Melissa McCarthy Wasn't Supposed To Be Sookie And 10 Other Shocking Facts About The "Gilmore Girls" Pilot

    We all know Jess was the best boyfriend...

    Jordan Stothers
    by Jordan Stothers

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Summer is OVER which means autumn, AKA Gilmore Girls season, is finally here. Time to pour a (massive) cup of coffee, pull on your Yale sweater, and revisit the Stars Hollow gazebo.

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    And did I mention have a cup of coffee?

    BUT! Did you know Stars Hollow, and the townspeople we know and love, originally looked a whole lot different???

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    Gilmore Girls filmed not one but TWO pilots. The OG pilot never aired, due to last minute casting changes and reshoots. Here are 11 things you didn't know about the Gilmore Girls pilot!

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    Would the real Stars Hollow please stand up?

    1. Luke sort-of almost didn't exist...

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    The original script had a sarcastic, grumpy woman named Daisy pouring Lorelai and Rory's morning/afternoon/evening coffee. According to creator Amy Sherman-Palladino, the higher-ups wanted another male character. Amy swapped the name Daisy for Luke, but didn't bother to change the dialogue. And BAM— the greatest chemistry TV has ever known was born.

    2. There was a time when Ryan Gosling wasn't ken-ough for the Gilmore Girl world.

    Man holding puppy
    J. Vespa / Via Getty Images

    The Canadian Sweetheart was brought in to read for a small part in Gilmore Girls but - SHOCKER - he left casting directors feeling underwhelmed!!

    3. Nepo baby alert! Chris Pine's Dad helped snag him his first professional audition, which was for Gilmore Girls.

    Two men smiling at camera
    Astrid Stawiarz / Getty Images / Via gettyimages.ca

    Chris Pine revealed that his first, grown up acting audition was for Gilmore Girls. While he didn't remember the actual part, he joked "I got my start playing boyfriends." Personally, I would have LOVED to see him playing Chad Michael Murray's Tristan. Can't resist a bad boy with a heart of gold.

    4. Dean, Boyfriend #1 (but not the #1 Boyfriend— that spot is reserved for Jess, thank you very much), was played by Nathan Wetherington and NOT Jared Padalecki in the unaired pilot.

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    Warner Brothers / Via youtube.com

    After filming the pilot, Nathan received a letter from Warner Brothers congratulating him on the role, and that the show was picked up. The very next day, Nathan got a "sorry, you're being recast" letter. Ouch.

    5. On the topic of casting, Melissa McCarthy almost didn't get her big break as Sookie St. James. Alex Borstein was first cast as the klutzy chef, but her contract with MadTV prohibited her from accepting the role.

    Warner Brothers / Via youtube.com, Warner Brothers / Via youtube.com

    Don't feel too bad for Alex— she came back as the harpist Drella, and Emily Gilmore's personal stylist Miss Celine. Plus, that would mean Melissa McCarthy would never have pooped in a sink at a fancy bridal shop in Bridesmaids!!!!

    6. Thanks to a failed audition, Paris Geller came into our lives.

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    Liza Weil originally auditioned for Rory (it is SO weird to imagine that). Obvs she lost out to Alexis Bledel. After Liza's audition, creator Amy Sherman-Palladino called her to say if the pilot got picked up, she wanted to write an arc specifically for her.  

    You know what they say, 'When life gives you lemons, go to Paris.' Wait, that's not the saying?!

    7. While the Gilmore Girls we know and loved was filmed in sunny California, the unaired pilot was actually shot in Unionville, Ontario— a district within the city of Markham, a short drive from Toronto.

    Sherman-Palladino, Amy. / Via visitmarkham.ca, City of Markham / Via visitmarkham.ca

    Sooooo does this make Rory Gilmore a Canadian??

    8. After Dean was recast with the then unknown Jared Padalecki, reshoots took place at Warner Brother's studio lot. But you can see sprinkles of the OG Canadian Stars Hollow in the actual aired pilot.

    Sherman-Palladino, Amy. / Via visitmarkham.ca, City of Markham / Via visitmarkham.ca

    9. If you're a Gilmore Girls superfan, you can take a self guided walking tour through the "original" Stars Hollow from the pilot.

    Sherman-Palladino, Amy. / Via visitmarkham.ca, City of Markham / Via visitmarkham.ca

    You and your besties can each dress up as your favourite character (dibs on Emily Gilmore), and spend the day pretending you're actually in Stars Hollow. There's even a gazebo!

    10. The original Luke’s Diner in the unaired pilot is now a spa.

    City of Markham / Via visitmarkham.ca, Gilmore Girls Fandom / Via gilmoregirls.fandom.com

    The Canadian version of Luke's Diner from the unaired pilot did make it into the actual pilot. But Luke's Diner completely changes for the rest of the series.

    11. Get in loser, we're going to the Gilmore's! While the original Stars Hollow was filmed in Unionville, the iconic Gilmore house was actually in Toronto.

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    ScreenIt / Via sceen-it.com

    Production filmed exterior shots of Richard and Emily Gilmore's home at a Toronto mansion for both the unaired and aired pilot. But after that, the facade completely changes to a white brick with fake trees, and you never see the Toronto home again. Gone, but not forgotten.

    There ya have it folks, the Gilmore Girls that almost was. I don't know about you, but I truly can't imagine a world where Sookie isn't played by Melissa, or where Luke is a lady!

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    And - just so we're all on the same page here - you totally agree that Jess is undoubtably the BEST boyfriend, right? Right?! Tell us your favourite Gilmore Girls moments in the comments below!

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