Jared Padalecki Gilmore Girls fans have a new confession to enjoy: the actor says he had a crush on Lauren Graham while they worked together on the show. In a new trailer for the independent documentary Drink Coffee, Talk Fast, Padalecki says plainly, “I certainly had a crush on her.” Graham played Lorelai Gilmore, while Padalecki played Dean Forester, Rory’s first boyfriend. The trailer gives fans a first look at the fan backed film that celebrates 25 years of Stars Hollow. His new Netflix Christmas movie Guarding Stars premieres on November 18, 2026.
Quick Facts
| Detail | What We Know |
|---|---|
| Documentary | Drink Coffee, Talk Fast, an independent Gilmore Girls documentary |
| Premiere date | Friday, November 13, 2026 |
| Premiere venue | Palace Theater in Los Angeles |
| Produced by | Ink On Paper Studios, with supporters on Kickstarter |
| Crush admission | Padalecki says he certainly had a crush on Lauren Graham |
| Netflix movie | Guarding Stars, a holiday romantic comedy |
| Netflix premiere | November 18, 2026 |
| Guarding Stars co-stars | Leighton Meester and Andie MacDowell |
What Jared Padalecki Said in the Trailer
The moment that has everyone talking comes near the end of the new trailer. Padalecki is shown in an interview setting, looking back at his early days on Gilmore Girls, and he admits that he had a crush on Lauren Graham. The line is short and direct, and it lands because Padalecki was so young when the show began. He was 17 years old while filming season 1, and Graham was 33. He played Dean Forester, the sweet and steady boyfriend who became Rory Gilmore’s first love, while Graham played Rory’s mother Lorelai, a character known for quick jokes, endless coffee, and a close bond with her daughter.
The admission is best read as a young actor remembering his first big job, not as a dramatic reveal. Padalecki joined the show as a teenager, and he spent long days on set with a cast that worked at a very fast pace. In the trailer, he also talks about those long days, saying the cast would work 18 hour days on a regular basis, and noting that it was hard for Graham and Alexis Bledel, who played Rory.
Padalecki is smiling at a memory from more than two decades ago, and the documentary uses it to show how close the cast became. Fans who grew up watching Dean and Rory will recognize the feeling at once, because the show itself was built on young love, first crushes, and the awkward years of growing up in a small town.
Jared Padalecki Gilmore Girls Documentary: What Drink Coffee, Talk Fast Covers
Drink Coffee, Talk Fast is an independent documentary made to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Gilmore Girls in 2025. It was produced by Ink On Paper Studios with the help of supporters on Kickstarter, and it was directed by Meghna Balakumar and Kevin Konrad Hanna, with Jim Demonakos also credited among the filmmakers. The film looks back at the history of the show and aims to create a full portrait of one of the most loved television series of all time.
The documentary features new interviews with several members of the original cast. Padalecki appears in the film, along with Kelly Bishop, who played the sharp tongued matriarch Emily Gilmore, Keiko Agena, who played Rory’s best friend Lane Kim, Scott Patterson, who played diner owner Luke Danes, and Chad Michael Murray, who played the wealthy and troubled Tristan Dugray. The trailer also includes George Anthony Bell, who played Professor Bell, praising Graham’s work on the show. Together, these voices tell the story of how the series was made and why it still matters to viewers today.
The film premieres on Friday, November 13, 2026, at the Palace Theater in Los Angeles, as part of the opening day programming for the Secret Movie Club and Los Angeles International Film Festival. The film grew from a fan backed effort into a feature length look at the show, and for viewers who still rewatch the series every autumn, the premiere is a chance to see the people behind Stars Hollow reflect on what the show meant to them.
Why Lauren Graham Does Not Appear in This Documentary
One detail that has caused some confusion is that Lauren Graham does not appear in Drink Coffee, Talk Fast. Alexis Bledel does not appear in it either. Graham said in 2025 that she would not take part in the project without the involvement of the show’s original creators, and the independent film went ahead without her. That does not mean Graham has stayed away from Gilmore Girls celebrations altogether. She is part of a separate and upcoming HBO movie about the show, and she remains closely tied to the series in other ways.
Fans should not mix up the two projects. Drink Coffee, Talk Fast is an independent film, made outside the studio system, and it is not affiliated with or endorsed by the producers of Gilmore Girls or Warner Bros. Entertainment. It started life under the working title Searching for Stars Hollow before taking its current name, which comes from one of the show’s most famous habits, the endless cups of coffee and the rapid fire dialogue that defined Lorelai and Rory.
The separate HBO Max project is the first official and authorized documentary about the series. HBO Max has announced that an untitled documentary about Gilmore Girls is in production, with series creator Amy Sherman-Palladino, executive producer Daniel Palladino, and Lauren Graham all involved, along with other key cast and crew members. Graham has also said she is co-writing a Gilmore Girls book with Sherman-Palladino, which is set for publication in the fall of 2027.
