a stripper?” and “What did he say?”
5. Another extra who made an appearance before their career took off was Rami Malek, who plays one of Lane’s classmates at the Seventh Day Adventist College. Malek is known for his roles as Freddie Mercury in “Bohemian Rhapsody” and Ahkmenrah in “Night at the Museum.”

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