It’s October, it’s fall – and that only means one thing: It’s Gilmore Girls season!
Did you know that Gilmore Girls had a knack for launching careers? Of course, Melissa McCarthy, who played Sookie, and Milo Ventimiglia, who played Jess, both appeared on the beloved TV series before finding widespread fame on the big and small screen — but McCarthy and Ventimiglia are far from the only actors who appeared on the beloved TV show early in their careers.
With over 150 episodes, it’s easy to forget just how many other actors had a brief stint in Stars Hollow. Here’s 20 actors who appeared on Gilmore Girls during its original run (2000 – 2007) who weren’t particularly well-known at the time… but, they certainly are now.
Rami Malek
Episode: “In the Clamor and the Clangor” (Season 4, Episode 11)
Long before Mr. Robot or his Oscar-winning performance in Bohemian Rhapsody, Rami Malek got his start on Gilmore Girls. Malek appeared in the season 4 episode “In the Clamor and the Clangor” as Lane’s classmate Andy.
Jane Lynch
Episode: “Forgiveness and Stuff” (Season 1, Episode 10)
Before she was Sue Sylvester on Glee, Jane Lynch appeared on Gilmore Girls as a nurse who took care of Richard while he was in the hospital during season one.
Nick Offerman
Episodes: “The Festival of Living Art” (Season 4, Episode 7) and “Always a Godmother, Never a God” (Season 6, Episode 4)
Before he was Ron Swanson on Parks and Rec, Nick Offerman guest starred on Gilmore Girls as Jackson’s older brother, Beau Belleville, who appeared on an episode in season 4 and an episode in season 6.
Krysten Ritter
Episodes: “‘S Wonderful, ‘S Marvelous” (Season 7, Episode 4), “French Twist” (Season 7, Episode 7), “Introducing Lorelai Planetarium” (Season 7, Episode 8), “Knit, People, Knit” (Season 7, Episode 9), “Merry Fisticuffs” (Season 7, Episode 10), “To Whom It May Concern” (Season 7, Episode 12), “It’s Just Like Riding a Bike” (Season 7, Episode 19), and “Unto the Breach” (Season 7, Episode 21)
The Breaking Bad and Jessica Jones star played Lucy, a recurring character and friend that Rory met at Yale during the last season of the show.
Jon Hamm
Episode: “Eight O’Clock at the Oasis” (Season 3, Episode 5)
Before Mad Men, Jon Hamm kicked off her career playing Peyton Sanders, a man that Lorelai met at an auction and went on a bad date with during season three of Gilmore Girls.
Melora Hardin
Episode: “Partings” (Season 6, Episode 22)
Before she played Jan Levinson on The Office or Trudy Monk on Monk, Melora Hardin guest starred on Gilmore Girls as Carolyn Bates, a woman who Richard and Emily try to set Christopher up with.
Seth MacFarlane
Episodes: “Lorelai’s Graduation Day” (Season 2, Episode 21) and “I Solemnly Swear” (Season 3, Episode 11)
Seth MacFarlane, the creator of Family Guy and co-creator of American Dad! and The Cleveland Show made two different “appearances” on Gilmore Girls over the years. In season two MacFarlane guest starred as one of Lorelai’s fellow graduates from Hartford Business College, while in season three the season three he voiced a lawyer that Lorelai speaks to on the phone.
Mädchen Amick
Episodes: “It Should’ve Been Lorelai” (Season 2, Episode 14), “Take the Deviled Eggs… ” (Season 3, Episode 6), and “Dear Emily and Richard” (Season 3, Episode 13)
Actress Mädchen Amick played Shelly Johnson from Twin Peaks and Betty’s mom on Riverdale, but she also played Sherry Tinsdale, Christopher’s ex-fiancé and Gigi’s mom — on Gilmore Girls.
Adam Brody
Episodes: “Application Anxiety: (Season 3, Episode 3), “One’s Got Class and the Other One Dyes” (Season 3, Episode 4), “They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?” (Season 3, Episode 7), “A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving” (Season 3, Episode 9), “Lorelai Out Of Water” (Season 3, Episode 12), “Swan Song” (Season 3, Episode 14), “Face-Off” (Season 3, Episode 15), “Keg! Max!” (Season 3, Episode 19), and “Say Goodnight, Gracie” (Season 3, Episode 20)
The OC star Adam Brody appeared in nine different episodes of Gilmore Girls during season three, where he played Lane’s bandmate and boyfriend, Dave Rygalski.
