The thrust of TV history might as well be ordered by BLD and ALD, Before Luke Danes and After Luke Danes. That's the impact that Gilmore Girls' central heartthrob, played by Scott Patterson, has had on small-screen romance. From 2000 to 2007, the dashing and delightfully grumpy owner of Luke's Diner kept the coffee warm — and Lorelai Gilmore's heart even warmer.
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Nearly a quarter-century after Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory (Alexis Bledel) made their fast-talking debut in the Gilmore Girls series premiere on The WB, a lot has changed for Scott Patterson. The 65-year-old actor is a devoted father, musician and coffee connoisseur. (Okay, so maybe not too much has changed.) But he admittedly never left Stars Hollow: Patterson reprised his role as Luke Danes in Netflix's 2016 miniseries revival Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. Then, in 2021, he started a Gilmore Girls rewatch podcast, bringing on the show's cast and creators for a nostalgic look at the series that has captivated multiple generations of fans.
Now, Patterson embarks on a new TV journey that promises similar small-town charm and unlikely romance. He stars in The CW's new romantic drama series Sullivan's Crossing, based on a book by bestselling Virgin River author Robyn Carr. And just in case seeing Patterson play a grizzled-but-still-handsome Canadian campground owner isn't enough of a draw, his fellow Gilmore Girls alum Chad Michael Murray also stars in the show. The early-aughts heartthrobs are back!
Behind the Gilmore Girls sparkle, Patterson's life story is fascinating. Before becoming an actor, he was a Minor League Baseball player. If not for some words of wisdom uttered by legendary ball player Sandy Koufax, Patterson may not have stepped foot in Stars Hollow. Here's everything we know about Scott Patterson, from his rocky childhood to his unlikely career trajectory.
He Was Born in Philadelphia
Young Scott Patterson (far left) in 1968. (Scott Patterson/Instagram)
Scott Gordon Patterson was born on September 11, 1958, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Frank Patterson, a boxer turned advertising executive, and Hope Patterson, a homemaker. He is the youngest of four children, having grown up in the leafy borough of Haddonfield, New Jersey. His parents divorced when he was 16 years old, shattering his "idyllic" childhood and causing the family to move around often:
"Up until the point when my dad left, it was all great. Post-split was pretty traumatizing,'' Patterson recalled in a 2019 interview with South Jersey outlet The Courier-Post, adding, "The houses got smaller as our fortunes dwindled as a family."
He Played Minor League Baseball
Patterson pitching for the Nashville Sounds in 1983.
Patterson briefly studied Comparative Literature at Rutgers University before dropping out to play in Minor League Baseball. From 1980 to 1986, he was a professional pitcher for Double-and-Triple-A teams affiliated with the New York Yankees and the Atlanta Braves.
After being cut from the L.A. Dodgers tryouts in 1987, Patterson received some life-changing advice from legendary ball player Sandy Koufax, then a team coach. "I was brokenhearted, and I told [Koufax] my heart wasn't in it anymore," Patterson explained to People in 2002. "[Koufax] said, 'Then this is where you should get out.'"
Gilmore Girls Breakout
Scott Patterson as Luke Danes in Gilmore Girls. (The WB)
After leaving Minor League ball, Patterson met a pair of theater students by chance. He grew up playing guitar, and even formed a band while in elementary school. But acting was new to him, and he hit the ground running. He moved to New York City and studied at the Actors Studio, but it was 10 years of commercials and bit parts in Seinfeld and Will & Grace before Patterson was cast as Luke Danes, the cute but curmudgeonly local diner owner in The WB's Gilmore Girls. The series ran from 2000 to 2007 and racked up countless Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.
Luke and Lorelai's will-they-won't-they romance catapulted Patterson to heartthrob status — and stirred the endless speculation that inevitably comes with it. For years, now-debunked rumors swirled that Patterson and his on-screen love interest Lauren Graham either had a major falling out or a whirlwind romance.
While the pair never dated, Patterson admitted in 2016 that he and Graham had instant chemistry. "I thought, you know, 'Uh-oh. Let's keep this professional! [Laughs] Let's just keep it professional as long as possible and not blow up the show!'" the actor told Glamour.
He Has a Wife and Son
Scott Patterson with his wife Kristine Saryan in 2016. (David Livingston/Getty Images)
Patterson married his high school sweetheart, Vera Davish, in 1983. The pair divorced two years later, while Patterson was still playing Minor League ball, per Hello!. He has been married to Kristine Saryan, 39, a former actress who appeared in a Season 4 episode of Gilmore Girls, since 2014. The intensely private couple first met at a play in 2000. They share a 9-year-old son, Nicholas.
Post-Gilmore Girls Career
Chad Michael Murray (L) and Scott Patterson (R) in Sullivan's Crossing. (Michael Tompkins/Fremantle)
Patterson treasures his Gilmore Girls legacy. He reprised his role as Luke in Netflix's 2016 miniseries revival Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, in which his wife also appeared. In 2021, he started a Gilmore Girls rewatch podcast, I Am All In With Scott Patterson, which frequently features guest spots by the show's cast and creators.
But Patterson has also ventured far beyond Stars Hollow since the series ended in 2007. He starred in three Saw movies between 2007 and 2009 (that's as far from Gilmore Girls comfort as you can get), as well as in Other People's Children (2015) and Con Man (2018). He has also enjoyed a rich TV career, with recurring roles on shows like Aliens in America, 90210, The Event and, now, Sullivan's Crossing.
Sullivan's Crossing follows accomplished neurosurgeon Maggie (Morgan Kohan, When Hope Calls), who returns to her hometown in rural Nova Scotia to flee malpractice accusations. Patterson plays Maggie's grizzled father, Sully, the local campground owner. Fellow Gilmore Girls alum Chad Michael Murray also stars as Cal, Maggie's love interest.
He Runs a Coffee Company
(Scott Patterson/Instagram)
Patterson isn't the type to sit back and relax in his free time. He loves to ski and motorcycle, and his Instagram is filled with videos of him performing solo and with his rock band.
But inveterate coffee pourer Luke Danes of Stars Hollow has rubbed off on Patterson. Since 2018, the actor has run his own coffee company, dubbed Scotty P's Big Mug Coffee, which promises high-quality global blends at a reasonable price. Stars Hollow in a mug? Yes, please.