Guarding Stars: His New Netflix Christmas Movie
While the documentary trailer brings Padalecki back to his past, his new Netflix film looks ahead to the holiday season. Guarding Stars is a holiday romantic comedy based on Katherine Center’s 2022 novel The Bodyguard, and it premieres on November 18, 2026, on Netflix. Padalecki stars as Jack Stapleton, a Hollywood heartthrob who needs protection, while Leighton Meester plays Hannah, an elite bodyguard assigned to keep him safe. Andie MacDowell also stars in the film, which was directed by Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum. The trailer premiered on October 14, 2026.
The story behind the casting is almost as charming as the film itself. Padalecki’s wife, Genevieve Padalecki, revealed in a November 5 interview with Entertainment Weekly that she was reading Center’s novel for her book club when she immediately thought of her husband for the leading role. She saw Jack Stapleton on the page and pictured Padalecki in the part, and the idea stayed with her until the film came together. It is a small and personal detail, and it shows how closely the couple’s home life and work life can connect, with a book club pick turning into a starring role.
One detail that may surprise fans is the filming location. Although the story has a Texas feel, the film was shot in Calgary, not Texas. The Canadian city stood in for the story’s setting, which is a common choice for holiday films that need reliable winter weather and flexible locations. Viewers who know him best as a hunter of monsters or as a small town boyfriend will see a different side of him here.
From Stars Hollow to Supernatural and The Boys
Padalecki’s career has covered a wide range since his days in Stars Hollow. After Gilmore Girls, he became best known for Supernatural, where he played Sam Winchester across 15 seasons, a run that made him a fixture of genre television and built a loyal fan base that still follows his work today.
More recently, he reunited with his Supernatural co-star Jensen Ackles in an episode of The Boys Season 5, a moment that delighted fans of both shows. The reunion brought the two actors back together on screen after years apart, and it reminded viewers how durable their partnership has been, from hunting monsters together to sharing scenes in a very different kind of series. Readers who want to know more about the Ackles family can read our profile of Joshua Ackles, the brother of Jensen Ackles, which looks at the family behind one of television’s most familiar faces.
Comedians are also looking back at their classic work, as Dave Chappelle considers a Chappelle’s Show revival while closing a run at Madison Square Garden. At the same time, new faces are making history on live television, as Druski makes SNL history as the first digital creator to host on November 7. Padalecki’s week fits right into that pattern, with one foot in a beloved show from the past and the other in a brand new holiday release.
When does the Gilmore Girls documentary premiere?
Drink Coffee, Talk Fast premieres on Friday, November 13, 2026, at the Palace Theater in Los Angeles. The screening is part of the opening day programming for the Secret Movie Club and Los Angeles International Film Festival.
What did Jared Padalecki say about Lauren Graham?
In the new trailer for Drink Coffee, Talk Fast, Padalecki says he certainly had a crush on Graham. He was 17 while filming season 1, and Graham was 33. It is a brief and warm memory from his early days on the show.
Does Lauren Graham appear in Drink Coffee, Talk Fast?
No, Graham does not appear in the independent documentary, and neither does Alexis Bledel. Graham is involved in a separate HBO Max documentary about Gilmore Girls, which is the first official and authorized film about the series, and she is also co-writing a Gilmore Girls book set for the fall of 2027.
When does Guarding Stars come out on Netflix?
Guarding Stars premieres on November 18, 2026, on Netflix. Padalecki stars as Hollywood heartthrob Jack Stapleton opposite Leighton Meester as Hannah, an elite bodyguard assigned to protect him. Andie MacDowell also stars, and Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum directed the film.
Sources
Read more about this story from these sources:
- https://parade.com/movies/jared-padaleckis-wife-reveals-how-her-book-club-inspired-his-new-netflix-christmas-movie
- https://www.tvinsider.com/swooon/1237782/the-bodyguard-netflix-jared-padalecki-leighton-meester-movie-updates/
- https://www.soapcentral.com/shows/always-scissors-jared-padalecki-slips-hilarious-supernatural-callback-gag-jensen-ackles
Final Thoughts
Jared Padalecki’s week is a neat picture of where his career stands. A short line in a documentary trailer, a memory of a crush from his teenage years on Gilmore Girls, has reminded fans why they loved the show in the first place, and it has given the independent film Drink Coffee, Talk Fast a warm and human talking point ahead of its November 13 premiere.
At the same time, Guarding Stars gives him a fresh start as a romantic lead in Netflix’s Christmas season, with a fun premise, a strong co-star in Leighton Meester, and a casting story that began in his own wife’s book club. For fans, it is the best of both worlds, a look back at Stars Hollow and a new holiday film to enjoy, and both arrive within days of each other. Both are warm stories made to be shared.