Nasim Pedrad
Episode: “Bridesmaids Revisited” (Season 6, Episode 16)
Before Nasim Pedrad joined the cast of Saturday Night Live, she made one of her first TV appearances as a waitress at a bar near Yale in season six.
Max Greenfield
Episode: “Chicken or Beef?” (Season 4, Episode 4)
Before Max Greenfield starred as Schmidt on New Girl, he made an appearance on season four of Gilmore Girls as Lucas, who was one of Dean’s drunk friends that showed up at Luke’s Diner.
Carole King
Episodes: “Help Wanted” (Season 2, Episode 20), “To Live and Let Diorama” (Season 5, Episode 18), and “He’s Slippin’ ‘Em Bread… Dig?” (Season 6, Episode 10)
Aside from her song “Where You Lead” being the Gilmore Girls theme song (You knew that, right?), Carole King also made recurring guest appearances as Sophie Bloom, who owned a music store in Stars Hollow.
Leslie Odom Jr.
Episode: “Bridesmaids Revisited” (Season 6, Episode 16)
Leslie Odom Jr. stopped by season four of Gilmore Girls as a Princeton student speaking at the Young Voices of Journalism panel at Yale.
Victoria Justice
Episode: “The Hobbit, the Sofa, and Digger Stiles” (Season 4, Episode 3)
Victoria Justice’s very first TV appearance — long before she landed the role of Lola Martinez on Zoey 101 and starred as Tori Vega on Victorious with Ariana Grande — was on season four of Gilmore Girls when she made an appearance as Jill #2, a guest at the kid’s party Lorelai and Sookie catered.
Chad Michael Murray
Episode: “The Lorelais’ First Day at Chilton” (Season 1, Episode 2), “The Deer Hunters” (Season 1, Episode 4), “Rory’s Birthday Parties” (Season 1, Episode 6), “Rory’s Dance” (Season 1, Episode 9), “Paris is Burning” (Season 1, Episode 11), “Concert Interruptus” (Season 1, Episode 13), “Star-Crossed Lovers and Other Strangers” (Season 1, Episode 16), “The Breakup, Part 2” (Season 1, Episode 17), “The Third Lorelai” (Season 1, Episode 18), “Love, Daisies and Troubadours” (Season 1, Episode 21), and “Run Away, Little Boy” (Season 2, Episode 9)
Chad Michael Murray’s first recurring TV role was on Gilmore Girls as Tristin Dugray, a character who appeared on eleven different episodes throughout season one and two.
Abigail Spencer
Episode: “Bridesmaids Revisited” (Season 6, Episode 16)
On season six Abigail Spencer appeared on the “Bridesmaids Revisited” episode as Megan, one of Logan’s sister’s bridesmaids.
Danny Pudi
Episodes: “Friday Night’s Alright for Fighting” (Season 6, Episode 13), “You’ve Been Gilmored” (Season 6, Episode 14), “Go, Bulldogs!” (Season 7, Episode 6), and “French Twist” (Season 7, Episode 7)
Danny Pudi, who played Danny Pudi on Community, appeared on four different episodes of Gilmore Girls as Raj — a fellow writer for the Yale Daily News.
Brandon Routh
Episode: “Concert Interruptus” (Season 1, Episode 13)
Before he was Clark Kent/Superman in Superman Returns, one of Brandon Routh’s earliest acting roles was in an episode of Gilmore Girls during season one as Jess, a guy at the Bangles concert who parties with Madeline and Louise.
Masi Oka
Episode: “The Road Trip to Harvard” (Season 2, Episode 4)
Before his breakout role on Heroes, Masi Oka appeared as a philosophy student in the Harvard class Rory attends while visiting in Season 2 of Gilmore Girls.
Alex Borstein
Episodes (as Drella): “Pilot” (Season 1, Episode 1), “The Lorelais’ First Day at Chilton” (Season 1, Episode 2), “Kill Me Now” (Season 1, Episode 3), and “The Deer Hunters” (Season 1, Episode 4)
Episodes (as Miss Celine): “Here Comes the Son” (Season 3, Episode 21), and “Come Home” (Season 5, Episode 12)
And, last but certainly not least we have MADtv’s Alex Borstein, who appeared as Drella during season one of Gilmore Girls. Borstein would later return to play Miss Celine in season 3 and 5 of the beloved series.
Over the years Gilmore Girls has become synonymous with quintessential fall pastimes, like drinking a pumpkin spice latte and layering up your outfits with oversized scarves. If you’re re-watching the lives of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore this fall season be sure to follow along with our recaps for every season and episode right here.
