‘Gilmore Girls’: How Old Was Alexis Bledel When She Played Rory Gilmore?

Gilmore Girls is one of the most iconic TV shows of the early 2000s, a series that defined the decade for a generation of young viewers. Not only did the charming small-town atmosphere and cozy vibes help to make the show a success, but the passionate performances of the actors worked to cement Gilmore Girls as a television staple. Alexis Bledel is the young performer who brought Rory Gilmore to life. Although she was just a teenager when she was cast in the role, Bledel made the character her own – ultimately acting in Gilmore Girls throughout the entire series run.

Alexis Bledel made her screen debut as Rory Gilmore

Alexis Bledel was born in Houston, Texas, in 1981. Raised in a working-class household, Bledel got involved in community theater in an attempt to overcome her natural shyness. She adapted quickly to acting and began performing in local stage productions. According to IMDb, Bledel was scouted as a fashion model before being discovered by a talent agent. In 2000, Bledel was cast as Rory Gilmore in Gilmore Girls. The role was not only Bledel’s first leading part in a TV project, but it would also serve as her big breakout role. While producers might have taken a gamble casting an unknown actor in a big television role, their choice paid off. Bledel adapted naturally to being in front of the camera. 

Her easy charm onscreen could be due in some small part to the connection she shared with her character, Rory. Bledel, who was 19 at the time of her casting in Gilmore Girls, was similar in age to her character. As depicted in the first episode of Gilmore Girls, Rory is a hardworking high school student with big dreams of attending Harvard.

How old was Alexis Bledel when ‘Gilmore Girls’ went off the air?

The complicated relationship between Rory, played by Alexis Bledel, and her mother Lorelai, played by Lauren Graham, was at the heart of Gilmore Girls, according to IMDb. Lorelai struggles to raise her daughter on her own, and while the intellectual Rory doesn’t always get along with her young mom, the two clearly have a very loving dynamic. Over the years, viewers watched as Rory worked to achieve her dreams of college success, eventually graduating high school and getting accepted to Yale University.

When Gilmore Girls went off the air in 2007, it was one of the most popular shows on television. Bledel, who was 25 years old when the show went off the air, had become a big star, appearing in feature films and other television projects. Ultimately, the cast would reunite once more when a revival miniseries titled Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life premiered on Netflix in 2016 and then on The CW in late 2020. 

Bledel is still a force in acting today

In the years since Gilmore Girls debuted, Alexis Bledel has become a famous star. She has appeared in movies like Tuck Everlasting, Sin City, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and Jenny’s Wedding. Most recently, she appeared in a leading role in the hit Hulu series The Handmaid’s Tale. Now in her 40s, Bledel is still going strong, choosing interesting parts that showcase her dynamic range of abilities.

Still, to many fans all around the world, Bledel will forever be best known as Rory Gilmore, the sweet, determined young girl with big dreams of becoming a professional journalist and who values her tight relationship with her funny, acerbic mother.