More than two decades after Gilmore Girls first aired, Milo Ventimiglia is still fielding opinions about his character, Jess Mariano. Only now, they’re coming from a new audience.
Thanks to streaming (and, in many cases, their parents’ recommendation), Gen Z has adopted the beloved early-2000s series as comfort viewing. Ventimiglia’s brooding book lover with a soft spot for Rory Gilmore has become, once again, a cultural touchstone.
Ventimiglia is both amused and impressed by the show’s longevity.
“I think it’s rad,” he tells Yahoo. “First of all, it shows the talent of Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino in writing an evergreen show. … It’s still current and topical for today.”
He sees the enduring appeal not in the love triangles or witty banter, but in the quieter themes that still resonate.
“For any of the smash-and-grab, headline-grabbing, salacious television or films out there that are blatantly trying to get attention through poor behavior — Gilmore was a bit of a wholesome show,” he says. “It had its glory, had its struggles, but the messaging behind it about the connection between a mother and a daughter is important. The messaging behind, ‘Hey, strive to do something with your life,’ like higher education.”
The nostalgia can be surreal at times. Fans regularly ask him to recite lines from memory — including Jess’s famous quip about Rory dropping out of Yale — something he admits is easier said than done after all this time.
“They’re like, ‘You said it 24 years ago,’” he laughs. “I’m like, ‘You say something from 24 years ago that you said’ — and they can’t do it.”
Still, he embraces the renewed love for the show and what it represents.
“That idea of a young woman being educated, reading, being treated well, being treated with respect — I think those are things that are great to put in the world,” Ventimiglia continues. “And the quirkiness of the show — the Kirks of the town, everybody in the town is just their own character.”
Ultimately, “I think it’s wonderful that it’s still around and people — Gen Z-ers — are embracing it the way they do,” Ventimiglia says. He pauses, then adds with a smile, “And I’m sorry I don’t look like I used to. But I was 24 then, and I’m 48 now.”
While Gilmore Girls may define a certain chapter of Ventimiglia’s career, his latest role reflects where he is now: older, and more reflective.
In I Can Only Imagine 2, in theaters on Feb. 20, Ventimiglia plays real-life Christian musician Tim Timmons, who joins MercyMe frontman Bart Millard (John Michael Finley) on tour during a complicated period in Millard’s life. As Bart grapples with fame, family tensions and unresolved pain, Tim’s presence — and his own private struggles — push him toward healing.
For Ventimiglia, the appeal was immediate if not a little daunting.
The role required intensive prep, including vocal coaching and relearning guitar with direct help from the real Timmons himself.
“I had the real Timmons sending me videos of how to play his music, and he was wonderful,” Ventimiglia says.
“I think the only time in my history of being in front of the camera in 30 years — this is the third real human being that I played, and the other two were deceased,” he says. “So it was nice to be like, ‘Hey Tim, I got a question.’”
At its core, the film isn’t just about music or fame, but about male friendship and emotional vulnerability. Ventimiglia believes audiences are increasingly ready for that openness.
“I think that’s where we are these days,” he says. “I think we always relied on the strength of other men when we were having our tough moments. But now, thank goodness, we’re in a moment where we’re able to openly talk about the struggles and openly talk about things that are impacting us.”
The film also wrestles with a question that feels especially relevant for someone who has experienced the cyclical highs of a decades-long career: What happens after you achieve the dream? When I ask if that’s something he’s grappled with, Ventimiglia says, “Very much so.”
Ventimiglia relearned how to play the guitar to portray as Tim Timmons in I Can Only Imagine 2.
(Jake Giles Netter/Lionsgate)
“Even my wife — she tells me, ‘How much is enough for you?’ And I’ve had to stop and think, What do I really need? Roof over my head, clothes on my back, safety for my family, things like that,” he replies.
Like many actors, the former This Is Us star admits the pursuit of creative growth rarely stops, even after major success.
“I think we as artists are constantly trying to evolve and grow and put something new into the world that will inspire people,” he says. “I’ve had plenty of moments where the business of Hollywood upsets the apple cart and takes the joy away from the creative of Hollywood. But here I am. So I’m still duking it out, doing what I can.”
What keeps him going, he says, is simple: “I enjoy it too much.”
