ActressAlexis Bledelmade her television debut as Rory Gilmore in the WB hit showGilmore Girls, starring alongside her on-screen mom Lorelai Gilmore, played byLauren Graham. This beloved show follows the iconic mother-daughter duo as they live out their lives in Stars Hollow, going from 15-year-old Rory starting private school to her graduating from Yale University. Bledel also returned for theshow’s controversial revival in 2016. She made her film debut inTuck Everlastingin 2002 and went on to find critical success inThe Handmaid’s Talein 2017.
Rory Gilmore is undoubtedly her most famous role, as fans fell in love with the bookworm and her charming ways. She grows into a complex young woman, butGilmore Girlswould have been nothing without her. She tackles academic pressure, romantic entanglements and a close yet rocky relationship with her mother.Their bond is at the core of the show, and Lorelai brings up Rory to have as much wit as she does. And with the excellent writing, the show is full of quotable moments. It’s time to count down the best of Rory’s quotes, from relatable quips to smart insults.
Gilmore Girls
15"Who cares if I’m pretty if I fail my finals?"
“Here Comes The Son” - Season 3, Episode 21
One thing everybody knows about Rory is her dedication to studying and achieving the best grades. By this point in the show, she has been studying at Chilton for a few years, a school specifically designed for getting young people ready for Ivy League colleges. It’s a different ballgame to Stars Hollow High, and Rory had to do her fair share of catching up. In “Here Comes The Son,” Rory is almost finished at Chilton, bound for Yale University once her finals and graduation are out of the way.
This quote does a great job of summing up Rory at this age before everything got more complicated as she grew up.She is still the classic bookwormthat fans met in the pilot, prioritizing her studies over her physical appearance. Rory has a tendency to be a perfectionist, and that’s shown here; she wants to live up to the expectations that her family have for her.And even when Rory is working incredibly hard to get the best results, she is still coming out with funny one-liners. That is definitely to Lorelai’s credit.
“You’ve Been Gilmored” - Season 6, Episode 14
This quote from the penultimate season of the show’s initial run is a wonderful callback to the old-school Rory Gilmore. This somewhat unpopular season was lacking in memorable moments.Season 6 was the last season with show creator Amy Sherman-Palladino on board, as she departed after the season’s completion. Fans ignore much of the Season 7 events. When Sherman-Palladino returned for the revival, she also disregarded most of Season 7, going from where she left off in Season 6 save for a few storylines.
The overall opinions of the last two seasons are less than favorable (often counted amongGilmore Girls' worst outings), with out-of-character moments and twists. But with Rory, it wasn’t all bad. Paris kicks Rory out when she discovers that Rory was chosen as the new editor of the Yale Daily News. Their long-running rivalry rears its ugly head once more. Sitting among her possessions, she says the quote above on the phone to Logan. It is a nice throwback to Rory’s bookworm days, as she somewhat loses that as time passes.
13"A little nervous breakdown can really work wonders for a girl."
“Scene In A Mall” - Season 4, Episode 15
This relatable quip comes from when Rory feels bogged down under the Yale workload and isn’t getting any time to talk or see her mom. In the episode preceding this one, Rory appears at the Dragonfly and bursts into tears with a concerned Dean (Jared Padalecki), who does his best to comfort her. She worries that she isn’t going to be able to handle everything that she has taken on, and as a result, will disappoint her mom and grandparents.This is where her perfectionism becomes a detriment.
But in “Scene In A Mall,” she bounces back and comes to meet her mom to go window shopping. This great quote sums up life for many 20-somethings in college, and anyone struggling with the pressures of growing up. It also humanizes Rory, reminding fans that she is human and not always achieving everything she sets her mind to. Some fans argue that Lorelai and Rory’s grandparents, Richard (Edward Hermann) and Emily (played byKelly Bishop), coddled her too much, setting her up for failure. But if anyone can keep pushing, it’s Rory.
12"Of this?"
“Wedding Bell Blues” - Season 5, Episode 13
This hilarious quote is included mostly because of Alexis Bledel’s line delivery rather than the content itself. As Richard and Emily renew their wedding vows after a prolonged separation, Rory approachesher crush Logan Huntzberger(Matt Czuchry) and charms him, telling him that she is willing to keep things casual. They slip away to another room to have some private time, but they are interrupted by Lorelai partly undressed. Lorelai had been looking for Rory to take family pictures, and she says “Grandma wants a picture,” to which Rory replies “Of this?”
Not only was it a wild moment for Rory that had fans surprised, but it was mostly embarrassing and uncomfortable for everyone involved. Especially as Rory’s dad, Chris (David Sutcliffe) and Luke (Scott Patterson) walk in too. That doesn’t stop it from being funny with Rory’s quick response, and it definitely feels like a Lorelai moment for her.It was very unfortunate that this was Logan’s first meeting with Rory’s parents, however.
