Alexis Bledel, first known as our little Rory Gilmore before she was Beth on Mad Men, is all grown up with a life (and a baby!) of her own now. While some have been fans since her very first acting gig - Gilmore Girls - many other fans had never heard of her until her Emmy-winning role on The Handmaid's Tale. Regardless of how you know the model-turned-actress, there are definitely some things that only true fans would know about her.
So who was Bledel before she graced TV screens with such an angelic face? And what's she like today, now that she's had over a decade of acting experience under her belt? Here's what we currently know about Bledel's life off-screen.
15 She Attended NYU Before Dropping Out
Before acting became her biggest life choice, Bledel had intended on finishing up her years at NYU, where she studied film. Despite her enrollment, the soon-to-be actress dropped out after one year after landing the role on Gilmore Girls almost immediately.
14 Things Were Pretty Serious IRL With Her On-Screen Gilmore Girls Co-Star
Both she and Mile Ventimiglia, who played the role of Jess, had an on-screen and off-screen romance. Their relationship lasted roughly three years before they went their separate ways and, similarly, Jess's part had finished on the show, save for some cameos.
13 Speaking Of Which, She Dated Several On-Screen Boyfriends
It only recently came out that in addition to Jess, real-life Rory also had a thing for Dean, played by Jared Padalecki. In an interview with the casting director of Gilmore Girls, it was apparently joked over that they hired all of the Bledel's boyfriends, IRL and on-screen.
12 She's Bilingual And Fluent In Spanish
One common misconception is Bledel's heritage, something she herself has discussed. She is of Latin descent and still keeps that heritage alive and strong on her mother's side of the family. She's also very proud of where she comes from and remains close to her parents through their Mexican customs and traditions.
11 The Sisterhood Is Strong, Blake Lively Is Still One Of Her Good Friends
After movies and shows, it's not uncommon for the actors and actresses to go on their separate ways. However, while filming The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, the cast members grew close to each other and still keep in touch today, especially Lively and Bledel.
10 Fans Petitioned For Bledel To Be The Lead In 50 Shades Of Grey
It's true - fans did actually create a petition to have Bledel fill in the role of Anastasia Steele, with Matt Boomer to star alongside her as the famous Christian Grey. This was before the role of Anastasia was cast, however, and we'd like to think that fans weren't totally disappointed with the final cast.
9 She And Her Current Husband Met On The Set Of Mad Men
While it might not be surprising that Bledel dated a co-star on Mad Men, it turns out that Vincent Kartheiser was the one for her. After meeting on set, the two began dating and eventually got married, before finally announcing that Bledel was pregnant with their first child.
8 When She Was Pregnant With Her Son, A Gilmore Girls Co-Star Accidentally Spilled The Beans
Bledel has also remained close to the cast of Gilmore Girls (after seven-plus years, how could you not?) and it was actually one of them who spilled the news about her pregnancy. Scott Patterson, who played the role of Luke Danes, was the one to let his excitement overwhelm him during an interview.
7 Her Real Name Isn't Even Alexis
Surprise! She has everyone fooled, but Bledel's real first name is actually Kimberly. Alexis is her middle name, and it's not uncommon for celebrities to avoid using their real names when it comes to Hollywood. Although, it's obviously not a very secretive name change now.
6 The First Emmy She Ever Won Was For Her Role In The Handmaid's Tale
Many fans will be the first to say that her role on The Handmaid's Tale was possibly one of her best. Her performance as Emily was moving and intense, and something that Bledel performed flawlessly, enough that it got her her first Emmy, leading to a pretty memorable speech by the actress.
5 She's Close To Her Parents, And Her Mom Is Apparently An Amazing Cook
As we said before, Bledel is proud of her heritage - and so are her parents! She claims that her mom makes amazing Mexican food (we're low-key jealous, actually) and seems to be very close to them, even to this day.
Related: 15 Little Facts That Make Us Miss Gilmore Girls All Over Again
4 Acting Wasn't Her First Career Choice
Before she was a film major at NYU, the actress actually had an interest in architecture. It wasn't unit she realized how much work actually went into it that she decided to forgo it and go with her second choice, which turned out to be filming. It turns out that acting wasn't even originally in the cards.
Related: 15 Actors Who Got Their Careers Started In Commercials
3 Hilariously Enough, Despite The Gilmore Coffee Obsession, Bledel Actually Hates It
You'll never catch Bledel drinking coffee or anything even close because she despises it. While is hilarious, considering her first on-screen role required her character to never be without a cup of coffee in-hand. Instead, her cups were always filled with soda.
2 She's A Huge Fan Of Home Renovations
Now that you know about her first love, architecture, it's not surprising that Bledel loves home renovations shows. They're gaining in popularity now as more and more people take up an interest in customizing houses, and the star has a real love for turning a house into something better.
Related: 16 Athletes Who Live In Houses We Could Only Dream Of
1 Originally, She Had Intended To Be Behind The Camera Rather Than In Front Of It
When she studied film at NYU, the now-actress had never intended to be an actress. She was seen by the producers of Gilmore Girls and was actually sick with the flu when she was asked to come in to audition, and it was decided that she was absolutely perfect for the role... Turns out, they were right!
Next: 15 Behind The Scenes Pics That Make Us Miss Gilmore Girls
