Kelly Bishop Is Emily Gilmore IRL, According To Lauren Graham

Who is Emily Gilmore in real life?

While promoting her new book Have I Told You This Already?, Lauren Graham gushes about actress Kelly Bishop (who you might also recognize from projects like Dirty Dancing, Bunheads, and even The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel). Lauren says she's "so disciplined and so prepared and never, ever complains."

"Once in a while if we were working until, like, two in the morning or something, she'd get a little glimmer in her eye and she'd be like, 'Do you want to split a bag of Cheetos?'" Lauren jokes. Stars Hollow feels like our home every time we do a Gilmore Girls rewatch, so it only makes sense that the cast of Gilmore Girls would feel that kind of camaraderie and family environment on set.

"I'd tell her some story of some date I had [and] she'd be like, 'He sounds awful! Drop him,'" Lauren says. "She's always telling me how young I am, which is so fun, and she's like, 'Oh you have so much time,' and she's just lived this wonderful life and just loves me, and is so kind to me."

How is Emily Gilmore described?

Similar to Emily Gilmore, Kelly Bishop has a fiery spirit I just love to see, but she also has a heart of gold. From Gilmore Girls season 1 all the way to Gilmore Girls season 7 and A Year In The Life, Emily's love for Lorelai and Rory, as well as her husband Richard, unfolds in a really beautiful way. And behind the scenes, Lauren Graham says Kelly Bishop's the kind of mentor and mother figure we could all use sometimes.

"She doesn't have biological children and she always says, 'I'm your TV mom,'" Lauren continues. "[When we text], she signs TVM and I'm TVD, and we've just been really special people for each other."

Did Emily Gilmore go to Yale?

Emily Gilmore went to Smith College, which is located in Northampton, Massachusetts, and majored in History.

Do Richard and Emily Gilmore divorce?

No, Richard and Emily Gilmore don't get divorced in Gilmore Girls. While they do separate for a bit, they come back together and end up renewing their vows.

What happened to Emily Gilmore?

In A Year In The Life, Richard Gilmore has passed away (due to the real-life passing of actor Edward Herrmann), and Emily Gilmore is learning what life looks like without him. While this is especially heartbreaking (considering in season 1, Emily tells Richard he's not allowed to go first. Pain!!), Emily does learn about friendship and independence in a new way — and she always has Lorelai and Rory, of course.