Lives were forever changed when Jess Mariano (Milo Ventimiglia) made his debut on Gilmore Girls. He quickly became the quintessential high school bad boy, a charming loner who proved to be much more intelligent and compassionate than meets the eye. Even today, as millennials binge-watch the show, they rediscover their teenage crush on him. Despite his poor communication skills and lack of a high school diploma, Jess remains utterly dreamy, captivating Rory’s heart when they meet in Season 2 and distracting her from her other dreamy boyfriend, Dean Forester (Jared Padalecki).
Unlike anyone else, Jess truly understood Rory’s aspirations as a writer and became the only person who could awaken her from the series’ most challenging storyline. When she dropped out of Yale, dated Logan, and moved in with her grandparents, it was Jess who confronted her with the powerful question, “Why did you drop out of YALE?” His outburst inspired Rory to reclaim her life and return to Yale, even if she eventually found her way back to Logan.
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So, what ultimately happened to Jess Mariano?
Jess’ final appearance in the original series occurred in Season 6, Episode 18, titled “The Real Paul Anka.” At an open house event for his publishing house, which he co-owned with several writer friends, both Luke (Scott Patterson) and Rory made an appearance. During this encounter, Jess repaid Luke all the money he owed him, and Rory confessed that she had fixed her life. However, she failed to mention that she was still dating Logan, which led to a moment of shock when Jess kissed her. In his last on-screen moments, Jess allowed Rory to reveal to Logan that something did happen between them if she ever needed to inspire a little jealousy or make things even.
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Jess later returned multiple times in 2016’s A Year in the Life, where he suggested that Rory write a book about her life. In his final moments, he gazed lovingly at Rory through a window, leaving fans with a lasting image.
But what happened to Milo Ventimiglia after ‘Gilmore Girls’?
Ventimiglia’s career didn’t slow down after leaving Gilmore Girls in 2006. That same year, he starred in the hit series Heroes, playing Peter Petrelli, a nurse with the ability to mimic other people’s superpowers.
In the years following Heroes, Ventimiglia established himself as an accomplished voice actor, especially in the realm of superheroes. He lent his voice to characters such as Wolverine, Green Arrow, and Spider-Man Noir. Additionally, he made appearances on Fox’s Gotham as the serial killer known as The Ogre.
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In 2016, around the time he reprised his role as Jess in A Year in the Life, Ventimiglia began portraying Jack Pearson in the critically acclaimed series This Is Us. This explains why Jess sported flowing 1970s Jack Pearson hair during the Gilmore Girls revival. In 2022, he reunited with Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino and guest-starred in two episodes of her acclaimed Amazon Original series, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Ventimiglia also starred as a conman with a heart of gold in the short-lived ABC series, The Company You Keep.
However, it’s worth noting that Milo Ventimiglia isn’t exactly “Team Jess” in real life.
In a February 2023 interview with InStyle, Ventimiglia shared his thoughts on why he believes Jess wasn’t the best partner for Rory, despite the immediate love from fans. He described Jess as a “child” who had to navigate life without a father or proper parental guidance. Ventimiglia believes Jess eventually found acceptance and clarity about who he was and the people he wanted in his life, but he recognizes that Rory also struggled with similar challenges.
It’s evident that both characters had their own journeys to embark upon and lessons to learn.
All seven seasons of Gilmore Girls and all four episodes of A Year in the Life are currently streaming on Netflix. So, if you’re feeling nostalgic or want to experience the charm of Jess Mariano all over again, grab your favorite drink and settle in for a delightful trip down memory lane.
Source: https://t-tees.com
Category: Blog
