Lauren Graham Says ‘Gilmore Girls’ Residuals Only Bring The Love

“Gilmore Girls” has been a comfort show for over two decades, and its fan-base only keeps growing. Whether you first watched it on The WB, caught reruns on cable, or discovered it through Netflix, chances are you’ve rewatched it at least once (or, let’s be real, several times). But despite its continued success, Lauren Graham (our forever Lorelai) recently shared that she doesn’t see much money from its Netflix run.

“Gilmore Girls” Keeps Finding New Fans

During her “Jimmy Kimmel Live” appearance on March 19, 2025 (seen below), Graham reflected on how the show’s audience has only expanded over the years. She explained that thanks to streaming, “Gilmore Girls” has reached new generations, pulling in younger fans, longtime loyalists, and plenty of men who were probably “forced” to watch by the Gilmore-obsessed people in their lives. And despite how often she gets recognized, Graham admitted “it surprises me every time though. I don’t know why.”

And that’s what makes this show special. “Gilmore Girls” isn’t just another nostalgic throwback TV show people remember fondly; it’s a series that people return to over and over because it means something. It’s a rare kind of storytelling that sticks with you, and seeing it continue to thrive in the streaming era is a testament to its impact.

No Residuals, Just Recognition

When Kimmel asked on behalf of his goddaughter if Graham still gets “Gilmore Girls” checks from Netflix, Graham was honest: “There really are no residuals on Netflix.” But rather than focusing on the financial side of things, she kept the conversation light, joking that “I’ve been paid in love.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sean Gunn (who played Kirk, Stars Hollow’s one-man gig economy) even went so far as to call out Warner Bros. and Netflix during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, pointing out that “Gilmore Girls” gets streamed constantly, yet the people who made it happen aren’t seeing much of that money.

While it’s true that streaming has changed the landscape (i.e. how actors are compensated), there’s something undeniably meaningful about knowing your work still resonates with people decades later. Graham’s response highlights the deeper reward that comes from being part of something so enduring; she may not be cashing in on every rewatch, but she is seeing firsthand just how much this show still matters. Lauren O’Neill of The Guardian noted in 2020 that “Gilmore Girls” was so beloved because it “leaned into the fact that it was ‘just’ a show about a single mother, her clever kid and the eccentric, lovable people of Stars Hollow, a fictional Connecticut town.”

Of course, conversations about fair streaming pay are important, but Graham’s perspective is rather refreshing. Rather than dwelling on what she isn’t getting, she’s embracing what “Gilmore Girls” has given her: a place in TV history, an ever-growing fanbase, and a legacy of storytelling that continues to bring people joy. And honestly, that’s pretty priceless.