Summary
- Scott Patterson and Lauren Graham had a great working relationship on Gilmore Girls despite rumors of a feud. The chemistry between them was natural and contributed to the popularity of their characters.
- Despite their on-screen romance, Patterson and Graham never dated in real life. They chose to keep things professional throughout the show's seven seasons, despite having a spark of attraction.
- While rumors of a feud have been debunked, the absence of Lauren Graham from Scott Patterson's podcast has sparked speculation. However, Patterson has stated that they are waiting for the right time to reunite on the show, suggesting plans for a future collaboration.
Scott Patterson and Lauren Graham were two major stars on Gilmore Girls, and questions have swirled regarding their real-life relationship away from the show. Debuting in 2000, Gilmore Girls follows the titular mother-and-daughter duo of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore as they navigate life in the picturesque town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut. Beloved for its cozy vibes and comforting low-stakes storytelling, Gilmore Girls touched all the bases of a coming-of-age dramedy that captured the zeitgeist of the early aughts to perfection. The series ran for seven seasons during its original stint on the air and its popularity led to a 2016 Netflix reboot miniseries, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.
From the outset, the will-they, won't-they relationship between Luke Danes (Scott Patterson) and Lorelai (Lauren Graham) was one of the show's most fascinating storylines. Their opposing personalities complemented each other beautifully, with Luke as the gruff, introverted diner owner who kept the bubbly, coffee-obsessed Lorelai caffeinated, but the couple had their ups and downs. Luke and Lorelai's Gilmore Girls relationship timeline spanned the entire series, and the overwhelming popularity of the couple was accentuated by the natural chemistry between Scott Patterson and Lauren Graham. That chemistry eventually led to speculation about the actors' real-life relationship, and rumors abounded about feuds and friendships.
Scott Patterson And Lauren Graham Had A Great Working Relationship On Gilmore Girls (& Deny A Feud)
Shows like Gilmore Girls develop a dedicated fanbase, and that fanbase can apply the situations and drama of the series to the lives of the real-life actors. Even while the show was still airing, rumors swirled about the professional relationship between Scott Patterson and Lauren Graham on the set. The speculation involved them being unable to work with one another, and one rumor even insinuated that their bad blood affected the events of Gilmore Girls season 7. The controversial decision to rekindle Lorelai and Christopher's (David Sutcliffe) relationship was thought to be a result of the feud between Patterson and Graham, though there was little evidence to substantiate the claim.
According to Hello! , the heart of the feud rumor came about during the early days of the series when Lauren Graham was asked in an interview if she and Patterson were "best friends". Graham responded with a somewhat short "No," which seemed to speak to the fact that the two weren't friends at all, and didn't like one another. That rumor would continue throughout Gilmore Girls' run until Graham herself clarified the situation by calling the entire feud debacle "overblown". She also went on to mention that they had a "working relationship" which implied that they were both professionals, and she praised his work and their undeniable chemistry.
For his part, Scott Patterson has had nothing but praise for Lauren Graham, and though he hasn't addressed the rumor, he hasn't been perpetuating it either. Patterson's podcast I Am All In with Scott Patterson has been his platform to discuss Gilmore Girls and even interview its former stars, and he has had nothing but positive things to say about his former romantic co-star. In fact, the two had reason to bond with one another on the Gilmore Girls set, as according to The New York Times, both actors quit smoking in order to handle the series' trademark rapid-fire dialogue. That same dialogue accentuated Scott Patterson and Lauren Graham's chemistry.
Scott Patterson And Lauren Graham Never Dated Despite Their Gilmore Girls Chemistry
Besides the rumors about their feud, the biggest speculation surrounding Scott Patterson and Lauren Graham outside of Gilmore Girls was that they actually dated in real life. Despite Lorelai and Luke's romantic Gilmore Girls moments, the pair was never an item outside the imaginations of overeager fans, and kept things professional throughout the show's seven seasons. In the same Hello! article, Patterson thought back to the early days of the show's production and mentioned that "chemistry was there" between himself and Graham. He went on to say that he wanted to "keep this professional" which seemed to point to the fact that he might have had a crush.
Patterson also mentioned that he was in a relationship at the time, which was one of the reasons he chose not to act upon their immediate spark. In a way, the real-life chemistry between Scott Patterson and Lauren Graham reflected what the characters themselves went through on the show, and it only served to make Gilmore Girls a better program. Luke and Lorelai obviously had feelings for one another from the pilot episode, and because there was an element of realness to the equation, it played out on screen as well. Even if the series deviated into different love affairs for the characters, they always had each other.
The creators of the series also understood the importance of chemistry, as Luke's role was actually beefed up because of the spark between Patterson and Graham. According to Gilmore Girls' best characters because of his gruff-but-loveable personality, but his tantalizing relationship with Lorelai put him over the top.
Scott Patterson Hasn't Had Lauren Graham On His Podcast Because He's Waiting For The Right Time
Though the rumors of a feud were effectively squashed by the comments from Scott Patterson and Lauren Graham over the years, one sticking point still persists that seems to insinuate that a beef simmers between the two. Patterson has hosted his I Am All In with Scott Patterson podcast since 2021, and the show centers around Gilmore Girls as the actor watches the classic episodes and recalls his own personal memories of working on the series. Across its over 260 episodes, Patterson has had various guests on the program from Gilmore Girls, and it has helped to make his podcast one of the best television rewatch podcasts around.
However, Lauren Graham's conspicuous absence from the guest list has re-sparked old feud rumors, despite all the good things said on both sides. In a recent interview with 7 News, Patterson offered a very simple explanation for the lack of Lauren Graham on the podcast by saying that they are waiting for the perfect time to reunite for the show. That seems to suggest that plans are in the works for the two to do a show together, which would most likely squash the fight rumors once and for all.
In of negative on-set experience, Patterson has revealed that he was made to feel like a "meat stick" in Gilmore Girls season 3, episode 19 "Keg! Max!", in which he was ogled by Sookie (Melissa McCarthy) and Lorelai who made comments about his body (via Huffington Post). Though Patterson is clearly happy with the show's legacy, the scene proves that aspects of Gilmore Girls have aged poorly in retrospect. It was a brave decision for Patterson to come forward with his feelings, though he has been sure to clarify that it was the script and not the actors who were responsible, and it didn't affect his relationship with Graham.
