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Where they lead… we will follow! To mark 15 years since the “Gilmore Girls” finale aired on May 15, 2022, Wonderwall.com is taking a look back at all the actors and actresses we forgot appeared on the hit series… starting with this aughts hunk. Before we came to know and love him as the geeky (but super endearing) Seth Cohen on “The O.C.,” Adam Brody popped up on the third season of “Gilmore Girls” as Dave Rygalski — Lane Kim’s (Keiko Agena) first boyfriend who tries desperately to gain Mrs. Kim’s (Emily Kuroda) approval. Adam’s character eventually left for college — an absence that was a result of him landing a starring role on “The O.C.”
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Unpopular opinion? Tristan could’ve made a great boyfriend for Rory! In 2000, back when Chad Michael Murray was but an unknown actor, he landed the role of Tristan Dugray— Rory’s Chilton classmate who (initially) takes great pleasure in making her school life miserable. Of course, we come to realize that Tristan actually had major feelings for Rory but was forced to attend a military academy after his parents caught wind of his bad behavior. Similar to our boy Adam Brody, Chad left for a starring role on an up-and-coming teen drama series: “One Tree Hill.”
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You might recognize her from “Breaking Bad,” “Jessica Jones” or “Don’t Trust the B**** in Apartment 23,” but Krysten Ritter also appeared on hit teen television shows of the aughts! Prior to popping up on the seventh season of “Gilmore Girls” as Rory’s Yale classmate Lucy, who finds out that boyfriend Marty (Wayne Wilcox) kept his former friendship — and major crush on — Rory a secret, Krysten appeared on eight episodes of “Veronica Mars.”
RELATED: 2000s crushes: See them then and now
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You didn’t think Carole King only lent her voice to the theme song, did you? The four-time Grammy winner had a recurring role during the second season as Sophie Bloom, the Stars Hollow record store owner. (She also appeared on Netflix’s 2016 reboot “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.”)
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Ever wonder what Academy Award-winning “Bohemian Rhapsody” actor Rami Malek’s first credited acting role was? He was a member of Lane Kim’s Bible study group in a season 4 episode of “Gilmore Girls.” Blink and you missed him!
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On the first season, Alex Borstein showed off her comedic prowess as Drella, the opinionated harpist at Lorelai’s Independence Inn. She also portrayed Miss Celine, Emily’s strange stylist on season three. More than a decade later, Alex found success — and won two Emmys — on another lauded Amy Sherman-Palladino series, “The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel,” which debuted in 2017.
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While he’s best known as Don Draper from AMC’s “Mad Men,” Emmy winner Jon Hamm portrayed Peyton Sanders, one of Lorelai’s potential boyfriends in season 3. In hopes of making a good impression, Peyton offers the Dragonfly Inn owner tickets to see David Bowie — but Lorelai doesn’t reciprocate his interest.
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Remember this face? Jane Lynch popped up on an episode of Amy Sherman-Palladino’s hit series “Gilmore Girls” in its inaugural season. The actress — who later earned an Emmy Award for her performance as Sue Sylvester on “Glee” — played a nurse working at the hospital where Richard ends up after he suddenly collapses during Friday night dinner.
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Prior to bringing talented teen Tori Vega to life on Nickelodeon’s “Victorious,” Victoria Justice landed her first on-screen acting credit when she portrayed a little girl at Lorelai and Sookie’s “Lord of the Rings”-themed party in a season 4 episode. Victoria’s character, Jill, was less than impressed with Sookie’s food, even comparing it to diapers at one point. Yikes!
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Tony Award-winning “Hamilton” actor Leslie Odom Jr. had a small role as Daily Princetonian editor Quentin Walsh — otherwise known as the “pompous Princeton guy” with whom Rory gets into a heated debate during Yale’s Young Voices of Journalism panel — on a season 6 episode.
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During “Family Guy” but before “American Dad!” and “The Orville,” Seth MacFarlane made a stopover in Stars Hollow during the fourth season of “Gilmore Girls.” He took on the small but memorable role of Zach, one of Lorelai’s graduating classmates at business school who, after finding out that Emily and Richard are her parents, rags on her for supposedly being rich and privileged.
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Although he’ll always be Schmidt to us (“New Girl,” anyone?), Max Greenfield played Lucas, one of Dean Forester’s (Jared Padalecki) friends who attend his bachelor party on the fourth season. Following this brief appearance, Max went on to score a recurring role on another popular teen series: “Veronica Mars.”
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Honestly? Justice for Lindsay. In 2003, Arielle Kebbel landed a recurring role as Lindsay Forester (formerly Lister), Dean’s girlfriend-turned-wife who — with total reason — grows to greatly detest Rory. Arielle, who also appeared in 2006’s “John Tucker Must Die,” later found greater fame for her portrayal of vampire Lexi Branson on “The Vampire Diaries.”
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Did we care for Sherry Tinsdale? No, but we did love the actress who portrayed her. “Twin Peaks” and “Riverdale” star Mädchen Amick played Christopher’s fiancée who, after giving birth to their daughter, Gigi, runs away to Paris, ends her engagement to Christopher and leaves him to raise the baby.
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Melora Hardin, who is perhaps best known for her performances on “The Office” and “The Bold Type,” appeared in a season six episode as Carolyn Bates, an old friend of the Gilmore family whom Emily attempts to set up with Christopher.
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“Twin Peaks” darling Sherilyn Fenn nabbed a recurring role as Anna Nardini, the woman with whom Luke Danes (Scott Patterson) shares daughter April. (She’s first introduced in season 6.) Sherilyn also previously portrayed Sasha, the girlfriend of Jess Mariano’s (Milo Ventimiglia) estranged dad, in a season 3 episode.
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Before he starred on “Parks & Recreation,” Nick Offerman played Beau Belleville — Jackson’s (Jackson Douglas) older brother — who makes his first appearance in a season 4 episode.
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Sure, he’s best known for his hilarious portrayal of Abed Nadir on “Community,” but there once was a time when Danny Pudi played Raj, a writer at the Yale Daily News, for four episodes on season 7 of “Gilmore Girls.”
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Believe it or not, Billy Burke — who most notably portrayed Charlie Swan, Bella’s father in “The Twilight Saga” — played Alex Lesman, Lorelai’s short-lived fishing aficionado love interest in season 3.
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In 2001, Bryce Johnson — who went on to land a much more significant role on “Pretty Little Liars” — appeared on a single episode of “Gilmore Girls” as Paul, the younger man with whom Lorelai goes on a date.
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