Alexis Bledel became a household name for roles in Gilmore Girls, The Handmaid’s Tale and more — but she has since stepped out of the public eye.
Bledel dove into her acting career after dropping out of New York University when she was cast in Gilmore Girls. Playing Rory Gilmore from 2000 to 2007 helped Bledel skyrocket to fame before she branched out with the film franchise Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and TV series including Mad Men, Us & Them and The Handmaid’s Tale.
Off screen, Bledel found love with Vincent Kartheiser, whom she met on the set of Mad Men. They got married in 2014 and welcomed their first child, a son, one year later. Kartheiser filed for divorce in August 2022 and the split was finalized later that month.
Bledel, meanwhile, surprised fans when she left The Handmaid’s Tale that same year after playing Emily in seasons 1 to 4. She has since kept a low profile and has yet to appear in any new projects.
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Keep scrolling for a breakdown of Bledel’s rise to fame — and a glimpse into her life now:
How Did Alexis Get Her Start?
After being cast as Lauren Graham‘s onscreen daughter in Gilmore Girls, Bledel made her feature film debut opposite Jonathan Jackson in Tuck Everlasting. She then booked the role of Lena opposite Amber Tamblyn, America Ferrera and Blake Lively in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and its sequel.
Bledel’s other notable projects include The Good Guy, Post Grad, Violet & Daisy, Jenny’s Wedding and Crypto. On the small screen, Bledel starred in Mad Men, Us & Them and The Handmaid’s Tale.
The actress reprised her role of Rory Gilmore in Netflix’s 2016 revival, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.
“When [creator Amy Sherman-Palladino] went through all the major points of what she wanted to do — which she said just kind of spilled out of her, and she really felt that [was] a real indication that this was the right time and the right thing and the right way to tell the story — I liked it,” Bledel told The Hollywood Reporter in 2016. “I just thought it was great and I was excited to get started.”
What Were Alexis’ Other Accomplishments?
Bledel played Emily in four seasons of The Handmaid’s Tale, which scored her four Primetime Emmy Award nominations — including a win for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. She also received three Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Drama Series.
Outside of TV and film, Bledel was in various plays such as Love, Loss, and What I Wore, Regrets and College Republicans.
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What Led to Her Departure From Hollywood?
Before getting married to Kartheiser, Bledel dated her Gilmore Girls costar Milo Ventimiglia for four years before their 2006 split. She was also briefly linked to Jared Padalecki and John Paul. She started dating Kartheiser in 2012 and they got married two years later before their son’s arrival.
In May 2022, Bledel announced her departure from The Handmaid’s Tale.
“After much thought, I felt I had to step away from The Handmaid’s Tale at this time,” she told Variety in a statement. “I am forever grateful to [executive producer] Bruce Miller for writing such truthful and resonant scenes for Emily, and to Hulu, MGM, the cast and crew for their support.”
Three months later, Us broke the news that Bledel and Kartheiser split after eight years of marriage.
Has Alexis Made an Appearance in Any Projects Since Then?
Bledel’s final episode of The Handmaid’s Tale was also her last credit to date. Creator Miller previously weighed in on whether Bledel could return for the show’s sixth and final season.
“There are so many people who I wish came back. We’ve had such good luck with our guest stars just as people and how wonderful they are. But I don’t want to blow anything,” he told Us in April 2025. “There are people who return and the same thing in the Testaments [spinoff]. We’re gonna bring characters from The Handmaid’s Tale to that world as well. So there are people who show up — but to tell you who they are will take away all the fun.”
Miller expertly dodged a direct question about Bledel’s character Emily, joking, “I don’t know who that is. … I’m just kidding.”
One month later, Bledel did a rare interview reflecting on her time on the show, telling The Hollywood Reporter, “I was actually offered the role [of Emily] and when I read the pilot script, I immediately said yes. Somehow, [creator] Bruce [Miller] just knew I had Ofglen in me.”
Bledel returned to the show for the series finale. “Why it happened was because I was very eager to see the character and what had happened to the character. It was something I always wanted to do, and Alexis has a complicated schedule and a complicated life, and it didn’t work out that it was a good time to do it until the end,” Miller told The Hollywood Reporter in May 2025. “She moved heaven and earth to get up to us, and so there were a lot more practical concerns than character and emotional concerns.”
‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Cast: See the Hulu Show’s Stars Then and Now
When Was the Last Time Alexis Made a Public Appearance?
In March 2024, Bledel was photographed at the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s 32nd Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party in West Hollywood, California. The event was her first red carpet since an event in 2020 and a virtual appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen one year later.
Bledel also released a statement in December 2024 alongside her The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants costars Ferrera and Tamblyn in support of Lively after she filed a sexual harassment complaint against Justin Baldoni, who denied the accusations.
“As Blake’s friends and sisters for over twenty years, we stand with her in solidarity as she fights back against the reported campaign waged to destroy her reputation,” the trio wrote in a joint statement shared via Instagram. “Throughout the filming of It Ends with Us, we saw her summon the courage to ask for a safe workplace for herself and colleagues on set, and we are appalled to read the evidence of a premeditated and vindictive effort that ensued to discredit her voice. Most upsetting is the unabashed exploitation of domestic violence survivors’ stories to silence a woman who asked for safety. The hypocrisy is astounding.”
The statement continued: “We are struck by the reality that even if a woman is as strong, celebrated, and resourced as our friend Blake, she can face forceful retaliation for daring to ask for a safe working environment. We are inspired by our sister’s courage to stand up for herself and others.”
Bledel has often reunited with her The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants costars over the years, which they continue to document on social media.
After taking a break from Hollywood, Bledel signed on to narrate the audiobook for the 50th anniversary edition of Natalie Babbit‘s novel Tuck Everlasting.
“It has been an amazing experience to revisit this world,” Bledel said in a statement. “Tuck Everlasting holds a special place in my heart, having played Winnie Foster in the film many years ago. Narrating this beloved story for its 50th anniversary edition is a wonderful journey back into a tale that challenges us to think about what it truly means to live a meaningful life.”
