EXCLUSIVE: Lauren Graham Dishes On Being Named One of TV's Highest-Paid Actresses
With the long-awaited return of Gilmore Girls, series stars Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel are currently the highest-paid TV drama actresses in the industry, according to a report published by Variety on Wednesday, pulling in $750,000 for each of the four 90-minute episodes in Netflix’s upcoming revival.
ET's Denny Directo caught up with Graham at the Los Angeles premiere of her new film, Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life, where she opened up about her spot on the top of the highest-paid list.
"Don't believe everything you read on the Internet, kids!" Graham said with a laugh. "I have no idea what the level of truth in it is, but it was cool to see a lot of very strong women and talented women helming TV shows. That’s what I really like about it."
The two are joined in the Top 10 by Game of Thrones stars Lena Headey and Emilia Clarke, as well as Claire Danes and Mariska Hargitay.
PHOTOS: Behind the Scenes of the 'Gilmore Girls' Revival -- See All the Pics!
To celebrate the return of the beloved family dramedy, Netflix hosted one-day-only Luke's Diner pop-ups at 250 coffee shops in all 50 states in the country on Wednesday, allowing fans to get a cup of coffee and feel like they were really in Stars Hollow.
"I got so many pictures from people and it's so moving," Graham said of the legion of Gilmore Girls devotees who turned out to the cross-country pop-ups. "It really was so sweet to see how people got up early and waited in line. That was just such a nice outpouring of enthusiasm for the show. I was really, really touched."
The 49-year-old star admitted that she could never have predicted that the show would find a new life on Netflix, or that it would be welcomed with such a warm embrace, but said she was "really humbled by [and] proud of" the overwhelming response.
"To see the enthusiasm and to be able to bring the fans, who've had that enthusiasm, some new episodes, I feel gratified," she added.
In her upcoming comedy Middle School, Graham plays the mother of a young, artistic boy who is bullied and pushed around by his school's harsh principal. It's a comedic look at the difficulties of early teen years, which Graham says is a "tough age" for everyone.
"I don't know anyone who had an easy time," she shared. "I didn't look good, I didn't feel good. It was a tough time."
But now, with all of her success, Graham knows exactly what kind of sound advice she'd give her 13-year-old self if she could go back in time. "Anytime you go through a tough time, it makes you stronger," she said. "You'll come out of it, it will pass, you won’t always feel this way, and just be kind to your awkward self."
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life hits theaters Oct. 7. Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life premieres Nov. 25 on Netflix.
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