Lauren Graham is spilling some behind-the-scenes tea about her paycheck—or lack thereof—when it comes to Gilmore Girls streaming on Netflix.
The actress, best known for playing Lorelai Gilmore alongside Alexis Bledel from 2000 to 2007 and in the 2016 revival, recently revealed that she doesn’t receive residuals despite the show’s enduring popularity.
“There really are no residuals on Netflix,” Graham said during a March 19 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. “But I’ve been paid in love and appreciation.”
Residual payments, which actors typically earn from reruns, syndication, or streaming deals, were a major discussion point during the 2023 Hollywood strikes.
Many actors, including This Is Us star Mandy Moore, have spoken out about how little they earn from streaming residuals.
Despite Gilmore Girls reaching a wider audience since hitting Netflix, Graham confirmed she hasn’t benefited financially from its resurgence.
“We have definitely reached more people than we were reaching on The WB,” she said.
“And now it’s trickled into younger people, older people, men whose kids or wives probably have forced them to watch it. Yeah, I get stopped a lot. It surprises me every time though.”
Although she isn’t profiting from the show’s renewed success, the Z-Suite actress remains grateful for her time as Lorelai.
“It’s the best part I ever had,” she shared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in February.
“It was the perfect material at the perfect time with the perfect writer—and it just means so much to me.”
However, she admitted that the show’s dedicated fanbase can sometimes be overwhelming.
“On one hand, people are starting to say, like, ‘You raised me,’ and I’m like, ‘I hope there were other adults involved,’” she joked.
“And then, on the other hand, people are like, ‘I just have the show on in the background. It puts my dog to sleep.’”
While Graham may not be earning streaming royalties, her role as Lorelai Gilmore continues to be cherished by audiences worldwide.
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