Scott Patterson On The ‘Gilmore Girls’ Reunion And Why There HAS To Be A Movie

We’re at the Roaring Fork at the InterContinental Hotel in Austin getting ready to sit down with Scott Patterson of Gilmore Girls, more commonly known in the as Stars Hollow’s deadpan-Everyman, Luke Danes. Much like his character on Amy Sherman-Palladino’s cult TV dramedy, it would seem that Patterson has been a bit of a hermit since completing seven seasons of Gilmore Girls back in 2007. We recently discovered at ATX Television Festival, however, that this isn’t necessarily the case. Patterson was part of the Gilmore Girls reunion panel that dominated downtown Austin over the weekend, sparking a frenzy regarding the actor’s comments about a potential movie reunion (that Sherman-Palladino has since denied). As fans of the series ourselves, Decider wanted some answers, so we asked Patterson what the deal is and if it’s all just hot air.

The Philly-born actor originally began his journey to stardom in baseball before auditioning for TV movies and eventually, the role of a lifetime in Luke — Lorelai Gilmore’s (Lauren Graham) slow-burn love interest. When Sherman-Palladino left the series after Season Six and Gilmore Girls came to a wholly unsatisfying close one run later, Patterson took a starkly different turn and entered into one of the most notable horror franchises of the new millennium: Saw. Yet, it wasn’t until taking a step back from his TV legacy and being disappointed by the politics of Hollywood one too many times did Patterson make a move to finally channel his true passion: art. Still deeply engrossed with the Gilmore Girls fan base to endlessly promote his favorite project, Patterson took the time amidst the series reunion madness to discuss his past and future endeavors that have undoubtedly been affected by the show along with his input about a necessary reunion.

DECIDER: How does it feel being a part of this gigantic reunion here at ATX Television Festival? Have you watched the series since it arrived on Netflix in the fall?

SCOTT PATTERSON: It’s exciting and fantastic and phenomenal. It’s going to be great to see everybody and it’s a lot of fun. But no, I haven’t really seen it. I’ve seen some episodes, but I don’t — and didn’t — really watch the show. I didn’t have time when it was originally on. We were always there [at Warner Brothers].

Though the fans keep getting younger and younger and younger and I keep getting older and older and older. It’s just a strange phenomenon. Now there’s like seven and six year old little girls who run up with their mothers and go, ‘Oh my god, when my mom was a teenager, she discovered the show and now we’re discovering the show.’ And the mothers are reliving it again and it’s going viral with their daughters and their daughters’ friends. It’s just incredible. There’s a whole other global layer to this fan base — it’s fantastic.

Do fans sort of expect Luke when they approach you?

Not really. They’re just sort of happy to see you. They’re very pleasant, very respectful. They want a photo and that’s it. This is the beauty about being on this show; there’s just this sort of exchange of energy. It’s all kind of nice and glow-y. They give a little sunshine back to you and it’s like they love you. That’s Amy writing these great characters — all of these characters who resonate with everybody so deeply on a global basis. It’s so wonderful to be a part of that. It’s really a special feeling. All of the encounters with fans have been very, very nice.

This is fifteen years ago now, but what were your first thoughts when you read the character of Luke?

That it was me and that it was going to be easy. I really understood him. It’s not “me,” per se, but I got the guy instantly. I didn’t have to do any research, I didn’t have to prepare. I said, “This is me. I got this.” I didn’t think I’d get it, but I thought I would give it a good read and a good audition. I had every bit of confidence that I thought it would go well. I didn’t think I’d get the job, but you know, you’re hopeful [laughs].

On a totally different note, what was it like going from family-friendly Gilmore Girls to one of the most brutal, and in a sense, groundbreaking horror franchises of the millennium with Saw?

It was definitely a very abrupt change of gears. It was fun. It’s always fun to be a part of something that’s iconic and that’s resonating with a very large segment of the population — in this case, horror fans. I’m sure it surprised a lot of Gilmore Girls fans because it isn’t the natural next step, is it? [laughs]

But listen, it’s hard getting work. It’s not easy out there. I know all of these wonderful Gilmore Girls fans who want you to have this certain type of career — ‘Why don’t you have your own show?’ — it’s just not that easy. There are maybe ten people in the world who make big money and get to pick and choose what they want to do. Everybody else has to really sort of struggle to gain employment and it’s hard. There are a lot of people gunning for very few jobs and there are fewer and fewer jobs. So I don’t know, when somebody comes at you to be the lead in an established franchise, you have to consider it. I mean it didn’t work out the way I wanted it to. You know, the way it was pitched to me and the reason I signed on was because I was taking over the franchise. It was going to be for the three pictures, but it really didn’t turn out that way. But it’s fine by me.

