"Gilmore Girls" actress Kelly Bishop reflects on beloved show

Kelly Bishop reflects on iconic roles

Kelly Bishop on new memoir, why she enjoys playing strong women like Emily Gilmore 04:23

Known for playing matriarch Emily Gilmore for seven seasons of "Gilmore Girls," Kelly Bishop spoke with "CBS Mornings" about the beloved show, her controversial character and how she coped after the death of her husband.

"I loved the role. I loved the writing," Bishop said of the show. She says that because women "were taught to be good little girls, be ladies," some actors find it difficult to play someone who isn't. "I see it occasionally, they're playing a rough character, but they pull back a little bit because you don't want to make her too mean — and I'm going, 'No, no, no, bam! I love it.'"

Although Bishop said she loves to portray complicated characters, she added she could never be friends with Emily.

"Because that's exactly the kind of woman I wouldn't want to be around, I wouldn't like. So if I think she's horrible, I make her more horrible," she said.

Bishop also revealed what all "Gilmore Girls" fans want to know: Was she Team Dean, Jess or Logan for the character Rory?

"I am team Logan," she said. "All the guys were great, and they're good-looking, and they're good actors and charming to work with, but there was just something about the way Matt presents himself that I said it's like the old movie stars."

"Gilmore Girls" actress Kelly Bishop on "CBS Mornings," Sept. 16, 2024. CBS News

On a personal level, the Tony Award winner discussed her new memoir, "The Third Gilmore Girl," where she wrote about her late husband and how she searched for serenity and peace of mind following his death.

"I found myself a therapist. I've been in therapy many, many years ago … but then I found a cognitive behaviorist, which is interesting, and I love this woman and we just sit — it's like girlfriends talking."

Beyond "Gilmore Girls," Bishop is also known for her roles in movies like "Dirty Dancing" and on Broadway for "A Chorus Line," but she'll always have a deep appreciation and connection to the series.

"It's just a really good show. It's really well written. It's well cast," she said. "It's funny and smart, and there's a genuine kind of sweetness about it that I think is very appealing. We go back to that."