A lot of cast members are returning for the Gilmore Girls revival, but when the show airs on Netflix later this year, it looks like one famous face will definitely be missing. We've heard Melissa McCarthy wasn’t formerly asked to appear in Gilmore Girls: Seasons, but as it turns out, that’s not the full story. Here’s the real reason Melissa McCarthy doesn’t seem to be popping up in the revival of the long-running drama:
I didn't actually get asked to do it. But I think they thought I was busy, and then by the time it did come up, I actually was.
Earlier comments by showrunner Amy Sherman-Palladino mentioned that the show would love to have Melissa McCarthy back and had worked out way in which the show could have shoehorned her in, even if her availability only opened up until last minute. But Melissa McCarthy’s comments clarify the point that she made a few weeks ago when she said she hadn’t been asked. At some point, she was asked, but by then the a-list actress already had a full schedule. What a bummer.
I suppose the comedic actress could be trolling us when she says she won’t be back to play Sookie St. James on the series. However, her comments to E! seem to indicate she’s definitely out, although she obviously has no ill will toward the show.
I'm actually thrilled that it's happening. I loved that show, and I think the fans for that show are super loyal and great and I will watch every single one of them.
So, she’s in for the episodes, she’s just not in any of the actual episodes. As much as Gilmore Girls would benefit from having Lorelei’s best friend and business partner Sookie around, Melissa McCarthy’s schedule is not unexpected. The actress is still starring in CBS’ Mike & Molly, which is ending this spring. She's also promoting two big movies, Ghostbusters and The Boss, coming up. She’s certainly busy.
Although McCarthy won’t be back, we do know that a lot of other original cast members will be. Lauren Graham, Kelly Bishop, Scott Patterson and Alexis Bledel will all obviously be returning. Plus, a slew of other originals, including Matt Czuchry, Jared Padalecki, David Sutcliffe, Milo Ventimiglia, Liza Weil, Sean Gunn, Yanic Truesdale, Todd Lowe, Keiko Agena and more are all coming back, as well. So, the series should feel really familiar even if one or two of the residents of Stars Hollow have officially moved on.
Gilmore Girls is heading to Netflix for the new show and will look a little different this time around. Four episodes are being produced and each will be set during a different season over the course of one year. Four episodes may not seem a lot, but they’ll be 90 minutes apiece, so the drama should have enough time to reintroduce all those aforementioned characters. Now we just need a premiere date.
Find out what we know about Gilmore Girls: Seasons with our what we know guide.
