Gilmore Girl's Life - Hangin' With - Rory Gilmore, Alexis Bledel - Brief Article

Girls' Life, August-Sept, 2002 by Jodi Lynn Bryson

How cool is Rory Gilmore? The teenage half of the best duo on TV is so righteous that girls try to be like her, and 18-year-old actress Alexis Bledel couldn't be more proud. Mothers write letters to WB saying their once TV-glued daughters have traded their remotes for paperbacks--100 percent because of Rory's endless appetite for reading. "Rory is her own person, and I'm glad she's out there for girls to emulate," says Alexis. "She's an intelligent character whose goals aren't like those of other people her age." Specifically, Rory isn't cheesy. No wonder, because neither is the soft-spoken, modest Alexis. In fact, she is so pleased to be providing a big-brained role model that she volunteers for First Book, a national children's literacy program for underprivileged kids. Her good deeds are tucked between making her first feature film, Disney's Tuck Everlasting, based on the best-selling book, and shooting the third season of the happily addictive Gilmore Girls. Here's her take on real life....

Life Lesson #1

WHEN YOU'RE SO BORED YOU CAN HEAR YOUR HAIR GROW...

Rory says; Read heavy feminist prose about crazy women. "Rory lives in a really small town, so she picks up a book when she's bored. The creator of the show decides what Rory reads, mostly books by Sylvia Plath or Virginia Woolf--books with a feminist feeling."

Alexis says: Go hiking, and then go shopping at Target! "I listen to music when I'm bored. Or I go hiking, usually with a friend. Being outside makes me feel good. And I love Target! How can anyone not love Target? When I'm bored, I go to Target. When I'm upset, I go to Target. I don't know what it is about Target. If you need something, it turns into 10 things."

Life Lesson #2

WHEN YOU'RE BLUE ABOUT A BOY...

Rory says: Go into denial, kiss another guy, and eat ice cream with Mom. "When Dean told Rory he loved her, she didn't say anything so they had a misunderstanding. Then, Tristan complicates things more by kissing her at a party. Rory gets buckets of chocolate ice cream, wallows, let's her mom comfort her, cries. She lets herself feel bad about the whole thing."

Alexis says: Fahgedaboudit. "When things are not great with a guy, I talk to a friend and try to get it off my chest, forget about what's going on. Lots of times, you really can't do anything about it. So you have to try to keep yourself busy, which is hard to do, but it's all you can do."

Life Lesson #3

WHEN YOUR MOM MAKES YOU BONKERS...

Rory says: Buy a cup of coffee, and then try to take over. "When Rory thinks Lorelei is wrong about something, that's generally when Lorelei drives her insane so she tries to take matters into her own hands. The show is kind of 'daughter knows best,' but Rory doesn't always. Lorelei is smart, makes good decisions and takes good care of Rory. Rory is just an older soul than Lorelei--she's so mature for her age. Since Rory is so intelligent, she thinks she can handle things, but she can't always because she's still young. Lorelei and Rory always end up being mother-and-daughter again at the end because Lore reins her in."

Alexis says: Let your mom be a mom. "What to do when your mother is making you crazy? I say...take a break, and get some space! But I can't think of a time when my mom made me bonkers. My mom has always given me my space to do my thing. There was a point when I was 13 and didn't really appreciate anyone's input, but I got over that. My mom's advice is priceless to me now."

Life Lesson #4

WHEN YOU'RE IN A HORRIBLE FIGHT WITH YOUR BEST FRIEND...

Rory says: Talk, and then go to Luke's for some pancakes and bacon. "Lane and Rory don't really fight. They just talk. They just try to understand each other. Because you know what? Who wants to be in a fight? That sucks."

Alexis says: Be fair and, when all else fails, go to Target! "I don't think I've ever had a real 'fight' with my best friend. We just try to make things as fair as possible by taking turns making decisions. If your friend loves doing something you don't like, isn't doing it for them what makes it part of the fun? But I'm lucky. My best friend and I both really like going to Target. If we need razors and microwaveable popcorn, we also end up 'needing' potted plants and a new Slip 'n' Slide."

Life Lesson #5

WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE YOU DON'T FIT IN...

Rory says: Feel righteously proud that you can think for yourself. "Rory always remembers that being herself is the best way to be. She'd like other girls to think more for themselves. I believe girls do think for themselves, but they're not given credit very often. It's like this: Whatever your decisions are--whether joining something or staying out--as long as you're being true to yourself, then it doesn't matter who you 'fit in' with."

Alexis says: Turn off the TV, and pick up a newspaper. "I wish there were more examples for girls to pick from when they're looking at what they want to be like. You have your Christina Aguileras and your Britneys--and not that I'm saying there's anything wrong with them--but it seems like that's all there is. There's all this emphasis on actors and entertainers, and there's so much more we could all be paying attention to. There are teens volunteering, inventing things, making a difference. Plenty of people do things that are so much more redeeming than what I do, which is pretend to be someone else on a daily basis for entertainment value. Television and movies are a distraction and release for people, which I think is healthy, but there are so many girls out there who are so much more important than entertainers."