‘Gilmore Girls’ Revival Sets Melissa McCarthy’s Return as Sookie St. James, Finally
After months of uncertainty and an awkward public back-and-forth between Melissa McCarthy and Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino, it’s finally, officially, 100 percent all happening. Yes, McCarthy is returning to reprise her role as Sookie St. James, the greatest (and clumsiest) chef in Stars Hollow, and the most reliable pal a cool single mom like Lorelai Gilmore could hope for.
TV Line has officially confirmed McCarthy’s return as Sookie following today’s reveal of the first official photos from the revival, which is set to debut on Netflix sometime this year. Previously, Sherman-Palladino said McCarthy was too busy to return given her crowded film schedule, though she did leave the offer out there should McCarthy find time to make a cameo appearance, at the very least. That was followed a few weeks later by McCarthy tweeting that she had never received an offer to return, and that seemed to be the end of that.
But there’s good news for fans of Gilmore Girls, as McCarthy is most definitely returning — though details of the size of her role are currently unknown. She joins returning stars Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel, Jared Padalecki, Milo Ventimiglia, Matt Czuchry, Liza Weil, Yanic Truesdale, Scott Patterson, Kelly Bishop, Sean Gunn, and Keiko Agena, with Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino set to once again direct.
Netflix hasn’t confirmed the official title, or the plan for four 90-minute episodes (each aligned with a different season of the year), but it’s looking like the series may very well debut sometime later this year.