NEED TO KNOW
Documentary filmmakers Meghna Balakumar and Kevin Konrad Hanna have already recorded 100 hours of film and are continuing to meet with those around the showBalakumar and Hanna tell PEOPLE about connecting with the cast and crew
The former residents of Stars Hollow still keep each other just a short text away.
Documentary filmmakers Meghna Balakumar and Kevin Konrad Hanna are bringing their deep dive into Gilmore Girls, titled Drink Coffee, Talk Fast, to fans of the beloved series.
The documentary features all-new, never-before-seen interviews with cast members, behind-the-scenes insights from the crew, stories from writers and directors, and heartfelt testimonials from fans whose lives were changed by the show. Kelly Bishop, Jared Padalecki, Chad Michael Murray, Sally Struthers, Keiko Agena, and more will appear.
Speaking with PEOPLE about the project, the filmmakers share that their approach was “super grassroots” and focused on being “fans” above all else.
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Of getting some of the show’s talents to talk on its legacy, Hanna shares, “It was very organic and we just started reaching out to people. We interviewed a couple people, a lot of people in supporting roles and stuff like that. Once we got them, we put something a little bit together and sent that to the next person, and it was something that we’ve been working on.”
Balakumar adds, “I think a lot of the people we interviewed were like, ‘Wow, this was so much fun. I loved reliving this. You should talk to this person.’ So I think it was also a lot of just introductions from the people we interviewed, and it would kind of just grow from there.”
One particular example was Chad Michael Murray, who was happy to introduce the duo to Jared Padalecki.
“We’re at Chad Michael Murray’s house and he’s like, ‘Oh, let me text Jared real quick,’ ” Balakumar recalls.
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“So it’s been great in that way that people really love the show and they love talking about it, and because of that, they’re like, ‘Oh, that was fun to do a flashback to the past. You guys should talk to this person.’ ”
As fans first, these moments were thrilling, though the pair was focused on the job at hand.
“I definitely had moments where Kevin was jealous because I had a group text with Chad Michael Murray and Jared Padalecki, and I’m like, ‘Man, if my 12-year-old self knew this would happen one day,’ ” Balakumar laughs.
Noting her background in the music industry, she continued, “I had some level of I knew how to be around famous people, and maybe it didn’t faze me in some ways, but there were definitely moments.”
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“When we interviewed Keiko and we got this beautiful house in LA and there was a back door that was made of glass, kind of like Lorelai’s door in her kitchen, and Keiko just showed up at that door and I’m like, ‘It’s Lane Kim and she’s at my back door and I need to let her in and save her from Mrs. Kim because something happened.’ ”
While the documentary’s Kickstarter campaign is officially funded, with over 15,000 individual contributions, the documentary is still a work in progress. Though they’ve shot over 100 hours of film already, Hanna says, “We’re still talking to people.”
“We’re trying to build it out. Hopefully, we will be able to announce some more people that we’ve been able to bring in soon,” he teases.
“But we’re still filming and we want to talk to everybody, so everybody who will let us sit down with them, we’re excited to talk to.”
Get the latest updates for Drink Coffee, Talk Fast on the documentary’s Kickstarter page.
