Lorelai Gilmore is a fictional character in the WB / CW television series Gilmore Girls , portrayed by actress Lauren Graham . She is a key character Throughout the series’ seven-year run from October 2000 up to May 2007, and the 2016 revival Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life . Lorelai is a single mother of a teenage daughter, Rory ( Alexis Bledel ). The dynamic of single parenthood and the tension between Lorelai and her wealthy parents, Richard ( Edward Herrmann ), and especially her controlling mother, Emily ( Kelly Bishop ), form the main theme of the series story line. Continue reading →