I saw that you’re signed on as a producer for the dramatic thriller Outlaw that’s still in post-production. Other than that, have you ever thought about creating your own work?

Yes, I have a couple of TV pilots right now that are at the very beginning stages. One is a quote unquote horror — a horror thriller, one-hour pilot — and the other is a single-camera half-hour dramedy that’s semi-autobiographical. As these projects gain life, we’ll let you know [laughs].

My photography is taking off a little bit. I’ve played around with it for a long time as like an art school reject [laughs]. I didn’t get into art school. I applied to Cooper Union and The New School — all the big schools in New York… I put that dream on hold. But in my free time I paint and take pictures and sculpt. And then I got into photography and now I’m into digital photography — mostly abstractions. Then I was posting them on my Facebook page — I wasn’t trying to sell them or anything but I was just like, ‘Hey fans, here ya go’ — and someone very prominent in the art world got in touch with me. I don’t know that world, I don’t know who the major players are, I don’t know how it works. I know the galleries pretty much control everything and they should. It’s a very intimate world. But then someone reached out to me and I did a little checking up on them before I got back and I was absolutely stunned. I was actually nervous to return the call. Now, I’ve been sending them works and they’ve been putting a portfolio together and we’re talking about a show in New York. It’s blowing my mind, I have to tell you. Besides this reunion, it’s the most exciting thing that’s ever happened to me and my mind is just completely blown because I love to do it so much. I never wanted it to turn into a profession. It’s like the one thing that I can do and just relax. I’m very humbled by it. Especially since I’ve been contacted, it’s been non-stop — just shooting, shooting, shooting.

I think you may have perhaps inadvertently — perhaps intentionally — planted the seed about a Gilmore Girls movie. Is there any truth to this at all?

Yes. What I’ll say is this — and I don’t know a lot, okay — but here’s how I feel: I’m sick and tired of all the bullshit. I’m sick of all the talk. I’m sick of it. These fans deserve better and they’re getting abused. These are wonderful, loyal, dedicated fans and I want to give them what they want and I wouldn’t give them hope if I didn’t know something. That’s all I can say, but I am tired of the BS. I can’t imagine anybody in the cast not wanting to be onboard or anybody at the studio not wanting to make this happen. [Gilmore Girls] has a huge fan base — a global fan base. If they do a movie, it’ll be successful. If they do a limited series or whatever, it’ll be successful. I mean, how could it not? And it’s obvious it’s about a wedding — so just give that fans what they want.

I understand before, it was probably a very good idea, a very clever idea not to do that and not to give the fans what they wanted because on a long-running series, you don’t want to do that. But you know, give these fans what they want. They would faint! They would absolutely faint. They’d pass out in the theater, they’ll pass out in their living rooms from joy. It’s a show that has so much power.

I mean, this show was powerful for people, it lives inside them and these characters just take over. People treat these characters like it’s their own lives. Amy has created this extraordinary symphony of characters that are resonating all over the world and have been since 2000. Fifteen years this has been going on! And it’s just growing, as you see with Netflix. We owe it to them. We owe it to these fans who have been sitting by waiting for a movie. I’m not trying to cause protests or riots or anything like that [laughs]. These things are far more complicated behind the scenes than people realize. There are all kinds of attorneys involved and there’s a lot of bargaining. But I’m really hopeful. And since I’m such a fan — I’m probably the number one fan of the show — I mean, I can separate myself from the whole thing and look at it and say yeah, that’s quality stuff and I’m proud to be a part of that. Why can’t we give the fans a love letter back for all their love and dedication? It would be a great thing for them and it would be great for us too. It’s just a win-win-win all the way around and woe be unto him who stands in the way of a reunion. I want to give it to them. I really want to give it to them. They deserve it. Every encounter I have with a Gilmore fan is the high point of my day. I love ’em. I just love them to death.

See more of our coverage of the Gilmore Girls reunion at ATX Television Festival.

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‘GILMORE GIRLS’ REUNION: LAUGHS, TEARS, SUPERFANS, AND THOSE MOVIE RUMORS PUT TO REST

 

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