Gilmore Girls’ Keiko Agena has always had a clear favorite in the ongoing debate about Rory Gilmore’s best boyfriend. Speaking to E! News, the actress, who played Lane Kim on the beloved series, revealed her unwavering support for one of Rory’s love interests. “I pretty much have stayed a team Jess person this whole time,” Agena shared. “And I don’t think I’m gonna change.”
Agena explained her preference by highlighting the shared passions between Rory and Jess. “I felt like their passions were the same. They both loved reading, they both loved books. They loved challenging each other, and the friction of that was so fun to watch,” she said. Jess Mariano, portrayed by Milo Ventimiglia, has a significant fan base among the show’s viewers. Rory’s other main boyfriends were Logan Huntzberger (Matt Czuchry) and Dean Forester (Jared Padalecki), with Dean often being the most controversial.
Agena further elaborated on why she adored the romance between Jess and Rory. “Because you can grow in other ways. I think maturity-wise, we all had to grow. They were young when they met. But having that fiery interest where you can always talk about things and grow together, I feel like that’s the bedrock of a good relationship,” she explained.
Agena’s insights into relationships come from her own experience, having been married to musician Shin Kawasaki for 18 years. The actress, who appeared in the Gilmore Girls revival in 2016, has since acted in shows like 13 Reasons Why and Better Call Saul. According to IMDb, she has three upcoming projects.
Reflecting on her time playing Lane Kim, Agena shared that she was in “survival mode” during the show’s run. Despite the years that have passed since Gilmore Girls ended, the debate over Rory’s best boyfriend remains a hot topic among fans. Agena’s loyalty to Jess is unwavering. “I pretty much have stayed a team Jess person this whole time,” she reiterated.
Agena believes that the connection between Rory and Jess, rooted in their shared love for books and intellectual challenges, is what makes their relationship special. “They both loved reading, they both loved books. They loved challenging each other, and the friction of that was so fun to watch,” she said.
For Agena, the ability to grow together is crucial in a relationship. “Because you can grow in other ways. I think maturity-wise, we all had to grow. They were young when they met. But having that fiery interest where you can always talk about things and grow together, I feel like that’s the bedrock of a good relationship,” she explained.
When fans last saw Lane in 2017’s Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, she was still married to Zack Van Gerbig (Todd Lowe). Agena has her own ideas about where Lane might be today. “I do have this fantasy of Lane traveling,” she told E! News. “Because she was such a fan of music, in my mind, I always craved more outside of Connecticut interaction for her.”
As for Lane’s relationship status, Agena believes Lane is still with Zack but has a creative outlet. “Lane is still with Zack,” she noted, “but she’s writing really bad fantasy fanfiction.” She also speculated that Lane might still have feelings for her ex-boyfriend Dave Rygalski (Adam Brody). “I think there is some lovelorn, heartsickness over that relationship,” Agena shared. “I don’t know that she would ever act on anything, but a friendship for sure.”
In real life, Agena remains close with her fellow Gilmore Girls co-stars, including Emily Kuroda, who played her onscreen mom Mrs. Kim. “I see her a lot in Los Angeles,” Agena shared. “She’s very active in theater, and she’s a fantastic actress. So, I see her and then John Cabrera, who played one of my bandmates, and also Sean Gunn, who played Kirk, are dear friends of mine. I’ve been to their weddings, I love them to death.”
As fans continue to hope for more Gilmore Girls content, Agena’s loyalty to Jess remains a testament to the enduring appeal of the show’s characters and relationships. Her insights into the dynamics between Rory and Jess offer a deeper understanding of why this particular pairing resonates with so many fans.
Source: E! News, Marie Claire