“Star-Crossed Lovers and Other Strangers” - Season 1, Episode 16
“Star-Crossed Lovers and Other Strangers” is the episode where Dean tells Rory he loves her for the first time and promptly breaks up with her all within a relatively short time. But before the drama of that moment, we got this really poignant Rory quote. She says it to Dean as they sit inside the car he’s been building her, and with every rewatch, and every passing year, as we all get older, it feels as though this quote takes on even more weight. It’s easy to overlook it at the moment, but when you take a second to really listen to what she’s saying, it digs quite deep — especially coming from a 16-year-old. Everything after this moment kind of goes off the wayside for Rory and Dean in this episode, butthis specific quote stands out as one of Rory’s most beautiful and eloquent, and one that stands the test of time as being relevant outside of the context of the show.– Samantha Graves
10"You jump, I jump, Jack."
“You Jump, I Jump, Jack” - Season 5, Episode 7
While later season Rory is a very divisive character, there are still some great moments. The episode “You Jump, I Jump, Jack” from Season 5, sticks out in particular among fans, especially those who are Team Logan. This is the episode where she really starts getting involved in the Life and Death Brigade and subsequently getting closer to Logan, and she’s invited to participate in one of the Brigade’s events as well. The event requires members to dress in evening wear and jump off of a small building holding nothing but an umbrella. It’s a great episode of Logan bringing Rory out of her shell, and an overall fun scene that sticks out amongst the show’s many seasons.The iconic “You jump, I jump, Jack” Rory utters, makes for one of her most memorable quotes— even if it is borrowed fromTitanic.– Samantha Graves
9"I love you, you idiot!"
“Love, Daisies, and Troubadours” - Season 1, Episode 21
Much like Rory’s first kiss being a big deal, her first time saying “I love you” is equally is huge, and there was a lot of drama surrounding it. Dean first dropped the L-word in the episode “Star-Crossed Lovers and Other Strangers” to a bewildered Rory whose response was less than desirable to him. She asked for a moment to think about her response, as it was a big step for her to take, being the only relationship she’s ever been in. Dean however was upset by her uncertainty and broke up with her for it, leaving her heartbroken for many episodes. But by the Season 1 finale Rory had come to terms with her feelings for Dean and gotten over her (understandable) apprehension, and confessed her love to him outside of Chilton.Perhaps calling him an “idiot” mid-love confession doesn’t sound all that romantic, but considering it was the heat of the moment, and was followed by a passionate kiss? It’s certainly a memorable Rory quote.– Samantha Graves
8"I live in two worlds. One is a world of books…"
“Those Are Strings, Pinnochio” - Season 3, Episode 22
Rory’s graduation speech is stunning from start to finish. In one of the highest-rated episodes of the show ever, Rory graduates from Chilton and gives her speech at the ceremony. She pays tribute to her grandparents and the school, but mostly to her mom, who she cites as her biggest inspiration and role model.Her tangent about living in a world of books is classic Rory, contrasted with her almost equallymagical life in Stars Hollow.
Despite not enjoying public speaking, Rory does a magnificent job. Lorelai, the grandparents, Sookie (Melissa McCarthy), Jackson (Jackson Douglas) and Luke all sit in the audience in tears. The scene also provides one of the best Luke Danes quotes: “I’m blubbering, you’re freaks!” Fans always knew Luke was soft at heart, but this makes the moment even more special, as he often appears as a father figure for Rory. Viewers still can’t rewatch the episode without tearing up, too.
7"God, you are like a pop-up book from hell."
“Like Mother, Like Daughter” - Season 2, Episode 7
Rory and Paris Geller(Liza Weil) are one of the show’s most iconic duos. Their friendship is up and down, filled with academic rivalry, jealousy and sarcasm. But when they are friends, nothing can stop them. They had the most fights during their time at Chilton, which is when this quote is said. Paris pops up in front of Rory, surprising her, and leading to this amusing one-liner. Paris has the qualities of a pop-up book, often coming out of nowhere with an agenda or important idea to discuss.
Rory arguably has the most funny lines in the early seasons; this is a perfect example. Her ability to think of something funny that quickly is surely a Gilmore talent. Her friendship with Paris strengthens, particularly when they end up at Yale together.As they grow into young women, they remain constants in each other’s lives, even through Paris' divorce inA Year In The Life. Their unique friendship is charming, and always entertaining to watch onscreen.
6“I got kissed. And I shoplifted!”
“Kiss and Tell” - Season 1, Episode 7
One of the best parts aboutGilmore Girlsis that we get to grow with these characters throughout the series and see pivotal moments in their lives. This is especially true with Rory, as she’s only 15 years old in the pilot episode, so there are still plenty of big moments awaiting her, her first kiss being one of them. This moment comes in the Season 1 episode “Kiss and Tell”. She first took notice of Dean earlier in the season but it was in this episode that he made the big move and kissed her — In Doose’s market no less! Not only does she have her first kiss in this episode but she also accidentally shoplifts a box of cornstarch as she was so caught off guard by the kiss she booked it out of the market without second thought.She then rushes to tell Lane (Keiko Agena)all about it, where she drops the memorable line “I got kissed. And I shoplifted!”It’s a highlight moment of their friendship, especially when Lane’s protective mother overhears Rory say she got kissed and asks who she was kissed by, to which Lane quickly answers “The lord, mama."– Samantha Graves
