The Age Gap Between Gilmore Girls Cast & Their Characters is Frankly Eye-Opening

Believe it or not, September is drawing to a close. This means it's time to immerse ourselves in the cozy autumnal ambiance of Stars Hollow. Naturally, I'm talking about the quintessential fall show, Gilmore Girls.

The iconic, fast-talking, coffee-drinking mother-daughter duo of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore and their family and friends have long been our go-to companions when we seek escape and comfort. That is largely due to the brilliant performances of the show's cast.

The secret to the relatability and authenticity of the Gilmore Girls characters may be that all the actors portrayed characters very close to their own age. Only one actress was 11 years older than her on-screen counterpart. But her performance was so on the money that you likely didn't even notice.

Let's explore this further and compare the ages of the core cast of Gilmore Girls with the ages of their characters, starting with the older generation.

Age of Older Actors vs. Age of Their Characters

• Lauren Graham (33) as Lorelai Gilmore (32)
• Kelly Bishop (56) as Emily Gilmore (Early 50s)
• Edward Herrmann (57) as Richard Gilmore (Early 50s)
• Melissa McCarthy (30) as Sookie St. James (Early 30s)
• Scott Patterson (42) as Luke Danes (Mid To Late 30s)
• Yanic Truesdale (30) as Michel Gerard (Late 20s)
• Chris Eigeman (39) as Jason Stiles (38)
• Sean Gunn (26) as Kirk Gleason (Late 20s)

As you can see, everyone from Lorelai and her parents to the town's jack-of-all-trades, Kirk, portrayed characters close to their own age.

Add to that the fact that the show, which aired from 2000 to 2007, was set in precisely the same time period, and it becomes clear that the actors would have felt very comfortable in their roles. This comfort definitely shines through. Gilmore Girls is truly a product of its time. And what a time it was!

But let's take a look at the younger generation of Stars Hollow, and we'll be in for a few surprises.

Age of Younger Actors vs. Age of Their Characters

• Alexis Bledel (19) as Rory Gilmore (16)
• Jared Padalecki (18) as Dean Forester (16)
• Milo Ventimiglia (24) as Jess Mariano (18)
• Matt Czuchry (28) as Logan Huntzberger (22)
• Liza Weil (23) as Paris Geller (16)
• Keiko Agena (27) as Lane Kim (16)

Sure enough, all the teenage characters were played by actors over 18. Alexis Bledel was 19 when we first saw her in the lead role and 26 when the show ended. The youngest main cast member was Jared Padalecki. Wasn't he adorable in Season 1?

The biggest surprise comes from Keiko Agena, who played Rory's best friend, the music-loving, rebellious master of ingenuity, Lane Kim. The actress joined the cast when she was 27 and convincingly played a 16-year-old. Today, it's hard to imagine anyone else in that role, isn't it?