We Chatted With ‘Gilmore Girls’ Star John Cabrera About The Upcoming Revival & Rory’s Soul Mate
As one of the biggest Gilmore Girls fan you may ever encounter, speaking to someone from the cast was daunting to say the least. John Cabrera played Brian on the show, a vital component to the program’s band Hep Alien, as we discussed plans for the revival and I attempted to squeeze out of him some on-set goss.
It’s exhilarating times for Gilmore Girls fans, with the Netflix revival of Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life already filmed and into post-production with creators Amy Sherman-Palladino and husband Dan Palladino. So in anticipation for the shows return to our TV screens, I chatted with cast member, actor, writer and director John Cabrera, to ask him what his initial reaction was to hearing that the shows revival was actually happening.
“I don’t know if fans realise but [even with] the actors – well not just the actors but the crew and creators, there were a lot of people who made that show that are coming back for the revival – a lot of us heard about the same time as you guys.
“We had just met and converged for the ATX Television Festival, and at that festival Amy [Sherman-Palladino] basically let everybody know that there was nothing in the works,” Cabrera said.
2015 ATX Television Festival, Bustle
“But then, only a few months later suddenly there was talk in the trades that something was in the works and as soon as we heard that, everyone was thrilled. I was thrilled at the idea that I could come back and reprise that role and hang out with all my friends again; many people I hadn’t seen in 10 years.”
The ATX Television Festival held last year brought all the shows stars together, as Gilmore Girls marked 15 years since it first premiered.
Cabrera said he always foresaw some form of revival in the cards, as season 7 – a season many regard as the worst – was left feeling unfinished. He said, he thought this was because the shows creator Sherman-Palladino and her husband were not involved in the final season.
The creators left after season 6, as they couldn’t resolve pay negotiations with the network executives.
“I think that the story needed to be wrapped up by the person who created it. That was the key really. I think that with season 7, [and] I don’t hear a lot of fans talk about it much, but season 7 didn’t have the ending the fans wanted to have, because the writers of season 7 really went out of their way to not end it the way Amy wanted to end it,” he said.
“I think in their hearts they hoped one day Amy would have the chance to end it. I think that season 7 was good in that way, because it allowed the revival to do exactly what it’s doing, giving Amy the chance to finish her story the way that she wanted to finish it.”
For those that aren’t familiar with the season 7 ending (SPOILER AHEAD!) or for GG orthodox folk that refuse to acknowledge the season exists, the series ended with Lorelai and Luke getting together BUT not getting married, which is what the entire show seemed to be leading towards.
Sherman-Palladino has said since the show concluded, that she had an intended vision for the ending, and even the four final words to be spoken in the final scene. It looks like this time around Gilmore Girls will get the ending the fans always wanted.
As far as specifics in the revival, Cabrera stayed fairly tight lipped. When asked whether he could tell me any goss on potential relationships or storylines, Cabrera confirmed the cast were under strict lockdown post-filming. As I continuously prodded, Cabrera replied:
“I can’t, I can’t! I wish that I could. But I want fans to experience it. I’m a big no-spoilers type of guy in general. I wouldn’t do it. But I also have to be careful in what I talk about, in terms of the specifics.”
Cabrera wouldn’t even budge when asked whether Hep Alien are back together and going strong. But we can be confident, that if the whole gang is confirmed to be returning, Keiko Agena (Lane), Todd Lowe (Zach) and Sebastian Bach(Gill) then it’s pretty safe to say we will see Hep Alien rock once more.
But when asked the number one buzzed about question – who Rory should end up with out of Jess, Logan and errr Dean – I did get an definitive answer out of him.
“Well I guess I don’t have a super strong preference, I mean I like both Matt [Czuchry] and Milo [Ventimiglia] as people, so I guess it’s hard for me to separate that. I guess that’s part of it, but I think maybe Logan is the better one for her.”
Logan, it is! However we will have to wait and see, but my votes are with Rory in the revival still tearing up the Stars Hollow streets as a carefree single lady.
Cabrera said he most loved shooting the revival as he got to hang out with his closest friends: the band, along with Sean Gunn a.k.a Kirk.
“They’re all my friends in real life. I see Keiko all the time, I see Sebastian a lot, I see Todd a lot, Sean Gunn [Kirk on the show] is one of my best friends; has been one of my closest friends for 25 years. I knew they were coming back,” he said.
While filming Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, Cabrera said he couldn’t speak much about the other storylines involving the main cast, as he only really saw the Hep Alien gang, as they were in his scenes on set.
“The storylines that were particularly attached to Hep Alien, like Mrs Kim, well Emily[Kuroda] I saw all the time, and Kirk popped in and out of our storylines. So these people I saw all the time and really developed a strong relationship with.
“Whereas Scott’s[Patterson] character and definitely Kelly Bishop [who played Emily] – I mean I love them, they’re amazing – but I just didn’t really have a relationship with them, as I just never saw them.”
John Cabrera is in Australia for Melbourne Web Fest. He will be hosting a pitching workshop and is on the judging panel of ‘Pitch Perfect’ as part of the festival. Find more information via the website.