Scott Cohen Talks Max & Lorelai’s Relationship on ‘Gilmore Girls’ at Firelight Event in Connecticut (Exclusive)
The Firelight Event, celebrating all things Gilmore Girls, is in full swing up in Guilford, Connecticut! With the entire town swarming in a sea of Luke’s Diner T-shirts and even a dog named Paul Anka (more on him later!), the enduring, all-encompassing love of the Amy Sherman-Palladino hit series is on full display. Also, Scott Cohen, who played Lorelai’s almost-husband Max Medina, an English teacher at Chilton who could have been “the one” if not for bad timing and, of course, Lorelai’s actual future husband Luke in the picture, is here! We got to sit down with him for an exclusive interview about the show and its fans, surrounded by picturesque, leafy Connecticut trees, which is just peak Gilmore Girls, isn’t it?
Why do you think that everybody loves Gilmore Girls so much?
Scott Cohen: That’s a good question. It’s a show that really hits a lot of chords for a lot of people. Sisterhood, motherhood, growing up and making choices. Amy Sherman-Palladino really wrote something that was kind of perfect in terms of relating to people’s everyday troubles and both making it a big deal and not making it a big deal; life goes on no matter what happens. And it all could be positive in the end. There is humor, but there’s lots of sadness too. But I think it’s a good question. I mean, it really is different.
There are so many mothers and daughters here together, which is amazing, considering the show aired 20 years ago.
It’s incredible. I have people that come up to me that are in their teens, in their 20s, that recognize me, and I’m like, you weren’t even born when this show was on. Some things are just magical that way.
What is your favorite season of Gilmore Girls?
Ron Jaffe/The CW /Courtesy Everett Collection
My favorite seasons are when I’m in it. I have such great memories of it. It was the first season when 9/11 happened; I was shooting in L.A. but I live in New York, and they did everything they could to get me home, and I’ll never forget that. They put me on the first plane that left L.A. to go back to New York.
Why do you think Max and Lorelai didn’t work out?
Because life happens. Whether it was a Lorelai thing or a Max thing, it just wasn’t to be.
What do you find most relatable about the show?
I recognize everybody in the show. I recognize everybody. They’re all people I’ve come across, whether it be somebody like Sookie or whether it be Lorelai or whether it be Rory. I mean, everybody’s somebody that I’ve come across in my life, so I just feel like Amy and Dan were capable of really just taking everyday people and giving us a glimpse into their lives, and these are all people that we all recognize. It’s across the board, across the globe. So I just think that everybody’s just completely relatable.
Have you read Swann’s Way?
No, I started it a long time ago.
Just like Lorelai!
Yeah, yeah. I have a copy of it. Yeah. I’m reading Ulysses [by James Joyce] at the moment. I love it.
That’s a very Max Medina thing to do!
It’s really good. I would say 75% of what I’m reading I don’t quite get, and then I kind of look at it a little bit longer and then I kind of get it, and then I’m reading it and looking at CliffsNotes at the same time.
Remind
February 2021
1990s Rom-Coms
Pop some popcorn and cozy up to feel-good movies and TV shows from a generation ago.
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