‘Gilmore Girls’ fan favorite joins HBO Max’s new behind-the-scenes documentary
Luke’s coffee may fuel Stars Hollow, but HBO Max’s new ‘Gilmore Girls’ documentary is turning its attention to what happened off camera. The film will revisit the series' making through its creators, cast, and crew. Lauren Graham is already attached. Now, another cast member has confirmed he will take part.
Milo Ventimiglia, who played Jess Mariano, has confirmed he will appear in the documentary. “But yes, I will be a part of it,” he said. His contribution has not been filmed yet. “I have yet to record my part,” he told the outlet. He also has no advance knowledge of the interview questions, saying, “I have no idea what we’re going to talk about.”
For Ventimiglia, revisiting ‘Gilmore Girls’ means remembering the people more than retracing Jess’ storylines. He recalled working with Alexis Bledel, who played Rory Gilmore, and Jared Padalecki, who played Dean Forester. “The experience is something that I always lean into, that really fills me up,” he explained. He said he probably would not rewatch episodes to prepare for the documentary interview.
One memory involves a prop bag that needed a little more weight. “I remember shooting on the back lot of Warner Bros. with Alexis and getting on the bus and carrying a bag that the prop guy wanted to make really light,” he recalled. “But I [said], ‘Yeah, but it looks full and it’s huge, so it should be heavy. Put a sandbag in it.’” It is the sort of detail he remembers from making the show, although he has not said whether he will discuss it in the film.
Bonni Cohen is directing the untitled documentary. It is told from the perspective of creator Amy Sherman-Palladino and executive producer Daniel Palladino. Its official logline says it “reveals how the show eclipsed expectations to become a cross-generational phenomenon by unpacking the unique alchemy of the creators, cast, crew and collaborators. The film includes never-before-seen outtakes, behind-the-scenes footage and script pages.”
Ventimiglia joined ‘Gilmore Girls’ in Season 2 as Rory’s sometimes-boyfriend. He later reprised Jess in Netflix’s four-part 2016 revival, ‘Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.’ He will appear in the documentary to reflect on his time with the series. The HBO Max film is also separate from the independently produced documentary ‘Drink Coffee, Talk Fast,’ previously titled ‘Searching for Stars Hollow.’
